The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1843-08-22
TRUTH MANFuLLY SPOKEN.

Ground Of Government, which (says the
New York Tribune) embodies much truth
essential to the public welfare which has
not hitherto been duly set before their rea.
ders in the publication claiming to be es-
pccially Democratic. We take from it the
following extract, which embodies a scath-
! ing rebuke TO the demagoguism of the day,
which passes with too many for democracy;
There is n strong tendency |
hold dangerous teudency-among us to
undeTrate the importance Of liberal studies,
philosophical Investigations, profound ho-
larship, and scientific attainmcn,s, AID to
extol and defer 10 the alleged wisdom and
good sense of the mass, which practically
means The wisdom and good sense of the
small minority at the head Of one or the
other Of the two great political parties in.
10 which the country is divided. Mere
scholarship for the sake Of scholarship is
no doubt contemplate we want no pedant.
~ no dilei,antsm. That sort of scholar.
ship which, in its spirit and effects, looks
never beyond the cultivation, the interest,
or the pleasure Of the scholar himself, de.
serves no encouragement from q Christian
people. All scholarship, or scholastic, or
scientific, or even artistic attaluments, like
the possession Of property, place, or pow
er, should be regarded as a sacred trust,
10 be used not for the personal good OF the
possessor, but for the moral, iniellecqYe
and sacred elevation of lheoun,ry Is not
literature We waeh results from deierring
Inc hieSaf passions and instincts, nor IN.
deed the literature tina, rises not above the
simple apprehension Of the majority; bu,
literature that breaihcs free, noble aud
generous spirit; that is full Of the love of
man as man and tina, klndes up a holy
ardor in all who come under It's influence,
and imparts TO them the needed ~lsdom TO
labor for the moral, the religious, the IN.
ieleciual, and the physical well-being Of
all men, especially of the poorer and more
numerous classes. The tendency Of which
we speak is to the creation Of literature
the reverse of this. II is dwelling ten
dency but IL levels downwards, and not
upwards. Instead Of feeling It an impe.
rious duty 10 instruct and elevate the mass,
the tendency amongst Us Is 10 take our law
from the mass, and 10 bring though, down
10 a level with the narrow views, crude no.
tons, and blind instincts Of The multitude.
/ Ii this tendency Is continued and encour.
! aged, our whole intellectual world will be.
come supe Yfica and void, and American life
too feeble thing to be worth possessing.
"Wha, is most dangerous in this ten.
deucy IS the fact that II Is though, TO b.
democratic, and is encouraged by some
who have the cars and the hearts of the
Democracy. To SGT our faces against II
is to expose ourselves To the vague charge
Of being aristocrais, and 10 be denounced
as the enemies OF the people, as men who
have no confidence IN the people, 90 love
for popular government; bot Who would
Introduce monarchy, OF build " an arts.
tccracy, or something else quite % bad II
no, worse. But | for one, meet The charge
here on the threshold, | deny that this
tendency IS democratic, or tha, Il results
from democracy Il Is decidedly auti.dc.
mocraiic, and originates IN the ahuso, 10
the petseTsion II democracy. There Is
democracy, m any worthy Sense Of the
$780, --1y -h@s~ @~sh an,u ha, q ,aund of
his own, and uiicrs that mind clearly. DR..
timely, without suffering It 10 he los, m the
voice Of any other man. Moreover Dc.
mocrncy, regarded Is principle, /. 10,
necessarily a deiefring 10 tic mass. bul i
'he ~,-e and Ia.i tsslitsiion aud adIrtpts.
ration OF Gosefnmcn, Cor the highes, and
best good Of the whole people. am
thought 10 want confidence m tie pcoplc
but have really moro confidence IN them
than be has who sald the other day. Since
! have been IN office / have made If nv
duty TO ascertain and conform 10 tho viii
OF my constituents, for | dare tell tho
people what | believe 10 h. HE truth n.
sen'Ial TO their well beng, and 10 contra
DICT them 10 their very faces when | H..
he'e them 10 the wrong. But ms conf. (
dence m tie people il ~ their capab,h,fes +
and not IN their actual attachments. or IN
the practical wisdom OF their actual iuds.
Inents. The people in whom want con.
hdence Is the political people, the people
whose voice We collect at the ballot. boy
VINO ~ 'aci are, and always must needs BE-,
ohiy small minority of the whole pnnn.
lntIon The genuine people, If their voice
could be rcaIy heard, would be loud AMI
earnest IN condemnation Of the tendency
OF which We speak. They feel that they
want intelligence, want light, and ,bey
TOOK eagerly aruund for IL; but betaeen
lhem and the light stand ever this immense
body Of shallow.pat"d pohliciuns, who /
1rcad nothing 50 much as popular lntelh.
9ence, and whose sole chance Of success
: ~ shutting out the light, and making the {
people believe that they The people arc At. a
ready masters Of political science. Here
Ics The etil, Nearly all our writer's. our !
. mole newspaper press, with few honota. Il
dc exceptions, do llttlo else than ocho u
Vhat they take TO be The dominant conyir. '
IONS OF their respective parties, scots. or :
chools and # one chances 10 think for +
imsoll and labor 70 advance the mass. n b
Ievaie the standard Of thought, the whole ?