New-York daily tribune., 1843-04-26
Letter from o. a. Broxnson.


Bosrov APrillo, 1913.
Horace Greeley E,q. Editor Of N Y Tribune:
Ny DEAR SIR in your notice IN The Tribune,
some days SINCE of my article on Democracy and
Liberty published in the April number OF the De
mocratic Review, you make inadvertently, pre-
sumo, statement which must ask you TO allow
INC to correct
In my article, say" the movement party
that is. the party OF progress IS divided INTO
two sections one the radical section, seeking
prorrcss by destruction; the other the conserva-
tive section, seeking progress through, and IN
obedience to, existing institutions and con-
tend that the conservative section Is the only
one that a wise man can call his own You
say confess that | once adopted and acted on
tue policy-that Of destructon-hcrc condemned
This is the statement | wish to correct.
In the first place, Sir if you will look again at
shc article in question: you will see that | make
no such confession as you acgc no where
say, or imply, that ever adopted the policy which
assign to the radical section Of the movement
party. | am not, IN the paragraph alluded 10,
speaking of myself personally, but OF the two
different classes of Rcformers, and characttrl2ing
aher respective methods of seeking reform.
In the second place, allow TO me to say that
not only do not make the confession you state,
bat have never since my name has been much
known, adopted or acted on, or recommended
others 10 act on, the policy ! condemn III the
paragraph quoted The policy of seeking pro-
gross by destruction, which charge upon the
radical section OF the movement party has never,
at least for the last thirteen vears-and thirteen
years arc no small item III mans life who still
under iorty-b been my policy and If have sad
any thing during that time to countenancc IT, II
has been unintcntionally and unconsclously. This
may surprise you. For the public have-ior what
reason know not-ln the very teeth OF my re-
peated disavowais, insisted upon calling me not
only radical, but as II were, an arch.radlcal-
the very lmpersonatlon ot the quintGsScnce ol
radieaIism. Yet Sir, this has been wholly falst,
false from beginning to end, Unauthorized by the
fair Interpretation of any thing have ever writ
ten. On tins point, commencing with Scptcm-
tember, 1880, defy contradiction, from any thing
l have written when interpreted fairly. and
cording TO the obvious meaning of the writer.
will not say that, when | started the Herald
OF Reform y in Western New ork in 1929, did
not to some extent share the views of what should
call the dStructivcS,; but have long since re-
nounced and denounced, publicly, over and over
again. the views which then entertained whether
OF society or of religion llavc not sought to pal
late at all the errors INTO which | had been be-
trayed by young enthusiasm and ncxpercnce;
but in point of fact my views even then were by
Here is quotation or two from my Editorial
Address on taking charge of the Boston Rcormer,
July l, 1886 - When | connected myself with
the cause the Working Men profess 10 have al
heart. 1922 | had no confidence IN Religion, and
concerned myself with 1t bnt 10 oppose II now
embrace 1t as the very lever OF Reorn as the very
soul of Progress Then regarded Man as passive
in the hands of external circumstances; now
recognise IN hm an active principle, 10y winch
TO "A certain extent, he may rise superior To CIR
cumstanccs then looked 10 the Outward for
reform ! now, ,oiih0ut undertaking the ont
icard, look manly 10 the Inward Then | was
indignant al the past, and wished 10 destroy all
eXis,mg society, and to create u new society
modelled after certain notions OF social perfection
OF which then dreamed 8ut | now absolvc
the past see much IN the pvcsen. TO approve
haze no ,riSh 10 GcStfoq, tWt 10 perfect tokGt IS
Glread, begun was then truly rcvou.
toniS IN principle, aud IN spirit. am Rofc much
more of a conservative. The age OF revolutions
mas pasSsd by. We live IN an epoch, al least IN
= country OF orderly, legaii,ed progress.
Here is no settled ordc: to break up no priyi-
icgcd class TO break down; no change IN the
Fundamental laws TO be effected. Here IN this
country the Government is, lar as us theory
is concerned, established IN the lntercsts OF the
MANY, and whatever evils respecting II We may
have TO point out, they arc evils OF legislation or
of the administration Of the laws. =" The con-
scrva,ivc opposes the radical because he thinks the
radical would break up all order, introduce ,on-
fusion and anarchy; the radical opposes the con-
ssrvatiyS because he believes the CONSERVATIVE II
opposed 10 all y,ucrcSs and determined 10 pGrpctu-
ate al eNistng abuses Both may unite aud be
fellow laborerS for humanity, the very moment that
the means of obtaining progress without interrupt
inc order and preserving order without preventing
progress IS discovered. Th!S is The great prob
lem ,rhicd II Seems 10 ne 10 olu Government has
soirsd ;" and hence can close the Address By
Saving-'>l am, then. II may be sen. neither
conservative nor radical bat a combination OF
both, and the Reiortner wall labor 10 unite the
Two parties or rather to mel, tksm both Rt0 0ns
great patg OF hatasnity."
Here is the very pcGcs stated ut length. which
recommend in the Democratic Review, and
PUBLICLY advocated nearly seven years ago, and
before | had become much known to the pubic,
or the public at all interested IN my oplnlons- In
representing me as confcsSing 10 change, you
certainly amply change | must have undergone
since th,s period of,lS26.
Tbs Boston Quarterly Review, commenced
January, 1888, the publication which has been
The principal means OF raaking me known, was
started on the principle here lald down, and con-
Quoted or that principle from beginning TO end.
In NV introductory address | diSclaiul the char
:,cter of reforrner and innovator. In an article
ON democracy, IN the tiTs, number say: ''Our
principle is, no rerolut.0a, no DESTRUCTION, but