Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-08-11
But hear Mr.. Brovnson :

There Is sirJug'endency-aud hoda dangerous ten.
dtucy-amoug Us 10 uudeTrole the Importance liberal stu
dles, phOsl phica Inye legations profound scholars hip and
sci'Huhc alnei and To eNiol and defer the alleged
wisdom and good OF the mass, which practically
means the wisdom ana good the small minority
al the head OF the other the two great political mar
ties into which the country divided Mere scholarship o the
sake Of scholarship, doubt contemptbe we wantno De-
danry, dllttantism That scholarship which in lis
si' and effects, looks beyond the cultivation the H.
cIesi OF the pleasure OF the scholar himself deserves no en-
couragement from Chsuan People All scholarship or
scholastic " scientific artistic atanmenis, like the
possession Of property place power should be regarded
asacred ustobe udnOt for the personal good of the pos
sOr but Tor thenor intel, ctuu and sacred elevation Of
e mass hf literature We wintu this country the lit
'raure popular passions and
s"h'S nor HGeed Tue literature That above the
simple npprehensIoIs of the majority: but literature that
neihes iee noble, and generous spirit; that tu Of the
love OF man sman, and that Sndcs up holy ardorn al who
come under IT, influence, and mpart- them the needed
wisdom to labor gs Tue moral the religious the uciul
ana Tie physical well bong OF oil men, especially the poorer
ana more numerous classes. The tendency of which wc
SPEAK Is 10 me creation Of literature the Of this II
- evelng tendency; buti level, downward. and not up
wards Instead of feeling imperDus duty 10 instruct
ana elevate TIE mass, tie tendency among % take our
Jaws rom tile mass and To bring thought down TO level
WIN Inc narrow view, crude notions, and blind instincts
the multitude Ii this tendency -connued and encouraged
our whole intellectual world viii become superficial and void
anu American hie too feeble thing be- worth possessing
what - most dangerous in tas tendency ia the feet
thuI II s thought 90 be democratic, and F encouraged bv
some who have the and the hearts Of the Democracy
'tt '"l ldt'r a-lli.i I 10
vogue charge OF being nJcats and g, be- denounced ~ the
cnfmes q" the people; who have 90, confidence IN
NE people, no love Tor popular government but WHO would
Introduce monarchy build up nu nristlcrlcy 1r s,e
ihng else quite as bad, worse. But l. 1. one meet
the charge here on tue threshold deny that this enden.
' dtmocuici or That results from democracy; Il IL de.
cidcdy antdcmocruc, and originates in the abuse IN the
Per'cI-IOn oi democracy. There j. democracy IN any
worthy sense Of the term, only where each man no. a
nd oi hi- own aud uitsrs that mind clearly distinctly
without suffering Ito be lot in the voice Of any other man
I rtr |.l Lac. ,-..r.
safy doeung 60 tine mns. bui tho wise and lust r.1
Ili3u ana administration of Government for tho hir..,
"'N o,s' s',u % 'h' "'e people. lm thaugutp Hnnt
confidence 90 the people but have really more
n them Than he vino -ui tbe other dIy since have been
r Office have made itHy duty fY ascertain and confirm IN
e ISL" oi my constituency for dare tr tue people wilt
believe 90 Boz the TRUTH essential o. their being and a.
contradict them 60 their very iaccs when believe tlc n
u' wrong But my confidence tie people Is in their c,ua
'""'- anu not in their actual aitlnmcni-, IN the
/ Wucic1l wisdom ui their actual ludgmcut-Ibe
I people IN whom ] want confidence are tbr uY.ifr,l
people, the people whose voice $50 col pct a the ballot ,
VINO D" inci are and always must needs be- only small m
h'I'y q" TIE whole population The genuine people if their
voice could really bc heard. would Do, loud and o,rp, w
condemnation OF ihr cudrLcy of which we sueak Tbcv
I'c' mot u'y want intelligence, wabt ei' and they look
eagerly around Tor DO, bot between them and tIs M stand
ever ihi- immense body OF shallow nat.d p,.ticifr ,i
dread nothing sp muc. as popular intel sruco nuI ,he
,c cuincc OF success IS DO shutting Ho gbt and ,,
hing tIc people believe that they, tho pruur orc ars.dg
master. of political science, hoe lies the OWL Nearly III
our writer's our whole newspaper press with few honor,
Die exceptions, do little else than cello what they take {,
br the dominant convictions Of their rrspcrtiyc t,ri m
schools and 81 one chances think for himself and abo
~ advance Che mass 20 elevate the standard Of thought In,
whole pack,
Tray, Blanche, Sweetheart little dogs and a,
orc lotl9oo upon him aid hc forthwith run down ne ,yl,
boast or savage who d suffered escape would corrup
o people and Out their substance perhaps dovour br
. women aud children.
"N"w, in tio uamo of science, OF knowledge. Of wi.
''"' ~ "u'' OF h' people 90 outraged d'uocrlcy tot