New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-03-08
Mr.. gmerssH's last Lecture.

,he character Of Law as It now exists, The views
Of State which are generally entertained, and
then spoke of Politics az shsy would be Ii naen |
we're what they should be instead OF what they
are. The protection Of Persons and that oi ffs-
perty he mentioned az evidently the objects OF
government, as it COW exists. With regard 70 the
first, iii easily seen that all men have equa! rights
With respect TO the last, their rights are as clearly
unequal. The Frat therefore demands g democFa- |
cy. where ali persons may have equal power the
last as clearly requires that the power shall be dis
,rb,.ted according to the property This principle
it is found difficult 10 elnbody in practice, since
persons and property are mingled; as Saiit
therefore i has been deemed exPediens tia: the
r1an who Ia. property shall have more elective
rights than others. This principle, however, IS
beginning TO be distrussed; the belief is becoming
prevalent that the culture Of men IS the true aim
Of State and that property will protect and regu
ata itself,
Thoughtful minds, Mr.. Emerson ssid, find the
rnost satisfactory reliance III the s0tur0i guards
Of property-s hich will, under any circumstances,
be projected The farmer viii not plant unless
the chances are q hundred TO one that ne can lhe-
wise harvest; all persons and all property nave
power Of their own, just as truly as all matter
has attraction; aad it will just as surely be iei'
in al the arrangements Of Society. Laws may
do or saw what they viii; money viii stil nave
power: and though the State should enact tnst
men who have property shall not vote still the
prope7,y of that State will write all needed statutes
FOR its own protection.
Mr.. Emerson said he thought very raodesty oi
all our existing political institutions and sslii
more modes,ly of the manner in which they are OF
have bean administered The State is always en-
,irely dependent for its character upon the conal-
ton of those who live in it: it Is always the pest
ubich the existing morals Of the PsoPle will allow
IL is thus conditional, and has nothing in 1t OF so
solute worth Good men, Re said, must not obey
,ha laws too we'll. They will have latin in the
beautiful necessity which shines through all laws
IN that Human nature which writes itself as truly
in all statutes as it does in statues or in songs
Government is thus always Iheocracy, lhe
idea at which all aim is to obey the WIN Oh Tue
Wise Man; end since the Wise Man IS not TO DO
found in Nature, men seek to reach as nearly 70
it as they may by coastivances, such as Democra
ces Republics, Ariatocrscies or MonaTchles,-
These are all forms through which shines one
.i,-nanely, the effort to obey the best will. The
Growth of the individual should be the purpose OF
,be State; to educate the Wise Man the state
EXISTS; and when he appears the State will EXPIRE
,or ,be mower OF his character will supply the
place Of Law.
The influence of character ruling power as
We. i. in its Infancy yet it i. never absolutely
nothing. And ell the strife and struggle Tor oPin-
| ion arc for wealth indicate the feeling that the
,over Of character ;s the only rghtful force
| These are sought as an apology for the lack OF
that: as shows whereby to cheat those we meet
But they will never satisfy ourselves and 1t rs
onlv because we feel that We have not moral worth
no, 1vc would ever strive fer rank or great pos
sessions. If q man had the power to make all
around romantic and beautiful ne would never
reach after ausht so remote and poor as politics
Mr.. EMERSON said that the progress Of nations
for the last years has been towards the recognition
of the power of individual character: towards the
perception that no code is efficient, none so SAFE
as the code of each mans constitution; ana me
dav. he said. would come when the government
will cease to be sought after by gentlemen. aince
all its functions will be despatched by few clerks
| One Indication of the tendency towards this he
found in the more general recognition of the highest
rights of maa-uot alone his right to be protected
in his person and his property, but mis- right to be
loved to be trusted, to be revered. The power OF
love as the basis of State has never been tried,
q. il will be in the time to come. But no tear
need be el, that confusion will ensue; Tor 1t Il
law Of nature that there will always be govern
rnent OF forcs~whi!s men are selfish. Trade "a an
advance on war and republic is better than
monarchy; but compared with the highest rights
OF the citizen all our political institutions poor
and degrading.
Men are beginning to perceive that The dlsase
/ Of force is Tie education OF the fsopie 10 DO
tri.hoa. st. TIE feeling that deems the vices o!
raen organic is falaehood of our own hearts.
Itrust men and they will be tTae; love them and
we may do with them what we will. If the belief
OF gaoa men in tie progress OF Society and the race
he true, thea vi the religion of the next century
be the recognition OF this holy influence of individ
uai character, which shall ona day govern the
world Then will no man aspire TO any Office he
has not served Up to- nor reach at augh which
does not grevitate to hin The machinery OF force
and compulsion upon which We now rely will then
cd left behind as the hobbies and go-carts Of our
youth.
These were some OF he principal points, en-
forced with all the beauty and cloquence OF his
though, and style, which Mr.. Emerson advanced
in his last lecture in this city this season. His
audience has increased ct each Successive evening