Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-07

as an ind vduul, satisfied to 1--we IN festtss con-
notion and hold his personal tghts, 10 grra! extent
Al The mercy of this or that dynas.y. Under such
system nan NUT necessarily snk, ultimately into ds
spair; AZ there could be no permanent elevation OF
his SPECIES !,
Ano,hcr rrea. point gained in the acquisition OF
,n,b ard ;he conss qucn expansion OF civilization, in
modern tim, ) has been l5acons application oil Undue
tive reasoning II the whle range Of science and pat
osopby. Before that period, the world was inundated
with the iargon OF the 81 hons il was VAN and ole,
to use The scholastic logic of Aristotle, as the means Of
discovery in truihit only produced speculation and
confusion do not mean 10 say, ifal Aristotle did no
thing On the contrary, he was the greatest thinker
OF his day and in the abstract philosophy OF poi''cs'
he has rarely, if ever had his equal Bnt what mean
10 say ;a that neither Aristotle nor flato Quntlan
nor Seneca ever laid down any great system Of phllo
sophy by which the world could move steadily Tor
ward in the progress and the tfumPhs OF truth Their
theory end mankind could make no permanent advao-
ees under them The wit of man cannot discover
truth in any department of knowledge except upon
the principles Of nductve reasoning You may guess
a, it, but il would be accident II you discovered H.
know it has been said, that genius discovers truth,
and that common minds but act upon the principles
laid down and thus discovered. This may be so, but
it is great mistake, to suppose That even 'ne nights OIL
genius, from paint 10 point are by nutrition Us move
nen,s may be rapid and its conclusions not apparent
al first sight hut rapid al they may De, u never ar
rlves at immutable truth, but upon nducuve primer
pies Although The ordinary mind may mol immedi-
atcly the strides al genius, YET us movements are
certain and its rules fixed The insect thot creeps and
craws, may finally wind itself 10 Inc io'.Ps, summit
a, rears its head in The air and rowns upon the world
around And | know il is the province-the proud
province Of III eagle alone, - let himself down from
hrs airy flight in the heavens ana posing upon the
same summit with scon the EARN oehealh nm
So il is with geEus-it scars aoit, against Tue canopy
of Heaven and in its daring ccarch after truth, gazes,
if nee DIS be with eve that never ~inks, INTO The sun
itself Lofty IFS fgh, may be, subtle ana une n as
often is, yet 1t never moves, except ny xeu
con ousrns, and II never rests upon The pinnacle oil
everlasting truth, except upon the same principles,
and governed by the same laws, under which the God
of Nature has forever bound the elastic, but hn- mind
of .
In the year 1920, the ".yornm 0rgaaam scisntarnm
of Bacon drv ,ped the inductve system o! phi"so-
phy as the legitimate mode by which truth could he
ascerlaned in every department OF knowledge; and up
on this syse al The great classes in society have been
steadily progressing in important, truths, and ciVi
cation has become expansive. True, Euclid had
many centuries before, applied to certain extent, Inc
same system OF reasoning, TO s'oes ana angles ahu
made Geometry perfect even in his day. But Bacon
took and applied it 10 Investigations in the whole
range of universal know ledge.
From that period, an has been formed, in The
steady and unerring progress Of truth All The boun.
daries of science and phil sophy have been enlarged
and placed upon sure basis, FAR above any thing the
profoundest schoolmcn OF antiquity ever conceived OF
Is it not remarkable fact, that with the exception
of Eucds geometry, there scarcely any thing true
in the productions OF the anccnts In the richness OF
their taste, 10 magnificent archi.; their
grand and glowing poelry-in their spr-s,irEng and
passionate cloqncnce, they have rivals in modern
times But in all those great and solemn truths con-
nected with science, with morals, with politics and
with philosophy, by which the great and living masses
society raised and elevated as rational beings,
they have ptadnced but little worthy the cmembraDce
or admiral Of mankind Genius and talent rose
here ard there, 10 cast their light around upon the
world Of Darkness and such characters stand oCt now
the history of antiquity, amid the wide vase and
desoation of the past. the Pyramids rise {, cast their
shadows upon the sands OF Egypt; but there was no
has stood tho test Of time the scrutiny Of truth.
The irductve system of Bacon has been TO true PHI
osorhy, what The Mngna Charter he's been in politics,
and the two couibIned have produced the profoundest
impression upon modern civilization.
But, great the of gunpowdcr, the lnTention
of printing, the Magma Chara, AID nducti.e reason
ing, have their effects upon the destiny and
elevation of the human race, there yet one
event which is calculated 10 lave deeper impression
finally, upon mankind than ALL alude 10 the Decara-
ton of Amercan Independence.
Things had been working some such resnlt for
century. A world had Become settled, under
which, mt only the field of commerce, Gad Of enter.
prze had been enlarged, but the minds OF men seemed
10 be expanded with new and enlarged IDEAS. The
struggles between the arbitrary power of the crown.
and the rights of the people III the mother country had
done much 10 deveope the great principles of human
liberty. The eloquent and glowing writings of Milton,
the doctrines of Locke, Pvm, Hnmpden and Sydney,
had taken deep hold upon the English heart.
Under these circumstances, the noble conception Of
Franklin and Jefferson, that all horn free and
e9uai, when embodied into solemn declaration OF a
nation independence, well calculated 10 make an
the organization of society The true substance
ard meaning of this mighty declaration was, not that
all born literally equal, but tia, all were born
He'd ia rUltg
yes Thus Interpreted II is the nob's conception that
entered into the heart OF man. and vel! calculated
TO put the highest aspirations into every citizen IN Sc
ceiy. Since this political axiom has been proclaimed
by ration, and v!ndicated by trumphamt appeal to
the sword, there is not human being that thinks or
reads in any portion OF chrstendom that has rot turn
ed it his mind, and felt his heart expand and
warm with the glow of and enlarged emotions
There is not peasant that primes his vines upon The
hills of France, husbardman who gathers his
grain upon tha hanks of the Tweed the Thames,
who has not revoyed this mighty conception over and
in his mind, and often It under its spirts,lrrng
call, the blood rush warm to his cheek, and The lire
knde in his eye. It's the grtat idea # the aye, which
destined, in the course OF human events 10 aetiie
and stir up all mankind 10 Gna vindlcaton Of what
| IS inst and right.
This conception of equality is calculated 10 make
every man in society feel the importance OF his desii
ny, and compels him to an everlasting activity and
struggle IN order 10 maintain that rank ard those
rights, which he believes himself 10 be entitled to by
the laws Of God and of nau.-. 1t brings up every
class and rank in society TO think and to act for them
selves None being born to govern, il forces oil to
take part in their c%n government, and thea makes
item thinking and rejecting frecmen. So strong and
searching has been this great docrince ard deep
ly has il agItated the minds cf men, that the mes.
powerful combinations have been formed 10y thrones
and empires, and dynastics, 10 suppress and check ii;
but it will prove oil in vain. You might as we'll al
tempt TO eAtingush the light of heaven, for it is
of these grea, and striking truths, winch, when
announced can never be forgotten by the world.
| True, the French people, excited 10 madness and
frenzy, filled To carry il out into permanent operation
But If their Revolution did nothing than 10 show
The power OF Il great people, when excited (des
pera.e and bloody it was, TO vndicale their rights
and their Liberties, has been glorious lesson
kind full OF instruction. After ages and future poo
pie can profit by its excuses and It's Madness 4, the
same time tia. they have been taught their power and
know their rights. Let no suppose that, tina,
full revolution Is 10 deter every people from again
attempting to vindicate the equality OF man and his
natural rights. The world will, or later
gather Itself for the struggle Upon this very
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