New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-10-16
THE TRIBUNE i.
Progressive Democracy.

in SdI,s:sbvD. FsAsels Bacon Gelotr,d in .Na,onal
Halbsfore TIA ]a,s Yong Lien dad published al t.e,
rtc.es,. lCoA,nu-d tion The iylouas Vi Oct ~.
I,lsmost evident r:at N this sga OF revolutions,
while the o: humen MAD % in lnotcn, not On
throughout Cnris;ead jn but throughout vast por-
lions Of the hlshonu.edaa and heather world, lhs
mental, moral and physical power OF America is
not, is not 10 be, and cannot be, STATIONARY. a
movsmo6tia some direction is & necessity involved
not only in lis Sympa,hes With mankind, but IN the
very existence OF iib=rty-l!bsry oil motion, with
p.!iect free chocs Of direction, whether forward or
backward, upward or downward. lnto the bound
less ever. hesving Of the word Of mind, the
American Republic has hitherto poured an Anhzo-
man stream, like torrent and ike food, chang
INK the currents Of the mighty deep, rolling buck
It's tides co!oring is waves, setting them in new
swell upon the shores OF other continents. Until
the sources are dried, thsl movement never
cease.
DEMOCRACY, "the peoples power" can never
be inactive; for il is only by the continual exercise
Of their strength that the people are assured of its
continued possession. The attempt TO resist
check that spontaneous use Of power, TO lull the
people into quietude and indifference, is futile-is
apti-democratlc. ACTION IL an inevitable condition
OF liberty; and Judgment and philosophy can do no
more than decide whether that activity shal degen
crate into wild and ftful restessness, shall he
harmonized, directed and concentrated into health
full beneficial MOVEMENT. The course o! liberty ls
not only onward but upward. The way 10 national
happiness, power and glory is long and steep as
cent on which pause is but the beginning Of
swift downward movement. Progress IS labor re-
pose or effective resistance 10 progress is revolution
and destruction. The history Of all governments is
summed up in this fact.
The true democratic parry therefore is the party
Ii. rut-T
The governmental measures necessary to the use
full exercise of the peoples power 10 the develop
ment Of their capacities OF happiness, and to their
Improvement and elevation in the scale oil being,
always naturally encounter two-iold OPP o5on.
They are opposed first, by those who wish the
present to be the future, who are satisfied with the
rood now in possession, who feel no need OF the in
6uences which cherish tire infancy Of enterprise,
which protect laborous poverty from the mallgn
agencies of associated wealth, and which raise the
mass or the active portions OF the mass TO the large
possession of the blessings OF life, TO the acquls
lion of knowledge, responsibility, property, and all
the means of happiness and power. These are the
true CONSERVATIVES, properly 80 called, (without
reference the current uses o; tl5 term ss party
appellatve.) The party OF progress are opposed
secondly, by those who, despairlng Of their own
Improvement and benefit by the action OF a beneh-
cent system OF goyernnent-lncaPable by igno-
rance, Incidence vice, OF approaching and enjoy
ing the advantages which such system oilers TO
intelligent and honest enterprlse-and envlous OF
tbs success Of those who profit thus by benefits free
u all as the air which they breathe-devote the
ergies which they should have employed for their
own good, to the injury oil others. Ihey envy and
oppose-not much those who are already pros
perous--as they do those who, by the wise use Of
such benC6cent agencies OF government, rlse, or
labor 10 rise, from among them, their equals IN all
natural advantages, and their interiors only IN the
active wisdom ana practical sense by which these
public benefits converted ilto Individual happi-
mesa. They sock 10 prevent Tho good Iii which they
cannot ionly because thsy will nUtl share-to pun
down not those who have risen 10 possession, but
those who are rsing-.e obstruct the paths by which
their companions ia poverty are moving on and up
10 honor--to shut up the gates OF prosperity 10y
which they themselves refuse 10 enter. they la
Dor with tremendous, perverted powers TO destroy
what others BUILD, 10 invert the upward niovemen,
of their generation, and 10 roll hack the tide OF l-
provement. These are The DEsTRUcTiykf, properly
30 called, naturally the allies vi The true CossEK-
NATIVES; because both are hostile 10 reform, hos
TO protective sni.r ROC REss-
I'VE.
those who g. hold this truth 10 be self.evident-
that they were endowed BY their Creator with an
inalienab!e righI 10 the pursuit OF happness, ano
that FOX THIS PURPosE GOVERNMENTS were IN
erlrUTEp, deriving their just powers from The
consent Of the governed" and deriving their secu
rity from the happiness OF the governed these, be-
Ing OF the people, des::s lhs; the peoples Powet
be exrrcised il govsrnuisGt Tor the people good
10 this euC, their pOlttIcbl acIdC IL
uc,foImly directed. rhay aid and share the up
ward movement Of the age They demand and
enfo ce the benz icen:, protective influences OF gov
ernmeur by which alone they can rise and raise
their co-evals with lhem
In a Republic, tard 10 some extent under any
covernmenr.) THE Fairly OF Pko0kEss is the true
Democracy, whose antagonists are THE PARTY OF
RtPosE the men Of possession, who desire 10 limit
possession To themselves, who would be an aristo-
cracy in exclusive e'jo,ment OF honor, wealth
knowledge and political power, IN which undertake
ing heinz naturally lev and sluggish, they neces-
ssr,,y depend upon the massive strength and mag-
nant feroc,ty OF the third pary-THE PANTY OF RE
PROGRESSION, the ignorant and obstinate and the
vicious who can enjoy their power OF numbers only
hy exercising II 10 the injury OF those that seek 10
improve and reform themselves and the community.
While the party 0. progress and reform, aud IN
telgent laborious enterprise, strive TO direct the
movements OF the political and social ~ stem IN
"the ways OF wisdom and P!easanlness,' IN " the
paths OF peace they are beset behind and before
by these two opposite hostile agepces-those who
are UP striving TO push them down Is they mount
with toilspme eneTey-and these who are DOWN
too law, stupid vicious 10 rlse--strugglng 10
pull ihem down, before iiicy eau ascend above the
reach OF their cnvious mailgnlty. Tins has been
the war of moral and social elements IN all ages, IN
all nations which have felt the impulse OF ssli-lm-
proYement impaired by the Influences OF cYliisa-
iion Ii is the secret OF the origin OF all the intei-
nal struggles OF all the imperfect improvements OF
all the destructive revolutions IN tree nations, Inc
record OF which makes up the most important part
Of the history Of classic and OF modern ages. Few
wars have desoated the world and disgraceI liberty
or humanity. that might not have been prevented by
the supply OF the natural want and instructive de-
sire OF protectice and benehcent policy in govern
nent always felt by the everrsiDg mass OF inte!!i-
gen, enterprise and labor |, is the point in which
all oyerhrown free governments have failed in their
duty 10 those whom, and for whom, they governed,
is the object for which al governments were main
" created for an isolated man may more easily de-
fend hmselifrom violence and wrong when deprived
of the support and defence Of law than he can Sc
10 himself the highest practical good and hap
piness Of life, without wisely protective govern
ment. II is the mystery, though no; a deep one, Of
the moral power and permanencc OF the wise des-
pousms OF our own and other times, which have
stood and stand silent reproach 20 the turbulence
and misery OF unwise Republics Give men peace
protection prosperity, plenty and personal hserty
under any government snd they will never disturb
H. nor disturb themselves with abstract speculstous