New-York daily tribune., 1844-06-08
Progress OF Social aues,ior-.

Pacidque-the Daily Paper published IN .'ar.s BY
! the advo:utcs of Associaton-the announcement
OF the fact that the necessity Of Social Reform
has at length been officially recognized by che OF
the leading nations of Europe. We will trans
late the substance Of the article of that paper,
order tina, our readers may share in the pleasure
with which 1t has oeen read by US.
There has recently occurred. says the Demo
crate, Sin Belgium, political and social event
OF the highest Importance. It's The official recog-
nilion OF the new ideas for which we have so long
con,cndcd and against which ST. many have pro-
tested, as utopian lit IS the official advent of
Sucal Politics.
"Certalulv, If our Faith had need of external
encouragement, II manifestation like that we are
about TO make known, would suffice to IeSnscl-
tate it with the utmost power and vigor. But,
thank Heaven our Faith has no need of resu$-
citation; it is living, calm and strong. Yet II Is
some consolation that the glorious Future, for
which VIC have SO patiently and laboriousIy pre-
pared the way. is about to open-we behold lis
aurora
Abnut len years since, a new and great social
event was introduced among the Powers OF the
! Euronean Continent, the Inauguration of winch
was powerful means of as,ociaun. different
| u,ourcs and races This was the establishment
Of Il system Of internal communication by Rail
roads. Who gave the first successful example
in this improvement Who introduced II upon
the Continent! Belgium. Well, Belgium has
not only taken the initiative in Railroads; she
has taken another step IN advance; she has
opened new way OF progress for The Nations
In the person OF VI. Northomb, Minister OF the
! Interior one of the most intelligent and iniiHca
tiai of the Statesmen wth which she is honored,
Belgium soemnly proclalms the complete reno
vatun of Politics. tne end OF the ancient system,
and the necessary accession OF the New and vital
| Politics.
Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.
! Under the simple expressions OF the Chief oi the
Belgian Cabinet, grand fact has heen revealed;
nothing less than the actual necessity "i directing
The acton OF Government 2, Social Questions"
The Democratic then proceeds to extract the
Speech of NJ. Northomb, from the Montteur
Beige, at length but 1t is altogether too long
iur our columns, and much of 1t not Of general
interest in this country, we shall refer 10 such
parts only as Immediately concern our readers.
| VI. Norhomb, on the opening of the Chambers,
! tonk occasion TO view the various questions that
would likely occupy the attention Of that body
and, after discussing the financial question,
the commercial question and the military
question, went on to say that one question re-
mained which must control them, and which
embraced 1.-The whole mission OF Government -
he meant the SOCIAL QuEsrloN.
Sncc 1880, he said, a great change lad taken
place in his own mind, and III that vi the leading
minds of Europe Then the doctrines of L0tssel
Fare, let aonc} were III vogue, ant 1t was sup
posed that the individual could not do too much
and the Government too little Those doctfines
had had their effect and they were now passed.
1t was now seen that the negative ground was
nol sufficient; there was need oil positive lcgls-
aton. The industry Of the People demanded
The intervention OF the Government, to protect
Is products from adulteratlon, TO open Railroads.,
20 coAtrol Corporations, and to protect Inc ecopie.
Nj NUrtkomb continued =" Gentlemen, The
questions to which | particularly refer, call
them questions of business, social questions,
or to use the expression of III. Cos,au, HuMAH
rAhY QuesrIoNs, ARE NOW TIE ORDER or THE
DAY. Political Questions, strictly speaking, thcsc
which relate merely TO forms and modes OF Gov
crnmcnt, are doubtless important; but most ol
these we NAV regard as already resolved us lar
as they can be; every body accepts our lnstltu-
lions such as they arc; and the political Const-
tuition of tho Country IS terminated. what is
beginning to be understood now Is, that Ill re-
solving these Government Questions, we have
only touched the question OF our material III
tercsts-we have only approached the great So
cial question. Political forms are but one means
to an cnd-not the End itself: other means are
necessary 10 arrirc at that end
Political questions have lost their Importance
because they arc resolved. The questions oil poriy,
which follow upon the political questions, arc de-
crcasng and they decrease precisely IN proportion
to our interest in the investigation and solution o
the other questions which have called questions
ol business, but which others call Social or llu-
mani,ary questions. We must hereafter sink
questions of parry, and take up Those OF bust
ness and it IS singular fact, that the conlin-
VERSES OF party cease just III the degree IN which
we are absorbed in the business questions ior The
reason that there arc none OF these questions on
which party lines can be drawn
sWe are asked why there are no longer strong
political CONVICTIONS II is because those con
yictions are carried TO other questions. No one
now submits TO the absolute empire OF party
spirit; we hardly wish the contests and division
OF party-nay, go farther-no one believes ANY
Ioncer IN the absolute efficacy OF any political
! forms We begin TO see that all is not accom-
ulished, when we have instituted Pfovncial
! Elective Councils, or Communal Elective Cuun
els. or Legislative Chambers; there Is something
beyond these political provisions these are only
means: the end iS-thc AFFAIRS OF BUSINESS.
"In 1880. we imagined that every thing was
done by institutng Representative Government
and BIZ resolving IN the most liberal manner Ger
tain political questions we thought that every
thing was done by giving the largest liberty 10
the individual: but TO day, we acknowledge that
Government has positive duties, and that there Is
much 10 be effected in the material and morol
spheres. Do not let us lose sight OF this impor-
,aut consideration
These are certainly remarkable words, coming
from remarkable person, and are uttered at
remarkable time. NJ. Northomb IN Belgium
where one person out OF five Is paupsr' iihc
Lord Howick OF England, where Poverty stalks
IN the same frigh,fu aspect, has discovered that
there is a deeper cause for existing misery than
is contemplated by ordinary politics. They feel
the necessity of going down into the relations OF
labor, and so organizing the business of the COM
munity that men will not Of necessity be prey
-, - athc--ca1in.r sach others