New-York daily tribune., 1844-04-09
Ex-Governor Scward's Letter

Ex-Governor ScwardS Letter
To the !lL6uay HiJeruium Prorideat Society.
Aununx. March 18th, 1914.
Generous, faithful, and honOred friendS:-i
should be very happy if | could accept your IN
yitation-but, as Lord Bacon said, IN urging his
,stton to the Queen, ''thc practice OF the law
drinketh up much time that would willingly de-
vote to higher purposes" The pleasures OF an or.
diuary entertainment would hardly deserve 10 be
70 distinguishcd but the festival Of st. Patrick
in America acquires dignity and interest from It's
tendency to improve The American people, by
making them better acquainted with the virtues,
the literature and the achievements Of your good
and gifted countrymen; and Just now 1t Is elc-
yacd, because it furnishes an occasion for the cx-
prcss;on of our sympathes with the people of
Ireland in their heroic and truly majestic, though
peaceful Revolution. Nevertheless, must iorego
The hospitaitics you tender me, and, SO Tar as
duty IL concerned, reserve myself for occasions
of sterner character, if any shall happen
The Rebellion of 1893, with all It's heroic CON
cep,ions, and deeply tragic catastrophe, were
fresh in the memory Of the American people, when
my first instructions were received. Ny scntI
ncnts and sympathics were klndlcd by the burn
ing arguments of Grattan. OF Curran, OF fitzgcr-
aid, of McNcycn, and of Emmct; and the poetry
that engaged nc first and has fingered with me
longest, was the National AIRS OF Ireland, i
yielded to those sentiments and sympatmes more
easily, because however ethcrs might boast OF
pure English descent, | was Obliged TO confess, II
il were a cause of shame, that more than one
stream from the Celtic prng had comnng!cd
with the current of my Saxon blood.
We are accustomed in carly life 10 suppose that
,hc opinions we approve arc universally accepted.
Lplnrp i dreamed that
we're at all peculiar. But when vcnturcd 10 pro-
nose that distractions 10 the incorporation OF cm
grants in our community and to tho education of
their children, should he removed, aud that free
liberation of their peculiar crccdS and instructions
should be exercised, found that the bias of early
sentiments had brought nc IN conflict with oPin-
IONS 20 deeply cherished and SO widely prevalent
that many of my counlrymcn iclt Obliged TO cues
lion at once my orthodoxy as a Protestant, my
p,trio,ism as an American, and my sincerity as
n man. Next TO truth aud knowledge, ] love
teace and harmony with my icllow-men. have
therefore rcconsidcred my early Impressions with
candor, during rcpose not uniavorable to the
performance OF such duty.
Some of our citizens study the letter rather
than tho spirit Of our Constitution and Laws
What they find the Constitution and Laws toer
ate, they regard immutabe; like those thcologlahs
who pronounce even human slavery divine IN
situiion, because Apostle commanded ser
wants to be obedient to their masters. But IN
ne American Constitutions there is, as in Chris
uanilv, spirit that "inaketh alive again whch-
ever Inc letter of the Law "killcth' any virtuous
CT bencyocn, principle or hope. The principles
oi the American Government find, ndlstinct
and confused indeed, but nevertheless perccpt
bic. in the philosophy aud policy of the Grcclan
Republ,cs. From that source sec the streams
descending through the ages of Roman, French,
Italian German and Saxon asccndcncy, some
& tunes diverted often obstructcd, and more than
once disappearing altogether under the iounda-
tons of huge fabrics of DcSpoliSm, but neverthc
less again breaking forth, and flowing onward,
until they find in the close OF the eighteenth cen
tury, broad aud enlarged channels, in which
they contrive 10 move onward with lIreSsuvc
power The rights asserted by our toreiathers
were not peculiar 10 themSClvcs-they were the
| common rights of mankind.
| The basis Of the Constitution was laid BROADER
| by sr than the superstructurc winch the conflict
| r.g interests and prcludlces OF the day suffer-
I! ed to he erected. Those who erected that super
structure foresaw and provided for It's gradual en-
hrgcment, and looked forward TO the time VIII n
the same foundations would receive and uphold
| Institutions of Republican Government ample for
the whole human race. The principles thus laid
down were, that all men were born equal, and had
ndcieasible and inalenablc natural rights, TO
erect, subvert and modify governments at their
psasurc-that the right of personal freedom was
nplolable-that the whole earth was the heritage
otuan, and every accessible part of Il was free
\ TO his footsteps; and that tckereCer IN The prO~
atnee ~ God, he was born, or might be led, and
y @o whatsoever rank or condition he might fall,
lase ne Of night was and ought to be member
o. The Civil State, and entitled to free and equal
l Nnfage FOR those who should make and for those
1 no should execute the laws and that that Sut-
s1sc was q condition precedent ofhs obedience
lhe Constitution and Laws of the Federal Gov.
eminent die not practically extend these princi-
PIES throughout the new system OF government,
SGl they were plainly promulgated IN the Decla-
'e;ion OF Independence. Their complete dev.l.
opmsni and reduction to practical operation con-
saIu,e the Progress which all liberal Statesmen
des,re to promote, and the end of that Progress
will be complete political equality among our
selves, and the extension and perfection OF lnstl-
Ialons similar TO our own throughout the world
lhs grea, end, however, is not 10 be obtained
| SUDDENLY eyenthusiasm or BY violence. Providence
mas only permitted us TO reach this. Ike every 9TH
human good, by long and pcrscyerng efforts !;
50 VA. 'i'o1tS Whlch arc uioSI sUccesSlu arc suou
ss'cnd most to improve ourselves and to produce
ns'mcny and peace among our fellow men, Edu-
Gallon and moral and religious instruction are al
ways lncipicnt means. Thus the principles of The
American Revolution seem 10 me- il II DO not II
eIelen, so to speak, destined certainly, but grad
Saiy and through many ages, to rcnovatc the po-
nncal state OF manknc-as the Gospel Of Peace
certainly and gradually rcnova,ing their moral
ldnd social condition Rather | mivht Say that
his political renovation is new and farther de-
'eiopment of the Christian System, By the appli-
cation of the golden rule OF bcncvocnce IN the
jscience OF human government.
lie is an indifferent observer who docs not per-
jce!rc the uphcaving OF the principles have de-