The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-08-04

this kno Wedge in their daily occupations )
and tho very children in factory often snow
| readiness in comprehepding meohanicai
combinations, that might put 10 shame many
| a scientific lecturer. But, as i SAID, the me-
chanical arts are leading means oil dinuslns
knowledge How bad The cheap literature
and popular science Of our day been PosS,oie
without the aid Of the power press iio"
had that power press itself, the steam engine
| whc h drives IT, the cunning comolnation OF
| movements of which il is composed, the I'M
provements in casting the type, the paper
| machine which has reducnd the cost OF pa
per by Que half, the new modes ofapplyinG
| The ink, auI the better processes OF preparing
il, how bad any of these been possible, except
as the results of long series OF researches and
experiments in mechanics and chemistry,
which had their motive and their reward III
the wants OF the manufacturer MaDulac-
| lures and the mechanic arts possess strong
| recommendation in their adaptedness 10 the
| tastes and character of the American people
Without designing invidious comparisons,
suppose may safely say, we are cGnsplcuons
among tina naiio, of tie earth, as progress
sive and an inventive people. To The genius
Of such, those arts which are progressive III
their character, and VII CHI require the exer-
else OF the faculties of invention aud comhI-
nation, are emneuily suited. So strongly
developed are these faculties among US, that
the mechanical contfivaBces of the whole
world, from the earliest ages TO the American
Revolution, are not. in point of ingenuity or
efficiency, to be compared with those de-
scribed 10 the records OF the American Patent
Office. What inducement but the demands
of manufacturing industry has prompted the
study. the patient and often disappointed
experimental labor. the expenditure of time.
the mental effort, which these triumphs Oh
mind over matter, of man over nature, have
i'm posed on those " no have achieved them
To what patron but the manufacturer did the
inventors OF the cotton gin, the card machine,
the lathe fol turning irregular forms, the nu-
merous improved contrivnnce for the fabri-
cation Of tissues, look for remuneration
and where will be the stimulus for the future
exercise Of these creative faculties, when
you shall have destroyed the system which
frat developed them, and which still inciles
them to new achievements +!
Sir, we are egislatug for an age, coun-
try, Il people, whose great characteristic is
novement-onward when wisely directed,
backward when led astrsy. In onr time and
land norhng is stable, all things ere afloai.
II is pot given 10 us &c know the ultimate
tendencies of this spirit ct unrest, but we are
responsible for the direction it shall take, so
far as cut action has power TO guide il. Mans
reused energies are now expendiDg them
selves in the conquests of nature. This is
at least safe field Of exertion; the triumphs
Of this campaign are the victories Of peace
its trophies are richer treasures than the
gems of Brazil, or The ingots of Mexico and
Peru. Why should we check this proud Ca
reer of achievement Why pause in that
warfare which the Creator committed to US,
when he commanded man to subdue the
ear,hi Why restrain the development OF
that hitherto dormant faculty which, as ]
said. is just awakening 10 vigorous life and
consciousness within us ! There are many
of the powers Of nature, many ofIhs facul
lies of man, which we can control, none
which we can suppress. You may change
the course of the mightiest river, but you
cannot choke up the smallest spiing. Man
has accomplished greater works than TO turn
the current OF Of the St. Lawrence into the
valley ofthe Mississippi, but his utmost art
cannot set limits 10 the explosive force of
single grain of gun-powder. The active
powers, which are now SO busily engaged in
appropriaiing to mans use all the good gifts
of material nature, cannot be put asleep.
Pursue the sage policy OF your fathers, en-
courage these great efforts of emil ghtened hu-
mainly, and you will confer unspeakablo
blessings on those who have called you to
rule over them; but if you strive to Withdraw
its accustomed aliment from this strong spir-
it, which is Just now aroused to conscious
ness OF its powers; if you obstruct the heels
aud springs of industry. ifyou say TO those
who have suhdued the highest forces of ma
ture-'ye shall use these energies for good no
longer you will soou find them all become
instruments of evil. weapons OF destruction
in the hands Of giant. ] mean not TO utter
what shonld scorn from an opposite quar-
ter-imPotent threats Unpopular resistance
to supreme law, but it stoo much TO expect.
that The busy arms and the thinking brains,
which now find scope and employment in in
dustral pursuits, shall resign themselves 10
indolent repoSe, and that the whole frame
work OF American society can be quietly
rcmodelled in harmony with the views of Uto-
pian theorists. 1t was the leading aim Of the
founders of This republic TO make it polili-
cal society, complete within ITSELF and in
dependent. wherein the most honorable con-
ditiou should be that which Providence has
imposed on all men-the condition. namely.
of labor. Thus far ii has approxima,ed to
the fulfment of this enlightened purpose.
All labor. whether of the hand or of the head,
whether OF The layman or OF the clerk, has
been hitherto honored, aud Government has
sought 10 encourage alike every occupation
necessary TO the well-heing of society. The
attempt is now for the first time formally
made to reverse this state of things. Gov
eminent is to lay aside lis character as pro-
tecting influence. aud while protesting un-
bounded friendship for agriculture, is to levy
war on those occupations, without which
agriculture cannot snbsist. The system of
domestic exchange ofproducts, SO necessary
for new counties without an adequate circu-
laiinS medium, is TO be cut up by the roots.
and the American farmer is TO depend on
foreign industry for every article of necess-
airy use, except such vegetable products as
his own acres will yield, and such rude inn
plemenls as his own bands can fashion. This
can only be effected by shock which will
disorSanize your institutions; aud whenever
your idle dreams shall be realized. society |
will retrograde towards barbarism, brute |