The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-04-23
From the Now York News.
REFORM AND REFORMERS.

- efatIylng 10 OOScVo Ho "o"'""'
spirit Of reform which seems to be spreading
through tho country. There is much for j,
10 do. The Constitutions of the States are
susceptible Of beneficial amendments, and
we are rejoiced to find the people, not oaly
of New York, but Of several other members
Of our cenfedsracy, moving calmly and
firmly on in the work ofimprovement. While
errors abound in the world, efforts 10 correct
them should not and will not cease. An
energetic struggle for this purpose, will
undoubtedly continue until human nature
can claim for itself such degree Of excel
lence as will enable it TO establish political
systems free from all imperfeclions. But
some persons are more fearful Of the efforts
10 reform abuses, than they are Of, abuses
themselves. And il must be admitted that
10 a superficial observer, the motley array Of
selestyled reformers, with their long caialo.
que Of incongruous, and many Of them silly,
ianatical and impracticable projects for re-
constructing the framework Of society, is
not very attractive sight. II is not 10 be
denied that foolish men and bad men always
seize the occasion, when the public mind is
agiiated, TO make themselves prominent, by
selecting hobbies according to their respective
tastes, and endeavoring TO ride into popular
favor upon them. The weakes, and the
worst usually make the most noise in the
world, for they are necessarily pointed at BY
the advocates of stand-still policy, who
endeavor to confound them with the wise
and the good, and thus oppose any progress.
Every extreme and visionary theory is held
up to view as the goal at which we are sure
to arrive if we go forward; and efforts are
made to compare the whole army of reform
with the mere beasts of prey that hang upon
its skirts, or the il-omened birds that hover
around it. But no intelligent, thinking ana
reasoning man will, for single moment,
suffer his judgment TO be warped by any
such appearances. 1t was most truly said
some two hundred years ago by that famous
Bamburner," John Milton, that "when
God shakes kingdom with strong and
healthful commoiions to a general reforming.
il is not unture that many sectaries and flse
teachers are then busiest in seducing. But
vet more true is il that God then raises TO
his own work, men of rare abilities and more
than common industry, not only to look back
and revise what hath been taught heretofore.
but to gain further, and 60 on some newen-
lghtened steps in the discovery of ,ru,h."-
Again the same eloquent and radical Demo-
crat--eloquent because he was radcal-says
in language Of equal beauty and truth, that
"ihough all the winds of doctrine were lei
loose 10 play upon the earth, so truth be in
the field, we do iDjuriously TO misdoubl her
strength. Let her and falsehood grapple;
who ever knew truth put to the worse IN
free and open encounterW
If wise and eminent man could feel such
confidence in the power Of truth and the
progress of reform in England two centuries
ago, how much would his faith be strength
ened if he could open his eyes upon this
country in the present age. 1t is true every
wind of doctrine is here let loose 10 play upon
The earth There is no theory SO visionary
or absurd, but that it can find room and OPP
por,unity to display itself with full force on
our free American soil, where thought and
speech enjoy unbounded liberty, and where
all creeds can be openly enjoyed. We have
preachers of Democracy, Arisiocracy, Social
Reform, Radical Reorganization of So-
ciety, Fourerism, Mormonism, Mllerism,
Anti-Rentism, Negro Suffrage, Abolition,
Amalgamation and every other conceivable
scheme, good and bad, in politics, morals Or
religion, and Of either home or foreign pro-
duclion. But we have alsu common schools
thrown open for the children Of all class. s /;
higher seminaries of learning are scattered
,hickly over the land; we are placing libra.
ries in every school district; we have news
papers and periodicals without number and
almost without price; and there is an i'll
creasing energy displayed in efforts TO bring
home solid and useful knowledge TO every
mans door. But above all, we are plain,
practical common sense people, and ara no.
easily deluded by false prophets who cry
40 here! or 10 therer' And among all the
projects of reform with which we are piled,
we adop, no one until we have examined i,
thoroughly, brought it TO the test Of truth,
and proved its practical utility.
The true and valuable reformer, the
American reformer, is not man of mere
faith, without works and without sense
Having hi, upon favorite theory, he does
not resolve at once to force il upon the world
without reference TO the existing state of
things, and with no regard 10 time or conse-
ouences. He sees the human race strugg-
ling as il has struggled for thousand of years,
Ito ascend the steep and rugged heigh's, on
ihe summit Of which il hopes TO enjoy peace
and happiness, and although with the eye Of
faith be may look beyond the clouds and
darkness, and gain view Of the resplenden
plo5ies which encircle the brow of this lofty
mountain. still he does not with reckless and