The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-10-21
Tribute to our Free Institutions.

we are always proud 10 " Tenuer lrlDutc 10 our Tree
institutions because they deserve whether these eulo
gums proceed from enlightened foreigners from our
countrymen who are soourning abroad We have seen
of this description in letters just received from Paris,
dated September 81 from accomplished citizen of
the United States, who first consul in England
who declined the appointment of representative Con-
santinope, and who has been Minister of the United
States in Spain and in Denmark He has passed the last
few years in Paris enjoying ample revenue, and feel
ing lively interest in all public affairs and in phloso-
phca pursuits He is II years of age-ful of years
and full of honors The immediate occasion of the fol-
lowing efuson from his pen the reading of Judge
Masons Secretary Of the Navy address Chapel Hill
which we laid before readers several weeks ago.
After paying handsome compliment to its merits, he
says
places the interesting facts in the pure and
impressive forms of languagesuch the beautiful
pcroraon of the address, such also the paragraph
l4h page. Yes; free instruction. free religion and free
press these surely are elements which, carefully pre-
served unmpaed, will insure long duration to our
uons Highly interesting, therefore, is Mr.. Masons trea-
se education and its extension in country still
admirable for my democratic sentiment is the view,
brilliant and phlosophic, which he presents of
political institutions in their operation and results; and
especially delighted in finding, under such distinguish
ed authority, maintenance OF the reasoning which have
employed 10 COMBAT apprenenSlOn5 tmld
elowcitizens and the malicious pognostcs of foreigners
the stability of those institutions Where each citizen
is member ofthe body polite, well understanding his po-
ca rights, well knowing their value, in the continual
ercse of Them that there be governing power but
of his deegationthus securing the free of all his
faculties in the promotion of his happnesshow shall
the sovereign abdcae Under what circumstances can it
be supposed that he will be induced enquish his rights!
Under what species of nfatuation commit such o de
No that deporable catastrophe only be predcaed
the of
Pile shall etrograde the of ignorance and AFFECT po
ca superstitions which belong to the of serfs
subjects in these regions The interesting satisique of
Mr.. Ma dspes the shadow of doubt this point
There is only one portion of Mr. Masons patriotic aspra-
tions of which do partake would that
try become the Workshop of the world would that
ssweavers live in Europe. But joyfuy anticipate in
the natural and necessary order OF human affairs that it
will become, within few years. the instructor, the
ocina gentiu, in political This indefecuble
WILL however, belong wholly to moral nfuenceto our
superior intellectual condtionto the immense and papa-
BILE social blessings attending political order and that
moral influence were oven prompt and efficient, but
always augmenting material prosperity. In this
sense wealth is not powers on tho contrary weakness or
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. it is necessarily demoralizng Wealth
NAV government but 1t is intellectual
and moral condition which only recommend the
intelligent portions of the populations in these old countries
as reormers of corrupt systems under which they suer
Another correspondent from Paris, in enclosing the
above letter, says:
heard Mr. Arago--the coryphcus of French
state the Chamber of Deputies that he doubted whether
he could cite than four five provincial namesiat
is any five or six resident out of Parsgenealiy dis
ngushed in science, letters the fine From my
long and my familiarity with the Partisan prod
ucts OF every kind would affirm, the other
hand twotds least, of the tera and artists ESQ
caed) Of Paris would be much usefuly and suitably
employed the plough or in the mechanical tradesjudg-
ing the and quality of their performances We
have thousands of daubers with the pencil bungers with
the chsei, and vulgar or mischevous pendrvers
half of them half starved Those who succeed do SO by
corruptng the public taste and morals When they
que repute in the capital their works and
sede the best of the provinces The boosted enai
| teens with evi-socia political, intellectual.