Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-05-27
NATIONAL INTAIGENcER
FROM OUR EUROPEAN coRREsP oNDENE
LONDON. MAY ., 1913.

portion of mankind and, reasoning in common
sense way, we have often thought that the proven
bial form OF expression might be considered bear
ing the same relation TO questions of morals and
politics, and logical deduction in general, as the
axioms OF geometry do to that sublime science.
We hold that il would be as unphilosophica to rea-
son about the truth of a proverb in common use
seeing that in our mind its use proves its truth, as
it would be 10 require the demonstration of geo.
metrcal axiom. Ii we were asked to state what
we mean by proverb, we should say ii is . d COM
nonsense condensation Of a practical truth--a
moral drlonl." We never read Don Qnlxote With
out feeling that the chivarous knight and his pro-
verb-quoting Squire are the representatives OF the
two great divisions of mankind--the Don person
ating the theoretical the romantic, and the visiona-
ry; honest Sancho being a homeiy but faithful
embodiment of the practical, the common-sense and
the sober-minder portion OF our species. Wemay
extend the idea 10 their two steeds, Roslnante
and Dapple; the former with no flesh upon his
bones, chatting the bit, and punging into all sorts
of yagares and caprices the latter sleek-skinned
and good feeder, needing the spur more than the
curb, but rendering good services in quiet way.
How much more Of usefulness and proprety
contained in the proverbs of Sancho, and his doinss
and those of Dappe, than can be found in the tran
scendentalimagnngs and the wild knight and-horse-
errantry of the Don and his hghbred charger Give
us. then, common-sense proverb and common
sense man in preference to a high-sounding disser-
tation and visionary theorist. We wish both our
native country and our long-adopted and dearly
beloved one across the Atlantic to be coMMoN-sENsE
countries. They have both MANY common-sense
duties 10 attend TO, and much common-sense work
to perform. Their safest guides will be those1es-
sons of experience which the contemplation of by
gone ages will afford, and those conclusions which
a common-sense observation deduees from passing
events.
We and you must now take our stand as the rer
representatives. of the common-sense principle, the
conservators of common-sense institutions and
common-sense laws, and the performers of COM
nonsense obligations. One old proverb says
Common sense is The best sense" Another as
ser,s that " Common sense as the grolcth Of all
countries Weadmit the truth of the first pro-
verb and hope and trust in that of the second for
the present state of Europe will render large and
abundant harvest of the article indispensably re-
quisite..
The revolution which commenced in France at
the end of February, and which before the end Of
April has spread through nearly all southern Eu-
rope, is a revolution brought about through the
agency Of a new principle in political movements,
al least in Europe. That principle is tho mind
Of the mass of the people directed fowards one OBJ
iect, and that object their political institutions.
Every where has thought been busily at work. and
formed TO the consideration of what government
originally instituted for, and the mode in which
il is at present administered The inquiry has re-
suited in the better understanding of the very much
obscured truth, that government has no other le Of
innate foundation than the good of the people at
large. But the people have also discovered that
nearly all the Governments of the old world now
stand upon foundations very distinct from the pro-
per one, and they have determined that such Gov
ernments shall be modified so as 10 better fulfil the
proper objects Of their institution
An important question now arises Are the peo-
pie at large of any European country equal 20 The
task OF reforming their own Government They
may have discovered the disorders of their body
polite have they skill enough TO apply the pro-
per remedy? We do not wish TO answer the ques-
ton in The negative; we cannot, unhesitatingy
give positive reply. Strange notions have been
and are very prevalent in France, and we greatly
fear that they are not coxnnlon-Sense notions. 50.
Sin1onldlisD, FOurieriSnl, and Communism SAVIOR
more OF the transcendental chvalry Of Don Qux-
ole than the quiet proverbial good sense of San
cho, and we think that the people Of France would
advance faster and proceed further mounted upon
the Dapple of the latter than they would on the
Rosinante of the former.
OF all the sects which have ever hoped or pre-
tended TO reVolutonize society, and TO substitute
new laws, new HaDlls, new nouonS oil property,
duty, pleasure, morals and religion for the old ones
the most frank is certainly that Of the Communists
They speak their mind and state their case openly.
They proclaim, without any circuiious phrases or
palliative, that Government must be the only CAPT.
taist, the only employer, the only manufacturer the
only traders and tina, the duty Of Government shall
be to furnish the material the instruments. the
science, and the quantum of work to each of the
population, each one receiving afterwards his share
of the general produce. The first result Of Com.
munism established by law would be- the entire an
initiation Of every other state of society. No in
divdua would be beyond its pale. As to private
capitalists or landowners, or the vesting of time
and money in the acquisition of skill or knowledge,
or the exercise of intellect, all such things would
become impossible. Where any nation is TO find
the talen, and experience for carrying on such a
system, II is next TO impossible to imagine. Com
mon sense points out to us that capital, talent and
all the elements by which one man attsins supe-
riority over another would speedily be banished
from Communist country, and find refuge in the
surrounding ones. This would necessarily throw
the Communist people into state of general po-
verify and lnierority quite insupporable. They
would lie very apt 10 seek relief from this condition
by taking up arms and making war upon their
neghbors II Is, however satisfactory TO find that.
so far as respects France, Common Sense has lately
prevailed over Communism, and that an immense