New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-03-09
LETTER IRON YR BRISBANE


m'"' LETTER FROM YR BRISBANE
PAsis, FEB. 2, 1879.
y,ssr. Grseley & Nc Eirah
II we take a comprehensive survey Of the Ma
,op, Of Europe sbsl find striking contrasts 10 the
,sAes Of their civilization and the character Of their
Development mode Of progressing toward their des
ia, they are indeed, widely unlike each other 10 al
...,sc.. bot the universal degradation, poverty and
,sserin. Of tbs and their complete subsection
privileged order, either as tho sers of brgsnd
,obii,v who rule by the power Of the Sword, or a.
,,s slave, Of a sels,h Moneyocracy who rule by the
.o,srv absolute and moro oxac,Dg power of Capital
The ws,chword Of Europe a whole Is Progress
though IN .one parts there appears to be dea;hike
tate of irnmobty but there Is secret vitality and
o,ws,d rovemen, even under tbs worst forms Of nps
,hv and nertness the instincts of the human soul
stsn,y urge man forward 10 his destiny and when
sons DO no, advance directly they do inversely.
Russia has not yet passed out OF state frudes, bar
b.r.u the fra, CLEANS Of Civilization have not yet
penetrated among her boorsh population and though
her princes and mobiles may be cultivated end refined
t,some and the arts may be introduced In her
area. cities her people not alive 10 any hope OF i'm
movement. The great ceDters of Movement and in
tsaccua Development in Europe are France aud Ger
msny and particularly Protestant Germany England,
though highly intellectual in some respects is essential
Is the center OF physical progress aud development,
and In this chsrsce stic she contrasts strongly with
France and Germany. In comparing these countries
with each other France and Germany may be said to
be the brain snd heart Of Europe while England Is the
hnd the former are the SOURCES Of all the great bu
mapsry and political ideas u the sgo, the asila0ns OF
which are destroy ing thrones end producing the great
es, changes aud amoora, In society the world has
ever witnessed while the latter is the seat Of Industry
the development of which Is giving the power OF pro
ducton aud material of improvement almostboundle's
Thus the one is the hands and the other the heart and
brain Of Europe.
Belgium has advanced to kind Of Chinese civiH<a
tion her Industry being divided and subdivded into
the most frsgmentary morsels and her people absorb
ed in its petty details are sunk into state OIL stag
nation aud inanily.
Holland has been thoroughly dsmoralized by Com
merce and Stock j)bbing her people are wretchedly
poor and degraded and gross maerslifm and selhsh'
ness shut out every generous sentiment and effort for
improvement and progress.
Italy is equally degraded, but in another way ;
through the tyranny of the State aDd Church This
double oppressiOn, spiritual aud temporal effected
through force on the one hand and fraud the other
hs. kept Italy Ia spite Of the generous and progressive
instincts Of her people in condition Of ebjoct subjec
pom and moral and political torpor Italy must be
visited for one TO how utterly the Catholic Church
and tue Government Of the Catholic hierarchy car
corrupt aud debase a nation What an incubus upon a
people crushing them the dust is that vast army OF
monks, aud priests Of all ranks horde OF de-
vouring locuss dlers who produce nothing (out mis-
chief and live the labor OF the people who resort
to ten thousand tricks frauds aud lies to draw from the
people the means OF their support who as body are
Interested perpetuetng all the vile supersuions ana
traditions OF the pact who wage an uninterrupted war
with Progress in all forms strsngling all new ideas
forbiddng the publication of books having the slight
est liberal tendency, opposing all new inventions, dis
coveres and improvements and prohibiting all ecuca
ton except such stulthes than enlghtens the
mind. The people of Italy have been and are borne
down by this monsrous load of oppression aud the
consequence is that the of the population is sunk
In the lowest state of ignorance and superstition. stu
the sentiment of progress Is alive In certain leading
minds and In the cities of Italy, aud the yoke oil TEN
poral and spiritual despotsn Will some day be broken
OF Spain and Portugal nothing need be said they ar
anomalies and IN the great Movement OF the age seen
to have part to play and no Influence 10 exert on IN
dsstnies of Europe and the World
France and Germany, then are the great oci OF 'n'e
lectus development and political progress in Europe
sse Church establishment by the Reformation an
France threw of its pernciou' Influences aud destoye
the despotism of the Throne by the Revelation OF g
These two grea, historical events the Reformation
Spiritual Revolution of Germany, and the Revolution
or Temporal Reformation of France have placed ines
srea, nations in the front rank of Humanity To thes
events they owe, rather from them they date IN
precedence they undoubtedly hold in the great dram
of human progress They emphs,lcsly the PIC
neers OF Mankind in the movement onward to Destiny
and intellectually are mmeasurably in advance OF a
the nations of Europe aud, though my countrymel
may think me foolish in making the assertion, hsye n
hesitation In saying H. In advance of all nations oil ID
world A new and mighty IDEA hiss been developed Il
the minds of these two nations and they are pursuin
1t with Characteristic srdor and energy. The Idea VIII
which these nations are now happily go strongly pos
sessed Is that Of q new Order of things on Earth
State Political and Social sys,eu7 ChuTe
or view of God and His providence and with these,
new organic alton Of Labor and improved condition
Mankind moral mental and physical. The old sys
tems in Religion Politics and Industry, are worn out
they have lost their prestige and their power OF dom
good and as the people are beginning to comprehend
this and to understand better system the old ones ar
doomed TO destruction The people of Frsnce aud Gel
many reused 10 action by the new ldss-the lde
OF better social world and happier existence Of
earth, and they are battling against the old systs m al
lacking II on every side with every mode of warfare
Aregulsr war is wssing sgsinst old oppressive nstu
lions, and the name ~hi,h II bears. and correcu
enough too, is the war Of Socialism This war, whcr
IL 10 now principally wsged is directed mainl
against Political and Industrial institutions those of tn
Church having lost their power and become n. gnit
cant, but they sustained 10y powerful interest
they are formidable snts onsis and the battle
difficulty and danger.
Socialism is the generic name, 80 to ssy, OF al kind
of socisl reform OF every description Of doctrine sn
system having tor their object the improvement OF SC
e.eiy and the social condition OF msnsind The prime
pa schools or forms OF Socialism are those which s'
knowledge CADET as their hesd-Sho desire reorsei
i1son Of Industry snd the distribution and se'ilener
VI the people on the land on principles OF Communism
those who are disciples Of Proudhon, who aims mere
IsUperhcial changes in the system OF Commerce ali
Finance those who are followers of Pierre LeroaN
whose ideas are vsgue and mystical bu, are directed
social smeliors,ons those who are the psrtissns c
81 simon, who desired radical reforms In the nsti'u
a .e,.t..