The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-02-13
eOurse ofjustice, and involving all legal proceed
Ings in uncertainty.

cOurse ofustice. and involving all legal proceed
ings in uncertainty.
But stop--let us be thankful for one great boon
which we have gained from this Fourierte "code."
The wit OF habsas corpus is hereafter to be known
as "writ Of delverance This is the very
subhmi'y of reform. Personal rights and public
liberty are now secure against any stratagem! No
danger, now, hat virtuous citizens will be torn
from the peaceful bosom OF their families, to lnger
out their weary days our Centre street Bastile
The dazzling sunlight Of the code" has visited
even the subterranean abodes of police oppression
In the Five Points and the untutored mind of
their retiring inmates is grac ously instructed to
know then, old and valued friend, under the new
name of az" writ Of qdelsverance,! Admirable
piece Of reform! Worthy, Altogether Of that pro-
found genus, David Dudley Field, whose ambi-
tious intellect could not rest, a year or two ago,
till he had given to this great continent itself,
new and appropriate cognomen! Pope, In his
I" Essay on Criticism" remarks,-
"Sons, by old words to fame have made pretsncs;"
Ito which we may now add -
But Field, by new ones, show his better ssnss
A " writ of deliverance"! Wonderful codlsts-
or, cod-heads!
Common sense and experience, aided by the
light of Christian philosophy, the true reform
ers. They proceed slowly and cautiously. Their
operations, like those of nature herself gradual
All the great institutions of human society, by
which Its peace order and prosperity are maintain
ed, have been the growth of many generations.
They have adapted themselves. by natural and
healthtul process, to the varying condition OF
human affairs. The work of reform is continually
proceeding, and is the result of an antagonism
which pervades the moral, as we'll as the
physical, world. Occasionally there Is a vlo-
lent and forcble collision Of the opposing mo-
raj elements, often preceded by period of unusua
repose, like the portentous calm which frequently
gives token of one of those awful physical con-
vuslons under which the earth reels to and fro
like drunken man; but the general rule is, that
the progress of reform ID SLOW and peaceful. Ma
lions and communities do not, any more than in
divIduals, attain at once their full development.
But all this is entirely errone in the opinion OF
the Fourierte philosophers. They would reverse
the order OF nature. These shallow-pated trhers
discard with the supremest contempt, the Christian
religion, experience, and common sense. With
just enough of learning to give an air of philoso
PhIcal research to the jargon with which they
sickle the ears OF the groundllngs, they draw up
to be subjected and become quite angelic; and the
more repugnant the schemes may be to reason,
common sense, and experience, the more frantic
are these charletans in their advocacy of them.
The restlessness Of these quack reformers is ano.
Their significant characteristic. Thus, Greeley is
one day quite absorbed in dletetlc reform. Bran
bread and lollipop the only remedies for human
depravity Now is the anti-grog reform; then, It
mileage reform. So he goes-eternally at
work, like squirrel in cage, and all to no pur.
pose One Of his last exploits has been the detecta-
bic legal reform, which has already materially aided
disgusting the public with all this charatanry.
Men have been taught by this salutary lesson to
prize more highly the results of experience and to
beware of permitting spurious philosophy to
control In any degree the business OF society.
quack reformer, with an added brain and poor
digestion, may b. allowed to affect whimsical
style OF clothing, and exhort mankind to eschew
the inlqulty OF mutton. But when he attempts 10
force upon us a F." Graham code" of legal practice,
he clearly " o'ersteps the modesy Of nature" and
ceases to be harmless. 1t is all we'll enough, so
far as the great public is concerned, that weak
cyclists, like Greeley and his associates, whose
minds have not been subjected to proper discipline,
should indulge themselves in antics and vagarles
Tor the general amusement. But when such vision
aries attempt to NEEDLE with the course of human
affairs, they should be subjected proper restraint,
just humane regard for the safety of nursery
maids and children imposes, by chain and muz-
zle, due limit to the uncouth gambols of dancing
bear.
Let this last FOurierte monstrosity be put out
Of the way as quickly as possible! Let US avoid
the rcketty, gingerbread structure which these
Foursirte boches have erected, and at once return
to the good old house of our fathers, commodious
and secure, with all whose arrangements we are
familiar, and beneath whose ample roof law and
justice ensure us the full enjoyment of our rights,
and undisturbed repose.
CALIFORNIA NEws.-One of the evening papers,
contained a letter from San Francisco,
dated the 7th Of December, and calls it the very
attest, &c. Our advices by Mr.. Anterior, pub
lsbed yesterday morning, were to the 10th of
that month. 1t appears by this letter of the 9TH
that the that published it still continues
''to follow copy"
MILITARY MOVEMENTS Brgadler Gen. Wool,
accompanied by Major Winthrop, A. A. G., and
+. G. Mclean. A. d. G, larrived in this city last