New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-19
TRUE CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT
BY STEPHEN PEARL ANDREWS, ESQ

" Mr.. Andrews on The IrQe constitution OF
Government, before tho Mechanics Institute
The lecture was listened 10 with prooand
attention ard repeated bursts @. applause,
although some of the positions assumed INK we're
If the most startling and ori. inal character.
MIR. Andrews affirmed that the three great pro
gressye movements o. modern times we're the
Protestant Reformation, the Democratic Reyolu-
ton and Socialism II then proceeded to estao.
llsh by critical analysis OF each Of their move.
rnents, tbe somewhat novel proposition that all
three Of them a,e identical in spirit-shas they
are, in fact M more, thantHree different outbreaks
In different directions OF one and the same prll,
ciplc which IS rapidly imbuiag modern society
at large, and acquiring a potency adequate 70 the
ompete overthrow OF the ancient Institutions ot
mankind add The substitution q anew basis aad
outline Of tie social i4t.ic This new principle
az doctrine is die absolute sovereignty Of the in
dyidaal, the supremacy Of the ialigidual man
and woman c7er ell h9nan institutions, laws auI
regulations whatsoever. he demonstrated that
the fundamental prime pie Of Professionalism is the
absolute right Of private Judgment in matters OF
conscience, and that t}la. oIe principle alone is
cocxtensiys with the most extreme positions %
the doctrine OF the sovereignty Of the individual.
H. showed that both in theory and IN practice
PI0tastautism goes even tic whole length OF a.
lowing unlimited iseedoH of divorce and OF the
love relations OF the sexes. II does SO hrst by
abandoning that whole subject along with every
other to the private Judgment OF the individual,
whenever il is matter OF coasclence with the
individual and theu 5y LEAVING L entirely to the
individual 70 decide when it IS matter OF con
science while teaches at the same time that the
conscience ought 10 exercise It's domain over
every act of the life. Professionalism is, thcre
fore purely and simply charGeable with the tuI
extent Of license which has been urged as re
proach against Socialism Mr.. Andrews drew
here, however, with great caution and ucidlty
the distinction between permitting an act and
tenching that the act tsclfis right. Professionalism
had no announcement to make with regard TO tne
right or wrong Of any form OF the social relations
Protestant Christians have their peculiar views
upon these and upon other subjects varying with
their sectarian color more or less but Protestant
ism as such SAYS nothing the subject. 1t pro
mulgates the one single, bold, unm0dihed propo-
siton that in all matters OF conscience the lndl-
ydual Judgment is the sole tribunal, from winch
there is no appeal. As against this there Is
merely the implied right i'll others to resist when
the conscience OF the individual leads ann TO at-
tack or encroach upon others.
The fundamental principle OF Democracy IS
identical with that of Professionalism. According
oit. all men are sovereigns-free and equal, All
government emanates from the people Inc rule
of maiorities is not Democracy, nor democratlc.-
II ia n COMPROMISE a half way house betWeendes-
,otir government mud the sovereignty OF the ind
vidual, which Democracy Procalms IN theory oaV
does not find the means OF carrying out IN practice
Those means can only be found III the realization
of the purposes of Socialism Democracy III prac-
tirc is in existing society, an lmposslOlnty' go
cielisn, comes therefore, to its aid, and proposes
N ,Crt hn ruip II t1p iDdiVIIU1l
possible, by placing him i'll such Il social position
that he can exercise his powers and attractions
freely. not only without harm to others, but with
positive qualification and benefit to all. The pur-
poses of Socialism are, therefore, suDserylent to,
and the end of Socialism identical with, the end of
both Professionalism and Democracy. The three
are Identical in principle That identity is begin
ming to be dimly recognized, as In the case OF the
alliance of Socialism and Democracy in France
The continent force of them all Will be lrreslstlble
if there be scientific truth in that fundamental
principle in which they all concur. The real ques-
ton is not therefore, whether Professionalism, or
Democracy or Socialism is right or wrong, but
whether the doctrine OF the sovereignty OF the IN
dividual is in fact a true or scientific principle
1t is on this ground that the final battle between
Progression, which is the spirit OF the age, and
Conservatism or the Reaction, IN modern society,"
must be fought.
Mr.. Andrews took his position as the advocate
ed the doctrine OF the supremacy of the lndIyld-
nal as the type of the final or normal condition OF
human society, and defined all that to be genu-
inc progress which tended in that direction. He
affirmed that there were really only two states OF
society possible prior to the attainment OF that
fin al condition, Despotism and Reyolutlon,-
the soYereignty OF the individual was based on
the still more fundamental and universal princ
pie OF Iadlri}uolltY which pervades every de-
partment OF nature, aud applies to persons, TO
objects and to events knocking every attempt to
establish arbitrary laws, or TO enforce conformity
any where. The end proposed by Socialism Is
the achievement Of the absolute freedom Of the
individual, and for that reason, it IS identical an rs
DtrUOses with Professionalism and Democracy, but
every pOsftiTe proposition which Socialism has
heretofore put forth, has been selfdeteating. They
have been for complicated, combined or amalGa-
mated interests which it has been believed
were the only mode of obtaining that CO.
operation and harmony Of social relations
which the advocates OF Socialism have rightly
seen to be indispensable, as the means OF securing
the independence Of the individual, All such
movements begin necessarily in demanding an
Immediate and present sacrifice OF individuality,
for the purpose Of attaining position Or platform
upon which it is delusyely promised, that more
perlect developement OF the sell mood VIII take
place. That Development can never take place
Ia close combinations. Socialism has, from the
first, mistaken It's methods. 1t has committed
blunder, not in its end but in its means. That
blunder begins to be discovered The adoption of
the simple principle Of cost as the limit of price,
instead of talus, in the commercial sphere, and
the full recognition of the Sovereignty of the In
dividual, in the social and ethical sphere, viii Sc
cure all the cooperation, economy security and
harmony which association and communism have
ever promised While they will protect all the IN,
diyidaaIity OF existing society, aad enlarge and
expand it, to point hardly conceived Of
+ Professionalism, Democracy and Socialism are
then, in fact one and the same Ia purpose and
principle ii the whole constitute wnat Is called
the Spirit Of the Age, Which IS daily becoming
more ootent; it. il their present half developed
and partially antagonisric form, they prove more
than match for Conservatism and tue reaction
What is the goal TO which they will inevitably
drift. when they come mutually to understand