The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-08-23
Right and Expediency.

Sour meditations and investigations with regard to
Public Duties and the Morals of Politics have resulted
IN this conclusion, that is dl,Cays night to do the best
IN o,oe, and that it trong reject the good
might secure because cannot along with 1t
another good perhaps of greater consequence but not
now attainable. ''-Ne,O York Tribune.
Our readers will perceive by the preceding extract
that Horace Greeley, of the New York Tribune, has
been studying the ''Morals of Politics., and that with
aconc brevity and classical perspcuty, he has pub
ished the conclusions which he has arrived, in the
form of Sylogism.
Now with Horace Greeley, in all his relations and
conditions have nothing to do, and of him we have
nothing to say; therefore hope, if ever he should
degn to notice this criticism, that he wnot douounce
IT. as he is accustomed to do, 'bitter personal at
tack upon hnsef,' but will have the candor and fair
ness to acknowledge that we only attack his hollow
pul, turgd, abstraction of moral philosophy-an alb
stracton which very smart youth of Atca called
Epicurus preached thousand years before Mr.
g. was born; and one which always had the inevita-
l hls f G6@an mind.
Mr. G's sylogism consists of two propositions
The major is positive and reads thus at is atcays
right to do the best pOtce % and the minor
which is negative, and has as much connection with the
former, and relation to it, as tree has to sideboard
is, ''tGt is nrong 70 reject the good might secue be-
cause we cannot along with it another good,
perhaps of greater consequence, but not now attain
able"
NOW, we shall try to present in its true aspect, the
instincts and reason of unsophiscated men, this spec
ious, mean, cowardy, anarchica doctrine OF dwelling
possibilities; this tissue of oily, eely greasy greeley
logic, and, if the truth within them does not rise IN to
reject this proposition of political epcureansn the he
rosm that with shoeess, bleeding feet walked over the
icy dhinyroads fLamytown; the heroism, whchar-
rayed in ragged coat and fed scanty fare but ever
looking with its prophet eyes to the end, bearded the
egons of Great Britan the heroism that preferred to
see its fields tllage trampled down. and It's home de-
spoiled rather thans prove to lbertyif we
say, the true American heart endorse the syogigms
of this man of putty then has the instinct of our fathers
herosm offath and endurance gone out from the Amer
can soul.
81 rs a~ays rgh do the best ne can in oar ro,gr''
This proposition, ike thousand other alsehoods is
plausloe 1t Is calculated to impose upon the uneason
ing, but 1t will not bear examination. In the first place
what does it constitute the supreme measure ofrght
Possibility. And who does il constitute the Judge of
possibility? Every man. And, what is the result Of
this faith, If the disabilities and cork-screwings of
such system of moral anarchy can be called faith
The result is, that every man is made the supreme
Judge OF his own moral possibilities the arbiter in
chief OF what is right the irresponsible governor ofhs
moral and religious forces in short his own God
The proposition positively constitutes and legitimatizes
something superior to those eternal inviolabe. i'm
MISUNDERSTANDING on-nan principles called Truth
and Right and that something is individual opinion
This proposition kicks the tables of stone AMONGST The
other debris Of Sinai, and rubs out the ten communal
ments with the mud that has covered its feet as II has
waded through the dirty soughs ofexpediency Itghrugs
its shoulders and smies and says that g" knows bet
Ter" when the Washingtons, Tells, Waaces, Kos
shs, and Mazzins pass before its eyes, in their poor
with scars, sefsacri6ces, tolls priyation
md God be praised, emblemisbed integrity, written
en- upon their lofty, unbent, unbendng brows. Ifthis
proposition were true, for, be it recoecied, there Is
UGH thing as Eternal Truth, there would have been
possibility, in the exercise Of mere human judgment,
ven Of the Amounted Savior quailng in sight Of the
ark abyss he hung il with the devil at his side
there would have been possibility Of his supporting
lat, to worship Satan, and not ray "Ga nee behind