The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-31

Part t.-lM M0tWt-Cnt0 Levers Or Ct0bt8dff0H.
auspices 81 Horace Gsesey esq The Distinguished Four
ers. rhapsody upon that branch Of physical science.
known in technology = the motive powers. Or simply =
the natural and ARTIFICIAL forces which has applied in
so many ways 10 diminish human and animal labor II
seems TO be one Of the leading traits among the modern
sect called Fourriees. socialists. communists At
mind upon, and to declare 10 The world Ike quacks OF
all times, that ths Is pogress progress And thus
have dshed up 10 the report OF the new Copmssioner
OF Patents 1.-The very last place where would look for
such iallacious nonsense-a theory upon "the Mo
tors = and this too. tcked out in language 80 ridcu
lousy anscendenfai that wonders what may be the
The Commissioner is an Englishman by birth, and edu-
Gated too suppose and We therefore had right 10
expect from him sober statement Of facts connected
with his Official duties rendered in good Ineligible prose.
The Commissioner was plain. practical mechanic
few years since--a plumber-and one day made book
upon subject appertaning to his trade viz Hydraulics
This book is compilation Of traditions. anecdotes.
descriptions, and illustrations, relating to the various
scientific treatise from an original mind upon Hydraulics,
Pneumatcs, and Mechanics, has been enormously
said BY many who misapply that much abused word
science; but 1t Is m6Gnge OF facts GLpractcal and all
connected by inference alone with these sciences Strictly
speaking there is line OF science in the whole work
Il is specimen OF industrious research, and as such
confers upon its compiler what he disposed TO get
rid Of in his recent reportthe credit oil being OF
We fear that the sudden notorety which this book
inflicted upon our quondam plumber, disturbed all his
sobriey OF mind, and made him easy convert to the
bewilderng influences Of transcendentalsm and the kin
dred isms for the pages Of his report literally be-
plastered with words and phrases that can only have
Dana are the heads
L has been suggested however. that the new Commits.
sioner used bis fictitious reputation scientific man, to
Of bureau, and that. in order 10 carry out this decep
ton. ne now iavishes upon US whole dictionaries Of
technlcaes. that we may very readily believe II s
thv n. ~.
as may, there is combinations Of scientific TERMS
(ofen misapplied with explosives, superatves, and all
manner OF exaggerated phrases and these used by the
Commissioners vehicle for nsherng before the public
batch of the widest theories stupid experiments, and
mpaccable ideas that have been preached since the
day Of the Marquis Of Worcesters Century Of Inven
tons.
few extracts from this curiosity Of literature will tell
better than aught we can say how far the Commissioner
has departed from the line Of his duty in taxing
uonai press with the printing OF such mass OF trash,
having no practical connexon with the subjects he
dered by law to report upon; and they will show al
80 70 all men whose scientific education has been COM
plee, well those who have merely studied the
rudimens, that this scentc Commissioner is quock.
and has claims to such honorable distinction, and that
e.
in position Of such trust and responsibility requiring
i does, mind Of the highest order grasp its duties
and do justice to our inventions.
But hear him for himself. His text is the Motors
chief levers OF civilization and he starts with axiom
there i one subject more intimately allied than any
present and prospective condition OF the world that
OF the Motors" He concludes his Introduction by new
reading Of an old adage, "a hint to the ingenious s
| The Commissioner proceeds with another axiom :
Physical forces everything orb, they must
be on every other They the conservative agencies
OF creation, and the bases OF Intellectual and moral
development" The Commissioner, however, immedi-
atey afterwards confssses that Of their little
known, save that. like most natural phenomena, they
are Infinitely diversified in their manifestations Not
amenable to any faculty OF the senses, Human senses
they are known emily BY their results Apparently stran
gers to- yet they dwell and aissnergecay at work in
the most silent and quiescent OF Enthusiastically de-
composing and recomposng them, well as the restless
and the living"
We must beg pardon-if we interrupt this strain Of eo-
quence-in order to plant few queries; and first: How
does the Commissioner know that physical forces are
Everything in other orbs, they in ours Second
Why does ne say that little is known Of the motive
powers, physical forces, (of which has awaited
himself; and there are no Others yet avaabe, except in
the dreams Of the Commissioned Third: Why not
Are not water, air. gravity, amenabe to senses
Can We not cause steam, calOrc, electricity, magnetism,
to be amenabe TO senses But interrupt the Com
missioner He delights in antthesis. Hear him: "They
Che Motors) whi planets round Tin their orbits, and
childens Tops fooTs-are disclosed in the move
ments OF eyelid, the buzzng OF an insects wing. the
plant and the upheaval Of contnen The Commissioner
goes TO say that II is fact-these Motors kept in
store ready for use, and furnished in packages OF all
exgencies" "Man rises with the Motors. His growth
begins with them, and only he extends their applica-
lions adds 10 their number he increase real stat
uren "The chronology OF human condition is compre-
hended in the cycles OF the Motors and in them is that
condition best studied and understood"
After treating 10 discussion upon the "Nonage OF
the Motors" the Commissioner enlightens as to the
ezra OF Animal Forces" He argues that man did not
begin emerge from the savage state until reflection had
taught him that there were "quadrupeds stronger than
he"-and .why not make OF them work for him p
The results that all the .qadrspeda srtenees soon
reduced TO servitude, which gives rise to the following
profound reflection:
1.-THE power exercised by mapver animals the
most remarkable episofes in hshisory IL IL miraculous
bur- like other miracles, having become familiar
hands, for he models them his fancy and wishes suggest
Selecting labsres, he afds muscle and BONE
withdraws them strength or speed 10 required"
Corollary:
Thu. he produces and draught horses from one
stock and works equal changes in Yovei1s bovine. ovns
and eaHiHs families"
The Commissioner is terribly indignant at the ndiscrm-
mate slaughter OF the wild buffalo OF western praes
and declares them to be creatures adapted above all
others, to human servitude."
He says:
as the ru ordained and profitable OF his assist
for working the soil, IL should be said tina, the
noblcs Of American indigenous ruminants have become
extinct As predia sborers, they belong 10 the
cons OF pedal exstences, and viewed in that char
alone, their destruction should be arrested.
Re productive ocomotv engines, they offer power avail
able the wdenesses and prares they ahabit into
cornfelds and gardens"
We think this one OF the best hits, in the way OF
speculative writing, that the Commissioner has made in
his whole report, and would suggest TO the advocates OF
Whiney's great Pacific railroad the advantages they
Aorfvo In Tor