New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-01-24
VOL. TX. NO. 243.

any new device. however simple, mstured save by
reoercussions Of thought MI bieE fQrs peias .s
a universal truth
PROSPECTS, BEFORE INVENTORS ARE BRIGHT
EEISG
More correct views Of genuine celebrity are OBJ
n nng and hilb tine It is, since the trumpet Of
anne has seldom been blown b. a seraph HIS
tory the voice Of the past and which ought % have
been safe monitor ior the present, has led the
world astray with regard ~ honor and rs truesi
sources. How little has it contributed 70 those
occupations which tend 70 hUmanze the species
aud how much 70 cherish others IL has done
next 10 nothing Or humanity but 10 deDase 1t los
,cnng the worst passions It has all but stranyed
the beet. II not written for the sole purpose o.
preventing the earth fsJn being ncIosed within the
paies Of cvilzatIOn-Oi continuing II as series o..
hunting grounds under old forest laws for broo1s
Of human tgers-it seems 70 have been composed
or little else What a it on the whole but q re
cItal II the feats Of prize II hters and OF the pas
sious Of brutalized spectators Representing the
arts Of peace mean, il has taught that nobility
and glory are woA amid rapiue, conAagration and
slaughter Is ieasts so called are fitted chiefly to
whet the appetites Of accipItrines.
But IL is one Of tho most encouraging signs, as
well a growing characteristic Of the times, that
paths 10 prominence arc opening to all men mar
rs honorable reDOwn awaits agrlcuiturists and ar
Ulcers as has been attained IN other pursuits
may not become theirs II they devote themselves 70
the latent truths connected with their professions
for as sublime principles OF science are yet TO be
drawn out OF the ground we tread o. and rom tine
air we breathe, as have been discovered IA The
ocean Of worlds ab0ve Us. Justice wlii be awarded
20 enlightened workers well AS to mere thinker
to laborors as t. spectators on labOrers Even
non writers ere beginning 70 expatiaie on the poe
try and morals Of mechanism, on Us powers Il
please and instruct and by and by It VII be admit
tel that for rich and varied thou ht for bOdness.
grandeur and mnUteness OF conception, simplicity
and complexity of design for the ufAon OF The
agreeable and beautiful the beneficial and marvel
Gus, poems carved out Of wood and forged out Dc
metals equal, II they do not surpass the most ina
ginativo Of creations.
In permanency and purity Of fame few VIII here
alter rival practical men. Than they few WILL
stand h4her among the grcat-nOae better among
the good. VIII his country ever forget the solyenn
Fulton gave her. Ia what age VIII not children
lisp the name Of Morse How often are popular
writers accused OF psndering to the passions bui
what contributor 10 the arts IL oouuptOr OF NOR
MS Like the works Of the Divine Aruhcer, thens
tend to elevate, not to debase.
II Agriculture preceded the Mechanic Arts, us
progress beyond prmeval efforts has depended upon
them. They have made 1t what 1t IS, and are las;
disclosing what 1t IS to be-clearlng the way Tor IT
u advance where II was never known and 70 Hour
ish beyond oil precedent Locomotives now dart
ing aid others preparing to follow, through deserts
and over wild lands, scatter nch blessings IN then
train dark forests are falling before them, and chi
tiyated fields ana smiling villages are everywhere
sJunging up on either hand-the m ghtiest agents
get revealed IN enabling man to fulfil his destin!
ne subduing the earth
If any classes can be said to hold the future dos
times OF the planet in their hands more than others
II must be engineers and mechanicisns These
men are filing the world with new ideas and a9l
tajiny It with their projects. Within the last hla
century they have reyolutionlZed society. and arr
preparing to bring about still greater changes. We
cannot move without feeling their influence, nor can
the world 20 on a day without them AthouSi
hitherto united by no bond Of union they wall, II
faithful to their mission make themselves felt IN lt
future management.
INFLUENCE OF FREEDOM ON TIE PROGRESS
OF ARTS
The passion for philosophical inquiry and stir
ring enterprise characteristic OF our citizens, l.
tho natural result OF independence in thought and
action. Political oppression, however molhhed, acts
as a drag on tho intellect. ShaCkled in one thing,
The soul IS more or less iettered IN all The genius
Of invention may exist elsewhere but 1t hourishes
only under the egls Of freedom. 1t could not DO
otherw lse without violating an organic Jaw OF our
icing Who thinks of looking for great thoughts,
lr for men to work out great problems OF humanity,
where mind has for ages been squeezed mo mods
formed TO dstort aud TO dwarf It, and not rather
where il is free 10 obey its native impulses and
soar where it liseth II practical science with US
Toes not surpass what has been accomplished IN II
by others-if we do not contribute more largely Il
The stock and TO the efficiency OF automatic mechan-
sm-either nature will not be true TO herself or
We shall be traitors TO her
We know nothing OF the embarrassments ana
suilerincs which the ingenious OF other lands nave
or aces been struggling with. 1t requires no small
a fast to-
who sanctioned them, and it is all but incredible
that the oppressed. possessing tie spult ana ieei
ncs of men. were not maddened into unquenchs-
blc fury by their deep and lasting wrongs
Court profligates, IN want OF money, were IN
vested by monarchs-who claimed night to dis
pose of the property as well RS persons oil then
subiccts-wlth monopolies of the various occupa-
tons O, the productive classes, and forthwith those
who followed them had to purchase licenses 10
continue their trades of the favored eourtiers or
companies 20 whom they sold out. This was car
ried TO such an extent that no branch OF business
escaped professions the most essential 10 exist
ence as those Of the baker, miller, dealers IN fuel
hight. soap, &c. were thus disposed o. Inc se-
mus of wrong presided over every department OF
industry and art-eyery addition 70 material civil
cation has been laid under contribution by It.
" Perpigna Il French writer on the law G Pat
cnts abiding 10 the treatment OF the mechanics
and manufacturers of that country has IN reality
portrayed the devices by which those OF the whole
If Europe were harassed. and 10y which some are
still harassed.
Fettered and oppressed in every way as France
was under the Government OF her desponc Kings,
the spirit Of invention and enterprise could never
rise 10 high conceptions. Manufacturers placed
under the severe control Of men who purchased
their offices from Government, and who therefore
exercised them with rspscity could not hazard any
improvement without infringing the established
regulations and running the rlsk Of having their
goods destroyed. burnt or ooniscsted. In ever!
trade official regulations prescribed 10 workmen the
methods oi working and forbade any deviation
from them under pain o. the most severe punish
ments Ridiculous 10 say, the Trainer OF these
statutes fancied he understood better how 10 sort
aud prepare wool silk cotton, t. spun threads, n
twist and throw them, than workmen brought up to
the trade, and whose livelihood depended on their
talent
To insure compliance with such absurd reSu.s-
hons inqulsltorlal measures we're resorted 10 the
residences OF manufacturers entered by ioIce tner
establishments searched and explored and then
mode OF working inquired into. Thus their most
secret methods were often discovered and praied
by fraudulent competitors
The excuses committed undeg these tyrannlcal
statutes were such that one can scarcely concclvs
how any nation could long submit 10 them
The Minister Roland dc la Plahere' GIVING de