The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-09-10

| said that if the French republic failed socialism
would be The cause; and again, that socialism would
make il impossible for any other form OF government 10
exist long. will explain this seeming soecism The
extrayagant theories and practical of the ex
IRENE party OF the socialists alarmed the conservative
portion OF the people This party insnuaed itself into
the provisional government and began systematic the
principle OF fraternity Instead of considering fraternity
purely principle consider justice" "uulh ;"
or right" and seeking TO impress il upon the laws and
actions of the government this party committed the ia
tai error OF attempting 10 reduce il 10 system The u
ira socialists thought sociey-with all lis pejudces lis
confirmed habit of creating distinctions, and lis endless
diversity OF character and inerests-coud be moulded
like clay in the hands of the potter any shape they
might choose. They never the mpractcability and
unphlosophc conduct OF such attempt. They deem
good principle has limits in It's application and that
which may be abstractly right is above all expe-
diency Can We apply mercy, which is a blessed
quality, Tree and indlscrininaely 10 every and
TO all cases Then we should let the murderer and
robber loose upon society. There is necessarily
limit TO the exercise OF mercy; and what may
be right IN an abstract sense may not be expedlent-
may be positively injurious The Divine Philosopher has
sad, Let the wheat and the ares grow together, lest in
puckng up the tares we destroy the wheat" But these
men, like those who destroyed ST. Domingo, and like
own abotonists, who would destroy this glorious Union
by their abstractions-these who have peed their
own republic-hink themselves wiser than the wsest,
and more consequent than Providence in the government
of the world. The consequence was, that the nascent
spirit of reaction received strength and powerful i'm
pulse from the natural revuson of all the convesave
elements of society. How many who sincerely hailed
the republic at its BIRTH and who truly republicans in
heart have aided the reaction from fear of the dsorgan
izng tendency Of the impraccable theories of ultra
callsts! The reactioniss of all shades have not failed
to take advantage OF this circumstance. and to make use
OF the weapons put in their hands to wage against
the republic-we have seen with what success But
the cries Of the royaliss and ant-repubcan factions
to alarm they did shortly after the days Of
June The people begin that the real wolves are
the mscaled party OF order. disguised in sheepskins
have hope Of the coming triumph of the democracy but
should it fa-should the royalists Bonapasts
turn the repubc-we must attribute such result, not
TO the power of these parties, much to the weak
of the democrats caused by the conduct of the ex
treme socialists.
But how will socialism make il impossible for any
other form OF government to be permanently established
in France No other is congenial to the sentiment
of fraternity They are all, whether despotsms mon
arches, arsocracies olgarches, heocracies based
upon the principle OF superiority, natural or acquired
Distinctions, and the elevation of class over another
the foundation of their superstrucures The divs.
ion of society into classes absolutely necessary to their
existence. The vital principle of socialism is the most
perfect equality Republlcansm alone admits this and
every pure republic must admit equality in the privileges
opportunities, and rights OF all the citizens To favor
class OF citizens than another is against the
spirit OILS not in fact-republicanism. This equality
knows no bounds but such as nature has made in the
constitutions or capacities of men Socialism, or fra
ternity, has sympathy with any other institutions
And here is the motive of the terrible war which
the allied yrans OF Europe and the privileged classes of
society waging against it, Futile war; They may
tear the hearts out of men-they may saade the
of the peoples they may piilessy decimate the
but the idea survives: 1t is the me,empsychoss of
ndeslrucble principle which reproduces itself in thou
sand forms While Napoleon, with his great genius and
power compressed the circulation of ideas by the press
to such degree that it was said there but
journal and one journalist in France and that journalist
was the Emperor-whe one could publish his
thoughts but he who master OF Fance-ihere
unseen action in the public mind; the seeds Of socialism
had been sown, and, though long ncement pre-
vented their growth in the face of broad day. yet they
were vegetating deep In the bosom OF the earth
they taking vigorous root, and would in due time
produce abundant crop. And so during the Restora
ton and The monarchy OF the Barcades Truth like the
particles of light floating in the boundless ether, which
strike the organs of vision spontaneously and unsought
for it pervades the atmosphere of intelligence, and
lightens every man its whispers the prompngs
of those mnsteng spirits which say hover in the
air to guide eung thoughts, or as the divine
spirit which comes like the inspiring breath of the
morning. we feel its influence, but we know not
'Whence comeh, nor whittier 1t goeth." Thus this
6men of fraternity which has the divine stamp OF truth,
of Christianity on it, has been working in the world, and
every day il is gaining power over the public mind
It's ramifcaons are extensive in France and Ger
many than elsewhere but it is rapidly propagang itself
among all victims OF European civilization The force
of truth itse-he pressure of increasing population
in all the industrial pursuits OF life, making the
petition for existence greater and greater-the power
of the printing press-and in France the continual
subdivision Of the soil by the law which parts the
inheritance among all the children of a famy-all
tend TO spread socialism. And with all the constituted
governments OF Europe arrayed against it, with the
extreme censorship of the press, with fines and
Imprisonment and with the grossest Misrepresentation, it
has continued to advance. What folly fight against
principle with material weapons How much more rea-
sonable if French statesmen, and those who govern the
world. would adopt the language OF the phosophc Ga
malie: Refrain from these men, and let them alone ;
for il this counsel Cor dea) this work be Of men, Chat
is have not truth in i) it will 10 naught; but If it
be OF God (be iruh) ye cannot overthrow it," Thus
maintain that socialism, the principle of fraternity,
will prevent the permanent establishment OF any other
than republican institutions in France.
Blu, is there not real danger to society in the present
CITATION of this subject believe not In all commu-
mites there is among the proprietary the moneyed the
commercial and the highly educated classes, strong
nservave interest or feeling. And generally more is
TO be feared from this interest eengfo il is the i'm
boiment of sehshnesslhan from the progressive party
Witness the conservatism OF Europe. Napoleon was the
great conservator of society. Nicholas of Russia the