The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-08-09
Letters On Hsrops.ns. ..



which is entirely different and incompatible any
thing in the Old World and in our geographical position
and diffusion OF population, might say that France Is
the heart and Paris the head OF he tooid Her influence
over US is not great as over The nations oil Europe
That mental gayansm-the battery OF which Is Paris
which shocks and controls the mind OF Europe, and
which even the channel and starts from his pro-
pety and mmobty, 10 new life the egotislic and
pethoric Englishman loses It's power on the Atlantic.
conductsr has Aot yet spanned, nor has the electric wire
yet been submerged this great ocean Besides
cons.iluonally strong--nol weak. and nervous
and filled with alarm our whole system is IN such vg-
orous healthy action that much less susceptible oil
being affected We. however, are not altogether eman-
cipated from French influence.
| In esthetics she governs US well as the rest
OF the world. With such an exquisite and unuvaled
tase-wih such an active intelligence and ready APP
probation of what is adapted and beautiful IN Dress
in literature, and in The fine arts, and with Ian
guage superior TO every other in expressing nose
nice distinctions and shades OF difference which are
the perfection OF art and which evnce high state OF
mental cutyation--FIance must hold undispued empire
in The philosophy OF taste and in the science OF the beau
iu And this supremacy is not the result OF orluiious
circumstances but is found in the nature and language oil
the people.
| There is another influence which she is exercising
over in with the rest of the world, though IN
much less degreeihat is, the influence OF socialist or
fraernal ideas. do not allude much to the various
experimental schools OF comm unism-as the lcarians,
the Shakers the Momons, and others. which the ex-
IRENE consequences of socalism-as to ha increasing
disposition everywhere especially in crowded commu-
mites, to establish the dogma OF all their schools the
right of existence" and TO make labor independent Of
capta-at least 10 make 1t independent OF the capces
and tyranny OF capital.
Sill greater and more alarming influence is that upon
the subject of slavery. The question OF emancipation
born of the great revolution Extravagant IDEAS OF
aA spiy mir of
declaration OF freedom TO the slaves of ST. Domingo and
the other colonies the consequence. And such was
the effect of This enthusiasm that Jefferson and others OF
great statesmen and fathers. appeared seriously TO
entertain the question of abolition. The agitation OF
the subject, and finally emancipation in the British
colonies, were the effects OF the same cause. The
mschievous agitation in the United States and Eng
land, to which the mad, impolitc conduct OF France
at her last revolution Tin spite OF the fate OF ST
Domingo) in liberaling the remainder of her slaves
has given impulse, is the continued rolling OF
the ball motion in 1889 The abolition press OF
America takes this part of its creed from the French
school. Assuming to be wiser than God,
sslen than Nature il seeks 10 apply abstract principles
the government of society in which. for wise pur-
pose are mixed two active principles OF good and evil
But with the strangest anomaly imag Unable, our imita
tive abolition press, with all its aecaiion OF extreme
liberalism. initiates France in this only for the bes
features Of French democracy like own-progres
sion, and the elevation of the white workngman to
equality and independence have nothing com
mon with the class-making money worshppng, exclu
sive bourgeose-whigs, abolition wings. of America.
All who watch the progress of ideas in society
have perceived this sensible influence OF the French
mind Thus. though we are influenced 10 this degree
France has moral force, elsewhere. po-
li,ca institutions Indeed, in this respect she has to
learn from
| In Europe il is not so. There she stands first in poi-
cal science well in questions OF social ameloration
and her influence upon the Masses and upon the
learned is surprisingly great say that France stands
first, Notwithstanding the present instability Of her nst
tuliens and her past mutabty, and in face OF the fact
that in England there is much personal liberty
hence her progressive power exercised conservative
England herself
Who acquainted with English history, does not know
that the corresponding societies" and radical assoca-
lions" which developed the suffrage question the
of.prngs OF the great French revoulion And who does
not knowfo has occurred ia our own ,imes-ha The
reform bill III immediate consequence OF the rev.
oution OF three days in 1902 And what is chartism
with lis "fve points," and Irrational land associations
and workingmen's associations and "tTades- unions
aud all the other organizations which swelling
in number and strength and increasing their power
every year in the House OF Commons-ihe people, in
fact threading upon the heels OF The higher classes and
demanding equal rights and privleges-what all
these but the results OF French influence Englishmen,
in their excessive egotism, unwilling to admit this
but TO deny II would be to deny history itse
Paris is the great laboratory Of civilization. We see
the aslonished and expectant world look VITA intense
curiosity like the unni'aei at the chemists operations,
upon the anays and inauguration OF all the elements
OF intellectual and moral life in this great capital Dog.
mas the most posve principles Of the most universal
application habits and Institutions sanctioned by the
authority of ages, Of antiquity almost beyond the
ken Of history ideas AID theories OF the greatest
philosophers and the most extravagant enthusiasts
creeds OF world belief, and stamped with dvin.
ity itself Everything within the reach OF human
hough is submitted 10 the most searching investigation
and the utmost freedom OF discussion The moral, con-
servalve Euglishman and the religious American shud
der the Of celebrated in6des, and would burn
their books; but the Frenchman at the risk of losing
his faith and Heaven plunges into the of skepli-
csm .sratonasn. and metaphysics. He asserts the indie
pendence OF thought and sovereignty of reason. He
would league himself with Mephlstophees TO know the
Of Nature and mount the fearful Broken to
the spirit world II day his mind, in its intensity OF
lion to penetrate the unalhomablc Divine existence,
coils, and he declares there il God tomorrow, by
an effort OF reasoning the imperfect,biy OF human
nature and the necessities OF the world he will again de-
clare III there be God. il is necessary make one
speak OF science and that in its bghcs, branches
in astronomy What an array OF talent in every de-
partmentl Bnt in astronomy, lie Verrier will calcu
late so perfectly the distance the density and relative
and comparative influence OF all the heavenly bodies TO
determine the disturbing OF slight motion OF the
remote Uranus that he will tell you tchere and what that
cause is-he will find you planet In art in science
IN phlosophy-in everything of an advanced civilization
Paris is at the head, But moro