The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-05-22
From the SuAl,uan County Democrat
PROGREssIyE DEMOCRACY.


The word is in every body's mouth, bn,
the meaning, we fear, is not in every body's
understanding. in fact, our own ideas
profoundedIy acquainted as an editor, Of
course, is with all subjects-our own ideas
were rather vague and misty, until a few
days ago, when we sat down deliberately,
and put our thoughts to work. Then the
mis,s rolled away, and the subject shone on,
beautifully clear and distinct.
Progressive Democracy is obedience to a
universal law-the law of progress. Nature
herself is but ''name for change" the
change Of progress or the change Of decay
When she ceases 10 progress, she begins to
recede--changins still, is never consefva>
tive. This work governs all her works
In inorganic nature the world Of matter
without life--ihe law is mere change, per.
petual change. Our globe is the grand
theatre Of this grea, law. Monniaius are
impercepiihly but inevitably, carried IS
particles into the ocean to build up now con-
tinents where waters once rolled. Rocks
the very hariest--are aisintesrated by air
and water, and converted INTO fertile soils,
or being removed by torrents 10 some new
localit-, and united again by cement, calca
roous, or feruginous, they become rev
rocks Of another specimen, be disinleg
rated again in their time, by air and water
Inorganic nature knows no conservative"
moment.
In organic nature--the living world, ami
NAL or vegetable--the law is change also
But ii is the change of progress and decay !;
PROGRESS to certain point, then inevitable
decay. From the moment the seed is
planted the tree begins TO progress. Year
BY year ii tises In s,a.urs, increases in girth,
approached nearer and nearer the fatal point
where progress ceases, and decay begins
The animal body--of man Or brute passes
through the same inaexible process, obeys
the same law. ~
But there is another grade of nature
higher and nabier than mere animal matter
1.-The human mind. There the law is pro.
gress-prosress without decay-perpetual
progress. How faint is the dawning intel-
gence Of the infant how gradually the mind
expands yet how certainly, how certainly
il becomes the intellect of the full grown
mani How cerainlyis is il destined--as Rev
elation assures us--to be in a future life, in
definitely progressive.
To apply these reflections 10 our subject.
All human institutions, nations and their
governments obey .he universal law. Re
publics, empires, and kingdoms have "sirut>
ted their hourn on the worlds stage and
passed off to be seen no more, except in
history yet all have left behind them the
same testimony--a period Of progress, fol-
lowed by period Of decay. Many nations
and governments dot the Earth's surface
now, but all are changing, slowly, gradually,
inevitably. We may not see the actual
movement, any more than we do the ma
jestic procession Of the equinox, but when
we look at the point where they where
few centuries, OF al few years ago, we know
that they have moved Take England, for
instance, whose constitution is supposed TO
be mcored to conservatism Itself. What
was her government eight hundred years
ago what was she two hundred what was
she fiftyl All unlike her present self!--H
Possibly China may be referred TO m obiec-
ton, but we know too little Of that govern
mem to cite her against all other experien
ces, historical, and actual, or to suppose her
an exception 70 human nature
In nations and in governments, absolute
conservatism has never been, is no where
now, and, we may safely infer, can never
be. Are our institutions an exception -
Are they an exception TO the universal law I
We think not--we are sure not. The laws
Of natAre--of human nature--are invariable
one inhexible. Perhaps the instant we
cease to progress, we shall begin TO decay.
| Many of us--most Of us--are perfectly
satisfied with our Institutions, and ore vii
Ting 10 retain them precisely ss they are