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


merous proprietary will always have conservative
power sufficient society and the rights OF the indi-
vduas from any dangerous consequences OF exaVagan
socialist or communist theories Such theories besides,
are but short lived because they impracucabe They
are the natural consequence of the speculative and high
y active intelligence of the French mind but they, as
systems will die, while the principle on which they are
based will live forever. Theory OF danger to society by
the royasts and arstocras in France and out OF II is
all political captrap. When they say they are alarmed
al socialism, they they afraid OF losing their
privileges and power-in word, they hate the levsing
principle of democracy
II is often said by those who opposed TO republ
cahism and even by many OF its scrupulous friends,
that rance is not f for republic never could fully
understand what is meant by this fitness; and this
phrase. SIT for republic" which is banded about eve
ywhere-wha does it mean If it imply that there is not
suhcent intelligence morality in the country TO sus-
tam or perpeuate republican institutions, deny the i'm
pllcation, What is the measure of intelligence mo-
ralty 10 entille to vote Do you not take your
ures, IN whose judgments you place the lives of your
fellow-ctzens and whose decision you rely upon in
cases where immense amounts of property concerned
who decide not only 10 the fact but often 10 the
law OF the case-do you net take them indscrmnaley,
ana irrespective OF educaton' DO you not place all
your confidence in their common sense And you have
hardly been deceived, injustice has hardly
been done, by these judgments or decs-
,
and yet who doubts their capacity to decide 1t is so in
all countries where the trial by jury exists, And why
should we despise this common when applied to
the choice of political candidate than when APP
piled to the subtle and sophisticated arguments of law
yers in the affair OF the life and death of fellow man
And how few understand, or are required to under
stand all the bearings and difficulties of every political
question. Then should we be all statesmen. | do
not speak indderently of education. In Gods name let
us have as much as possible. But have faith IN the
common sense of mankind, and repudate this foreign,
astocraic notion of "ftness for the suffrage" But the
French people are naturally intelligent No people in the
world perhaps though they may not be educated citl-
have such rapid and intuive perception OF what
is proper, Just, logical. There is, however, great
deal of sound education among the AS to polt
cal education, there is better way OF impang than
bv giving the suffrage But it is said the French "oo
mercura-they have not stability of character enough
This objection, Also is British importation. 1t carries
on the very face OF it the suen immobity OF John Bull
This objection is based upon the many changes in the
government, of France within the last sixty years, and
upon the vvacity of French character These changes
are the natural consequences of such an extraordinary
disruption of the Oldest and society IN Europe
and of the powerful action and development OF IDEAS
wagng constant with long established habits, prelu-
dces and interests And cannot the inference that
because the French understand how TO enjoy life more
than any other people in the world therefore they cannot
enjoy durable institutions What! brave and intell-
gent people, who supported one form of government-one
dynasyfor ten centuries not capable OF stability IN
their institutions! 1t is an arisocratIc libel
But then, 'they are not moral enough" "You WILL,
saws the obiector with all the confidence Unable,
sat least admit this" Not at all. do not why
republican government should require in order to exist
such superabundance of goodness, than mon
archy know il is much better to be moral-and God
grant we may always have this excellsnce-but why
make a certain amount OF morality necessary 10 sort
of political institutions than another? And then
France-where is the proof Of her immortality greater
than that of other nations The statistics OF crime,
which are very accurately compiled, will prove 10 the
contrary France has much fewer thefts, fewer forge
ries fewer murders, and fewer crimes of almost every
description, in proportion 10 her population, than Eng
land Her police no, less vigilant, but she is
moral Then as to the debasing vice of drunkenness,
and the painful and disgusting prostitution of London
and of English cities generally France presents such
spectacles But "the marriage vow-hat is much disre
garded True; this is the prominent vice OF France.
But how much she is belled in this also One mus,
the country people of France Washington Irving did
when he wrote his Annette Delabre. 10 understand the
excellent parts of their characteT-how pious, how
generous and moral they Paris, however-the
gay city, filled with tens of thousands of people, who
live only for pleasure and who go there TO seek it from
every par, of the world-must present spectacle OF
fined wickedness not 10 be found elsewhere and mostly
all we know of French morality is from those who have
only lived Paris Certainly neither ignorance i'm
morality will prevent the perpetuaon of the French re-
public. w. b. +.