Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-05-10
A CONTRAST.


II was the notorious Citizen PRupHoN who, in
his Socialist Journal de- Peupie, first promulgated
he jacobin doctrine that all property is robbery.
The conciseness of the expression, as well as the
beguiling prospect it opened to those less acute
than himself, lent great circulation and favor to
an axiom so worthy of the Communists. M.
PRUDHoN forthwith became prophet to the blouses
and to the depraved portion Of the Paris popula-
ton, who were greatly uplifted in heart by this
system OF share and share alike. Well, his Jour-
nal, resting on this PLATFORM contained daily abomi-
nable indictments to violate all laws OF property,
and 70 uproot all society by an organized murder
OF those who had any thing to defend. Its Editor
was g patriot" and as such was enabled, by his
admirers, Tor time to pay the fines inflicted upon
him for his infammatory appeals. Each convic-
ton served only TO render him more ardent more
dsinteresed in the cause Of the dear down-trodden
people; and it is well known that his name was
uttered with the greatest love and reverence by his
deiuded believers. But 10 change! In the
midst of his work Of devotion to the interests Of the
masses, M. PRUDHoN found g. an hour of truce, an
instant OF repose," to give to softer occupations and
even sweeer aspirations. He married ,-dy Of
wealth and ssraightway, Of course, divided his
newly-acquired fortune among the most needy Of
his countrymen. Not at all. Such proceeding
was perhaps requisite to maintain character for
any consistency; but il seems that new lights had
broken upon his mind, and since that time M.
Prudhon's name has hardly been mentioned in
connexion with the Socialist movements and, if he
has proved the sincerity of his belief in his own
tenes, by yielding up what he cannot, upon his own
principle honestly retan has been done so secretly
that we have not heardof the magnanimous act.
Contrast the sincerity and patriotism Of this
ndi Of tod -, 10
conduct of one of our countrymen, Mr.. DEvENs, tts
United States Marshal in Massachusetts Thi
gentleman lately had an opportunity to test hi
fidelity to duty and his promptness in its discharge
In disregard of the futile effort, since denominated
popular movement, he quietly but firmly tool
measures to secure the ascendency of the law, AMI.
to show forth the supremacy of order and justicy
over unregulated disturbances, and Sims, the fugi
tive slave, remanded to his master, and put on
board the Acorn schooner. The first thing to be
done was to maintain the supremacy Of the law
for this every thing was to be risked and suffered
in personal danger and in popularity. But, that
object attained, the functions of the civil officer
ceased and the private opinions of the citizen might
fairly appear. And how does this gentleman ex-
press his upon the al-exciting subject! Not by
lawlessness nor evasion of plain provisions of the
Constitution. He avails himself Of the opportunity
presented by the case Of fugitive slave in neigh
boring town, and pursues his honest conIic-
tons by contributing fifty dollars towards his pur-
chase. This is not the spurious philanthropy Of
Monsieur PRUDHoN. tits real and comprehensive:
and happy were it for Massachusetts if all he1citi
zens were imbued with the same wholesome brin-
cpes and felt that the pleniude Of their individual
knowledge Of constitutional law is but folly when
opposed to the recorded and deliberate voice d the
Nation. Such opponents Of the fugitive slaY law
as Mr.. DEvENs we can respect, and we feel sure
that long the administration of the law il con-
6ded to such hands, there is no danger Of h OBJ
struction to its due course from perverse orgno-
rant judgment.
A public officer must perform the duties to which
he has sworn. Having done which, the itizen
may in legal mode act as seems best to him, to
alleviate what he deems an evil, even if it bs a fan
cied one. BY such enlightened philanthropy, CON-
bined with unswerving regard to his official obliga
tions, every civil funcsionsry even the humbles.,
may contribute, by direct act and by moral sua-
sion, to induce state of harmony in our Republic,
and to arrest the progress Of an alienation Of Kind
feelings which, il cannot be denied, is dangerously
rife in too many parts Of it. ).