Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-01-04
~ Wise and Mastery Inactivity"

PROM conREsrosDEsr At SPRINGFIELD, (aAss)
messrs uAtEs q SEAroS These remarkable words are
attracting at this time great attention. but not greater than
they deserve The articles which have recently appeared in
your columns as to the origin Of the expression appear 70
me to take altogether too contracted view Of the subject
few thoughts may be INDUCED from an old and constant
reader of your paper. E3
The idea conveyed by these words would be in vain to
attempt to trace to its origin Ccuched in other words, the
idea is found in almost every history it probably as old as
the human for, doubt Adam in many respects
prudent man, and be must have many occasion
when nonacton wiser and prudent than action
when not to do likely accomplish an end than
the most strenuous doing Or rather when any interference
on bis part might have the accomplishment of some
thing very desirable to him. No wonder, them that your
correspondents able to find the thought expressed in
different ways, by many writers in different ages the world
Every every prudent man. regulates his conduct by the
same rule. Who, then, the father Of this thought or
rather this ode actioor non-action s in many cases.
virtually tho most effective action Undoubtedly, ADAM
So much for the general thought idea expressed by
these words.
As to the paternity Of these identical word am unable
to say have nothing, read nothing, to to
believe they older than Sir James Mcintosh That they
were derived from expressly suggested by expressions in
other languages, believe and shall attempt to show But
romdIkdOlo
the first place. they form concise and phy expression for
great system Of prudential policy They also remarkable
taken merely ,oords Taken separately, and considered
philoogcay, they contain real and papabe contradiction
Of meanings verbal antthesis but taken together they pre-
sent wonderfully wise and consistent paradox. Thus the
tenn 'asty" necessarily involves the idea Of po,cer
indeed, oerable synonym for "astery" would be po-
euL Now the idea Of o,ver involves the idea of motion,
erertion, action. For what is po,ol that is not in
exercise? We have then in this expression descriptive
words mastery signifying actiue, energec-appied to
which signifies rest, quiet, nonactio. Here evil
IDENTIFY contradiction in terms. l
But the contradiction paradox exists only in the words
not in the least in the idea and was in this that Mr.
Calhoun used the expression He meant to convey the idea
that if Government would abstain from positive action,
the very end which desired would be accomplished by
circumstances the object aimed at would be the nevia-
bic result Of circumstances and then in operation
Acton by the Government might not in his opinion would
not be wise and the object desired would be compassed
without the action Of the Government inactivity on It's
part would only be spowerfu," but soise Occasions
for the application Of this wise rule exist and will never
be wanting in Government eng we live under
the compromises of the Constitution.
Having said thus much allow very briefly to state that
there in Of the Latin poets expression nearly like
the "aserly nactspy in question, that the one may be
almos. considered synonym of the other What better
translation could tyo give to streua than pooeu mas
terly and what better translation would yro be likely to
give IN ;nern :-e'.y Horace says, in his Epse
to Bulatius (Epist. lib. l. l1.)
"Strenua exercet inertia"
Is not the contradiction in terms manifest here
Hrenua inertia Inertia erercet Powerful naasterly
nactiuty! Inactivity ezercises cOnstrains, actuaes!
appeal to you, Messs. Editors, whether this expression
from Horace is not much likely to be the type Of the
identical expression before than the tcuncado" Of
Ennius unable to speak Of the expression Of Demos
themes never having seen it, to my recollection.
conclude began the thought or idea is old as
Prudence herself POLIO.