The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-23
Mr. Doheny ON Democrncy.

desereo lecture before the Young Mems Democratic
Union Club, at Metropolitan Hall, being the first q
series Of lectures by various orators This immense
building not exactly filed but tho attendance was
good, and would have crowded smaller lecture rooms
His lecture which occupied two hours in the delivery
was received with great applause and very abs
After being introduced by MI Taylor the President Of
the Club he said that the Of his lecture had been
somehow other erronenusy announced In the news
papers IL not the rise and fall Of republics he
intended to address them, but democracy. He then
proceeded Is fellows
Mr. President Ladies and Gentlsmen:-I stand before
you in what is to novel character and trying situa
ton True, cannot plead want OF experience in public
speaking My experience has been overabundant, and
from its abundance springs my difficulty tonight.
Hitherto efforts have been instructive quckened by
the consciousness that stood face to face with tyranny
This impulse irresistible to the coolest heart 1t
inpelled beyond all power Of control Instinct with
spirit Of resistance tften shared my sentiments with
audiences as large and perhaps ss intelligent as you,
but inpsssioned mysef-ired by the same hope but
by the inspiration purifying by their sympathy the
eversd pronptings Of mind and flashing them back
communion Of the springs Of OLD
est the purest the most impsrishabe With its agency
! would entertain spprehensions here Through its
agency have felt if could not the sprituslities
eoquepce-s spirit uncreative but dervable from
ture sup full OF her freshness grandeur and beauty
taken 10 speak Of democracy to democrats. to in
terpret freedom to free men, and what should de-
70
their presence it is impossible, l should not feel
abashed have read the history Of their mothers III
chip the sprstion which their bleeding feet
ciimsoned into the soul of herosm These memories
that cannot die and though the matrons and maids Of
the revolution not here, their spirit must be with
their descs Purified Dy sacrifices heroic and
holy, the daughters of the revolution must been
born from at least of the saints original
In their presence to speak with nothing identify
with their saore1 inheritance distant and nef
fectusi worship But this is too much OF self Place
If VIC md " thaN inn nf
progress the prospects the obligations and the destiny
OF d. nocrary l propose q vast inquiry-an inquiry
which is Of ncacuable import to thoroughly
explore adequately to comprehend and practically to
realize the solution as science of
require soul thought and energy purified from all feel
ipg Of faction or psrtzan lines The ustrious whs
are to fellow me will shed upon the different
branches of the subject the lustre Of their intel
leets- TO dshnes;e the broad outlines for
me end whatever may be nay success, there
can be no doubt the Young Mems Demscraic Union
Club have had noble ain, closing the acrrbitiss of
panty warfare by an intellectual inquiry catholic in its
scope ano sancunea ts Object Ihey are entitled 20
to discuss democracy didactcaly. shalt endeavor to
deal with it existing principle, innate in and
times invisible but always living matter for the fate
of governments and nations In this sutho-
who has long enjoyed the and respect Of
the civilized world do because be has placed demo-
cracy on an naes'ractble basis The author to whom
refer, IL MoDtequieu In his justly celebrated work,
Sur Lesprit des Lox,n be says that the elemental
principle Of education in despotisms is fear, in
arches honor and in republics virtue Montesqueu
not republican. His testimony in this respect, Ia
therefore most valuable man Of profound penstra-
ton and most wonderful research he accord to repub
canism vitality divine Nor is this ALL for "yirtuen
in his Of it. vslor we'll holiness. Con-
enting myself with this single reference proceed to
consider what in my views. is true democracy
Mr. D. then advetsd to the republic Of France and said
the fact Of the people giving away their liberty implied
betty of the people could not be safely entrusted to the
keeping of any individual for life Here the dit
The period OF trust was Of but brei duration and
ender his Office kept the people quiet and induced
them permit abuses Of power rather than inter
fere with the operation Of their organic laws He then
to give sketch OF the ancient republics Of
yertDg to the contribution OF the republic OF Athens
drawn up by Soon he remarked that the Senate orgi
mated sl the laws and the people in body passed
vetoed them which led Lycugus the great awgver of
the Spartan republic to say that the wise thought,
while the fools decided The republic of Sparta
founded upon different principle from that Of Athens
total absence of luxury division of the public lands
comm on table and common schools. But there
want Of confederation in the republics Of Greece which
destructive TO their existence. Each all powerful
in against foreign foe, they turned their
against each other and thus worked their mutual
destruction The lecturer after describing the Roman
republic went to the italian republics Ct the middle
ages and argued that repubcanism not inconsistent
with the Catholic religion On the contrary the Catholic
church nurtured repubeanism in the dark ages At the
time be held that in this country neither Cathol
cism Poe,tantism wa essential to republicansm,
and his opinion that the farther the republic kept
from both religions the better (Great applause The
glorious institution of trial by jury not many sup
posed originated by Alfred Of England but was invented
in France in 65 The speaker then went on TO show the
strength OF republics in Persia had invaded Greece
with l1o0eo fighting Athens, with 10. 600 of
inferior strength and discipline but animated with the
principles of Democracy gave them battle the open
plain, and defeated them Five millions next
landed but they. too failed In conquering coun.
try not large Long Island and not contain
ing as many Inhabitants as the State of New York
The obligations OF democracy open field Of wider grave
and more important inquiry than my time or power can
compass here only glance at the fewest and most
urgent The first great duty Of democracy is ducston
the elevation Of the common schoolthe purity OF the
public pressthe incucaton every where of the truth
Appreciation Of The truth pecedes conception of the
beautiful the yirtuous the valorous and the nvunera
bic At home the supreme element OF democracy il the
manifestation, the development the supremacy Of the
man. Abroad, democracy must be based ON the same
principle extended into nationality 1t must its
convictions Of power justice and right neither doing
nor suffering a wrong. Ny first idea of irresistible
power in his heart, who takes counsel from
his knowleoge Of himself and CT that with which he
conscious and self assured resolution. An invncble
nstion is such man multiplied into millions.
History sfords one proof at least, of this truth
the triumph Of the American arms in the Revolu-
ton De Tocqueville says equality diminishes MAS
cophd in himself because he finds himself in the face
OF q competition which Is heiming do not be-
levc this; it is libel upon God, The he created
sud endowed with portion of his spirit and far
a. he is himself concerned onnpotent will Ia free
self conscious man. owning no superior but his Maker
Does be fulfil his destiny by dstrust In himself and sub
mission TO copventiopaity? Trust me, no. Take your
these two principles face to face and make
count OF TIE Persian aristocracy who measured that
plain share their last supper with the three hundred
spartans st Thermopyln; look Quintius Curtus
puDgns into the gulf TO safety cruel fate and
his country shake the hand Of Cncnnatus he walks
second time from the plough TO victory; approach
Wilhelm Tell on the hills of Uri, he sped that
errng arrow; ascend the dome OF San Pietro, with
Mishsel Angelo, as he Knocked the testy cardinal
who sought 70 control and question his genius;
share the bafiled hope of Columbus as he asked In
for aid to realise bis inspired mission lie down with
George Washington on that gloomy night beyond the
scbuylki defeated by the enemy onquered by the ee
pents lie down with him in the midst Of that dsheart
eped host In their wet rags without covering without
shelter. Without available weapon grain Of pow
der and endesvor 10 comprehend the projects he there
revoved from which be hoped and wrought the tru nph
the fire. dom and the infestruotbty Of this repubc do
this aDS ask the enraDchised man lie the first
to fhrnk from great or difficult or perious respon
sitity? Or you not satisfied here, With Ben
amn Franklin where he letters his fame In the skies
determine whether il is not the self conscious self
tr1x,s Had .alfs hat I'd