The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-25
For tks Sossthsym Press.
ROLES Of craps and nuslngs.
No. 81.

This question may be better answered SOM
dozen years hence He is certainly bold man
and the courage to dare is often the only thing
necessary TO success. His task is hercueaI
one, however. It is greater than that OF Atlas
who only undertook to carry the world on hi
shoulders, whereas Monsieur 10 Prince Presi
dent seems about attempting to turn it back
wards. He has probably taken the hint from
seeing the facility with which steamers are no
only arrested in their course, but propelled sterI
foremost. He should recOlect, however, tina
if this is done too suddenly it is very apt to de
range the machinery.
These remarks especially refer to late deere,
of the President, quoted by the correspondent
of the Journal Of Commerce-who, by the way
is very entertaining gossip and most adro
apologist of the French aristocrats. "The OBJ
ject of this Decree" says the writer, "ssems
repression of precocious religious and political
philosophy, so called, and the graduation OF
sciolists-fagrant abuses which were recently
signalized in an official academic report on the
practices and results of public education in the
department of the Seine" The decree CON-
mences as follows: "Historical and philosophi-
cal dispositions not being suitable to lads or
boys of 10 or Is years Of age, since in such
minds they only generate vanity and doubt, are
to be interdicted altogether" &C., &c.
1t must be obvious to every rejecting mind,
that government acting on this maxim, and
having the sole direction Of the system Of pub
lie instruction, can model the youthful intellect
just as it pleases, and effectualIy put n stop to
its progress, on the ground that "it only gener.
ates vanity and doubt" 1t is settled maxim
that the human mind cannot stand still--it must
either 20 fo!ewards or backwards, and this de-
cree is the first step in its retrograde motion.
Truth is frequently elected from error, and it is
only from discovering what is wrong that we
arrive at the conviction of what is right
We are perpetualy cropping in the dark, but
reach the light at last, and to prohibit the search
is to consign mankind to eternal darkness
Columbus would have here discovered new
world, had he confined himself to the beaten
track; and every advance Of the human mind
has been made by taking steps before the rest
of our fellow creatures.
The design of Louis Napoleon is to arrest
this progress; to do in fact what the great Ma.
poleon never dreamed of attempting, because
his vast and comprehensive mind, saw il was
impossible Should the lesser Napoleon sue.
coed in this reactonary movement, he will be
come the greater, for he will have achieved the
most stupendous miracle the world ever wit
messed, in turning the human mind from its
course, and changing the motion of the universe
from circle to a straight line backwards. This
retrograde policy appears to be the basis Of his
entire system, which is certainly one of the most
singular ever presented to our contemplation.
1t is an attempt to establish despotic power
on the basis of universal suffrage, and convert
the people into instruments in depressing them
selves. 1t is perfect anomaly in governments;
popular despotism, not of majority of the
people, but of a single man chosen by them TO
exercise it for ten years, without any control
but that of u council chosen by himself and q
| Legislative body incapable of acting except al
his suggestion.
! l am perfectly willing to confess that phiIo.
sophy is in fair way of running mad, and that
what is called the progress of the human mind
~ becoming race of wild horses without bri-
die or curb. That many theories have lately
been broached, which in their practical opera
ton would turn the world upside down, is,
think, very certain; and what is still more i'm
portant, these theories are attempted to be made
the basis of legislation. The question, there
! fore, is, whether the world would be the bette,
: wiser, or happier for being turned upside down
This question seems gradually coming to al
issue. The mighty mannikin of France,
seems, has decreed it shall remain as it is, O
advance backwards. That still moro might,
phantom, "The progress of the human mind
seems to have decreed otherwise 1t will be
most interesting struggle. The mannikin may
appear to succeed for little while, but appre
bend the more potent spirit will prevail at last
The world will roll on in spite of the decree.
of Monsieur lie Prince President. There is
Higher Being whose DEGREES must be obeyed.
There are mighty antagonists marshalins
themselves for a conflict to which that of the
tabled saints and the gods was trfe. Mono
poly and socialism are in the field and Louis
Napoleon has declared war against history and
| philosophy. He is determined to conine the
faculties of man solely to the improvement Of
that knowledge which is practically useful in
the common affairs Of life. Internal improve
| ment is to be confined to railroads and magnetic
telegraphs; and no one is to be entitled to the
| free exercise Of his mental faculties before the
age of fifteen or sixteen. His thoughts as wei
as actions are to be restrained, until he come,
of age to be wise and during the whole of tina
period in which the twig of youth receives it,
permanent direction, he is to be bent only one
single way. If the next generation of French
men are not fitted for the yoke prepared fo
them, ard the age of state and church despotisn
is not restored, it will not be the fault of Loui.
Napoleon. As for the United States, all they
have to do is to keep clear of both extremes
and to be careful how they adopt the excuses
of either. While avoiding the theoretical errors
of the new philosophy, let them not become tn,
accomplices of Louis Napoleon and the Eu
ropean despots, in putting all mankind into
straight waistcoats for fear they should rur