New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-04


centuries, monarchy seems capable Of now de-
stroying US .ndirccily Ia Germany az well
as IN France theories are taught according
10 which the revolution IS not 10 es'ao'lsh
democratic freedom, but perpetual uicta'
torship Is to force upon society ehher This
or that theory of social felicity. We know as
well as o,ho,s. that the next revolution will lead
TO various changes in the tenure OF property, and
we also demand organic reforms 10 the systems
OF taxation, customs, and public credit hitherto
existing. We feel also, the hveliest possible
sympathy for the emancipation oil labor from the
performance of capital, through the free asso-
citation of laborers. We too, contend against the
disproportion now existing between the rent OF
land and capital on the one side, and the rent OF
labor on the other. We recognize only the stage
of a peoples culture and development, not the
pleasure Of individuals as the standard for these
transformations 1t is possible that the result of
the revolution ma, be far behind our wishes.
" But" as said Camille Desmoulins, the form OF
the State must be transps ent robe which
adheres closely to the body OF the people.
Every swelling of the veins, every tension
of the muscles, every thrill OF the nerves
must be visible. The body may be beau
tiful or ugly, but it has the right to be
what it is, and We have not The right to cut
garment for it according 20 our own taste" II
we should not succeed in fixing ourreyolutionary
development on the democratic principle Of
liberty, peace prosperity and progressive cul-
ture, and If we should fall under the arbitrary
pleasure of some dictatorial social relormer, we
should, for scores of years perhaps, again become
the toy of brute force, disputing at the cost OF
our liberties the fruits of every department of in
dustry in society And this fate all Europe would
share with us; for ii is nisputable that institu-
tons violently imposed against the .spiritof ma
tion-no matter what their nature-are not dura-
bic. In this tact lies our fairest and surest pres
ent hope.
The chief apostles of this sor of imposition
(octyot rung), 50 hostile to liberty, for Germany,
are Mess1s. MARx and ENcELs for France NJ.
BLANQrl Imprisoned since May, 1913, in the
citadel Of Belle-Isle en- Mer), and less openly
LOUIS BLANC. While the first two altogether
reject universal suffrage with contempt and
mockery, the latter would postpone as far as pos
sbe las was done in the revolution of February
the return to selEgovernment Of the Stupid }
people, in order to employ the revolutionary Pc
Rod in forcing upon them so much of the con-
trivances Of pretended genius that it would be
possible only through most dangerous pains and
convulsons for them to get back to the full health
of liberty. Louis Blanc himself it was who
changed the old order OF the republican motto
by putting Equality" before Liberty
Equality is then to be forced upon US, and we
are to content ourselves with such degree of
liberty as Mr.. Louis Blanc may see fit to leave us.
But let us return to our starting point. There
are decided adherents of democratic freedom
among the members of the Agitation Union as
well as among the coadlutors Of kinkel. This
can be said of Ruge, not only by his personal
friends, but by all who have read the manfestoes
If the European Central Committee. In these
documents the sovereignty OF the people on the
BASIS of democratic freedom has always been
most explicitly set forth. On that account they
nave always been violently assailed by the party
If Marx and Engels. In the statutes of the
italian National Committee especially, at whose
head stands Mazzini, with two of his friends,
freedom is distinctly stated as the
md of the revolution in the following words
Every one of us bears in his heart the convictions
which his studies and suferings have rendered dear
% him each feels Il to be ms duty as inc woiA OF
unalerable law OF every united manifestation is tne
National Sovereignty, the War, and the Constituent
Assembly the triumph OF all for the sake OF all, and
then, laws issued by all for the universal good this
is the sole programme which can unite all men OF
good WILL and all Italian provinces upon common
ground"
When saw Fickler abou. year ago, he was
as good a Democrat as decided Revolutonist,
and as for the other members Of the Agitation
Union whom DO not personally know so well,
then connection with Ruge, Mazzni and the
European Central Committee indicates strictly
Democratic revolutionary tendency. On the
side OF Kinkel, 10 doubt there are also good
Democrats. know some Of them as such.
Still there Is among them man who once
went with Marx and Engels, and af;erward
blew the same horn with the EgaIitaires (Louis
Blanc ! mean WILLIcH. would tolerate each
mans opinion and allow him every honorable
course Of action, but l can obey and submit my
self only to the principles OF Democracy. Per-
haps Which has finally arrived at the conviction
that it would be crime against humanity to
SN"NS VAo" uHA'ViSal i4'SAty III Ol1Ct tOCa4i1 OHI
a mere personal ideal it is possible that he has
lsnerly come to consider his own views as sub
ordinate to the democratic principle. In that
case he is deubly welcome to US who know
so well how 70 prize his abilities
1t Is 10 be hoped that the differences between
the followers OF Ruge and of Kinkel alay lead
to the bringing forth Of light on this point, by
producing practical programme In case any
third parties, who do not wish 10 go astray, will
only feel themselves impelled by these differ.
ences to cling the more strictly to principles
But the desired programme will no doubt, be
asreed upon al the approaching Guarantee Con-
gress.' They who assume the weighty o5liga-
A IL o. -.