Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-08
SPEECH OF Mr.. EWING,
OF KENTUCKY,


In THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, APRIL a. 1862
The House being in Committee of the Whole on the
state of the Union on the Homestead Bill
Mr.. EWING said Mr.. Chairman, do not propose to
conne myself to the merits Of the bill Immediately under
the consideration Of the committee although conceive it
has merits, and am inclined to give it my VOTE look
upon it at least of the most harmless developments
of that idea Of progress prevalent in the country
and in the general distribution of the public lands which
is threatened know Of worthy recipients who
likely to be benefited than those proposed in the BILL
Besides, there is perhaps other mode by which any
portion of the citizens Of my State win be made
to share in the distribution.
In reference to this idea of progress, Mr.. Chairman
much derded upon the hand and perhaps
vagany Landed upon the other allow to that there
never was humbug SO empty never philosophy so vain,
which met for any length Of time, with any response
from any quarter which had not at its basis ounda
ton Of truth. And it does not become to reject
popular without sitting out and separating the truth
which has given it currency
We told that progress is empty word; that it
means every thing that IL nothing Not So sir
1t may be shadowy indefinite that mysterious,
tain future to which ii refers and in which lives. Ii is
fixed measure series Of measures il is spirit
vvfying principle Why, Mr. Chairman, he who breaches
content breaches false philosophy He who tells to
be satisfied with the present existing state Of things at
any time will teach in vain. That restless, dissatisfied
spir-that irrepressibe longing after something new
something better in the future-that neverdying hope
urging onward, implanted in us by Him who
made d0uDtleSs better than
this and inherent and ineradicabe as it is in man. it
manfess itself in all with which he has to do in every
laen in which he is called to act individual social and
political believe there is idea generally prevalent
at the present time in the country that era has
arisenhat another political cycle has revolved itself
that must be adopted principles evolv
ed perhaps attitudes and relations Of parties The
time has come humby conceive, in the convictions
Of the American people, when we should stop and inquire
whether there is in this country party in any oil po
itical organizations, in whatever geographical section
with sufficient power to control the desnies Of the
try and having sincere love and admiration fer the
sttution the whole constitution in ell Of its parts and
and provisions and living faith in the Union and its
permanency who ready to act upsn that faith and
acting to go in the development Of the happiness
and greatness Of this country make il what it should
become-the grandest empire the world has seen
When parties are divided upon principle the spoils as
necessary concomtant follow the vctors and though
evil is tolerated inevitable one But when party
array and party conflicts degenerate into nothing else
than struggle for the spos indignant and impatient
people viii reject the outrageous imposition.
But sir the idea Of progress under the broad shield Of
its popularity covers many Some think that
change progress Mere novelty-innovation, the sim
pie abandonment Of ancient princpess not necessarily
progress II Is sometimes Observation-Disclosures
gression The revolution which gave into the hands Of
Robespere and his associates the power in France which
they so terribly abused example Of pro-
gress than the revolution of the 9th Thermidor which
restored It to those who exercised with more humanity
nor the revolution Of the 10th Brumaire, which placed
Napoleon in power than the restoration Of the
Bourbons There now abroad under that DO
pular name, to which they have right or title like the
heresy which corrupts and perverts the true religion
Kossuthism Is defunct and should insult your good
either to advocate oppose II this floor That
king Of spouers that hero Of sounding periods has made
his campaign Of five hundred speeches in less than
monthsI confde in his estimate rather than under
take the enumeration mysef-and accomplished sigma
though a brilliant failure. He has strutted as hero his
brief hour upon the stage he has drunk the trimming
cup Of adulaon until stcadier wiser brain than his
insight have reeled with the delicious intoxicaton he has
been called second Washington, for what reason know
not unless perhaps because Washington was said to be
master Of retreats and he himself has achieved one Of
most extraordinary retreats record from the time
Xenophon down. retreat from hundred and thirty-v,
thousand of his men, with five hundred field pieces
Sir has been said to be one Of the most striking anG
beautiful figures Of rhetoric poetry magnify AN ides
by.the comparison Of il with something infinitely superior
If this be true, there poetic idea or
daring flight Of the imagination than the compari
son Of Kossuth with Washington But his hour has gone
by he only fingers the stage after his part is played
His mad schemes, with his twelve hundred saddles fo
imaginary horses and his forty thousand two dollar mus
kets for visionary his extraordinary plans for tn
conduct Of with Russia and Austria by charitable
contributions, ~ good people would support missonar
in the Sandwich Islands, do starte us only because
In the extravagasce Of their insane folly they sink
| contempt.
But there distinguished gentlemen in the other EN-
Of this Capitol statesmen opponents of great potca
parties seeking to become the heads Of those parties an
by that the heads Of this Government who
q short time since that here was godsend, happ