New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-07-19

This topic il suggested by recent passage at arms
between two very accomplished members OF the Mas
sachusetts Constitutional Convention, George Hllard
ESD one of the chief literary lights of the Boston bar
and Richard H. Dana, Esq, son OF the poet Dana and
himself author of 1.-TWO Years before the Mast
Eb are of the conservative school in politics, yet both
incline to respectable progress and certain artistic
pcrfectionment of society, principles laid down in
classical authorities On the advent Of the Fug
tive Slave bill, Mr. Dana stood firm rock against IT,
on around that bad aread. been Oog occupied by some
a, the greatest names ia Boston, while Mr. HIlard
took part in q sudden and grand recuemea', in which
large number of little and great statesmen OF tlat
model city seem, to Improve the figure, to have got
themselves hanessed with their breasts 10 the breech
inc Mr. Dana ia descan'ing on the ProPrlety OF al
lowing the towns to represent themselves III the Legs
laure in their municipal character, aud somewhat be-
yond the ratio of Their population threw ont some doubts
touching the comparative patriotism OF the cities, aud
particularly Of Boston where he thought the tea might
not have been tossed overheard by the population OF
1e5O The point of this lance was received by MI
/ Hilard i1no peciore and on the first opportunity he
PUBLICLY took in hand his brother lawyer. Atler swing
ing bis golden in the most approx cd style before
the postOn dvin,ies of tie dollar he sOemny re-
minded Mr. Dana that both OF them depended for their
bread IN these noble Tch men and II did not Tei be-
cone them like frosard children to strikea the hands
that fed them. This mighty lguge of The n1tionli
weqron Mr Dana received calmly on seven tlickuesses
OF ox.hde for be replied that he Knew Of M hand
which fed him that had sny right 10 control his opinions.
Whether Mr HIlaId felt his lance shiyered or him-
self wounded hy The reco, is uncertain bur for me
reason or other be has returned The charge both Ia
tpe convention aud BuucomDe, with redolbei AMI
nation And he burden OF his socitude nov seems
TO be to make the put and postery uuders and t0at
he pov, meant TO say that mans opinions should be
moulded to or-cspoEd with chose door nearer -
ne source Of his bread and butter He 10 more than
Mr Dana recognises he right of the feeder 20 -,l
the opinions Of the ed No. no not SO by sny man-
ner Of means Mr. Ilhlard thinks that his langul. &c
implied such thing aud that il lie only by very ma
lin and ground assumption that such all inference
can be eXtorted from it.
This anxious disclaimer is exceedingly crej1abe TO
Mr. Hiard and to Boston. If such rich men as he
described III bis first speech have right founded on
feeding 70 control the opinions Of Others. aad would
econ {. atteupt Il, then no rich men have The ques
ton IS settled Aud al due gratitude for fodder may
co6xist with an adherence Of the opinions of him who
administers il. b is comfortable 10 have some cues
tons that are settled by all Of authorities that
ore NAY be positive without the fear Of being denOune
/ ed as ianaucal
If there be ANYTHING from which sound, wholesome
soul recoils with horror it is from numbering fellow
soul by imposing upon it opinions not 10y the force
truth and logic but by appeal to animal apPette'
or physical necessities Ii is double murder-a muir
der Of the opinions themselves by the eisgracefu imp
cation that they need such enforcement, and murder
of the mind on which they enforced by the disgrace
full Implication that il has faculty OF apprehentn.
truth aud reason that il is diotc and nuy BY the
same token that the body Is fed, the mind Is starved
20 death by taking away its food.
II NAV vet turn out TO be a demonstrated genera
truth tlat no sorEd opinion ever WIS sought q
lie euoIced by b-ead-and buf,or considerations :
sound oviron is most likely to be the te14a
Of sound soul; and by such soul. as VI
have already said il vll not be enforced Il NAV b
pressed upon others with and passion
but never by mercenary considerations The question
arises whether sound opinion may be the tenant OF
unscund or uniruthfu soul 1t is generally consdere,
| that II may be-that NAV hold the truth in IN
righteousness but if he holds it all We think he doe
rot hold ii very tightly to any practical purpose anc
We are still more ssre that he Is not much in love witt
il that be will give much to propagate it, The more res
sonsbe theory is that the opinions which false soul re-
ally seeks TO propagate are themselves false and O
these are ufaby all those which propagated b,
.hsr srea' popular seamengire, vhch use: IS -c:y