New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-21

the end Of a PERIOD which has but gwen new pro-
that unceesing movement i the condition OF ah nas
existence, callei upon 70 observe the genera
character Of the changes IL his state. Oar minas
irresistiby turn to consider the lass, the eirca Il
stances and the prospects OF bis being; We are led 20
inquire whether his faculties and his relations 10 the
universe compel him TO steady course Of improve
uent; whether, in the aggregate, rs hiss actually
made advances and what hopes We may cherish re-
specting his future l shall speak to you Of the
sIcEsxTr, the REALITY and The PROMISE Of the pro-
gress Of the race.
l. Since everything th.t is limited Is in perpetual
change the condition Of our race is one Of growth
or Of decay II il the glory Of maa that he is
.ciors Of this sv OF hi. existence He alone is gifted
with reason which looks upward a. well as before and
after and connects him with the world tina. is not dis
cerned By the He alone has the faculty 10
combine thought with affection, that he ft up his
heart and feel for himself only bat for his breth
rem and bis kind Every Is in substance equal
10 his fellov.man. His nature n changed neither by
time nor by country. He bears no marks Of having
risen 10 his present degree Of perfection by successive
trspsmutations from inferior forms but by the pecu-
larity and superiority Of his powers he shows him.
self TO have been created separate and distinct from
all other classes Of animal life He neither degen
Grating into such differences as could in the END no
longer be classified together, nor rising into hlgner
species. Esch member Of the rsce Is IN wiz, anec-
n.
passion no noble or degrading affection, no generous
or selfish impulse has ever appeared, Of which the
germ does not exist IN every breast No science mas
been reached thought generated, no truth dlscov-
cred which has not from all time existed potentially
in eyery human mind. The belief in the progress OF
the race does not therefore, spring from the supposed
possibility Of bis acquiring new faculties, or coming
into the possession of new nature.
Still less does truth change. They speak falsely
who say that truth is the daughter of time; i Is the
child OF eternity, and as old as the Divine mind The
perception al takes place in the order OF tnei ruin
itself knows nothing of the succession OF ages
Neither does morality need 10 perfect itself u Is
what it always has BEEN and always will be. Its die
tinctions older than the or the dry and-than
the earth or the sun. The relation OF good 10 evh Is
from the beginning, and Is unaterable.
The progress of man consists in this that he himself
arrives at the perception of truth. The Divine mind,
which its source left it TO be discovered developed,
and appropriated by finite creatures.
The life of individual is but breath; i comes
forth like flower, and fees like a shadow Were no
other progress therefore, possible than that OF the IN
dividus, one age would have little advantage over
another But as every man partakes Of the same lac
ues and is consubstantial with all il follows that
the race aso has existence of its own aud this eI-
istence becomes richer more varied free, and COM
plete time advances. Common sense implies, by
It's very name that each individual is TO contribute
some share toward the general intelligence. The
many are wiser than the few the multitude than the
philosopher; the than the individual; and each
successive age than its predecessor.
The social condition of century, its faith, and It's
institutions always analogous ~ its acquisitions
Neither philosophy. nor government nor political IN
situations, religious knowledge. can remain much
behind or go much ia advance, Of the totally OF con-
temporary intelligence The age furnishes TO the
master-w workman the materials with which he
builds. The outbreak Of revolution Is the
pulsaton OF the time, heathful spasmodic, ao-
cording TO its harmony with the existing sum OF
hum ,n knowledge. Each philosophical sys-
tenn s the heliograph of tae passing condition
Of public thought. The state in which we are, is
mans natural state at this moment; but i neither
should be- be his permanent state. IL cannot
be his permanent state for social existence is flowing
on iR eternal notion with nothing hxea but the GER
tanty of change. Now by the necessity OF the case,
the movement OF the human mind, taken cohecnveiy,
is alv avs toward something better. There exists In
each ndivic ual, alongside OF his own personality the
ideal ian who represents the race. He bears about
within himself the consciousness that his life strug
GLE and At every moment he feels the antagonist
between bis own limited nature and the better NE oil
which he conceives. He cannot state proposition
respecting finite object but Il includes also refer
ence 10 the infinite. He cannot form a judgment,
but combines ideal truth aud partial error and IS
consequence, sets in action the antagonsm between
the true and the perfect the one side, and the
false and the imperfect the other and in this con-
test the and the perfect must prevail, for they
have the al vantage of being perennial.
In public life, by the side OF the actual state
Of the world, there exists the ideal state toward
] which il should tend. This antagonisn les az the
foundation of all political parties that ever have
|
which they rest, whether ia monarehies, afistocra
cies or 10 republics, but three not Of which
can be wanting, society falls TO ruin. The course
of human destiny Is ever rope of three strands.
| party may found itself things they are, and
strive for their unEered perpetuty; this is conser
yatism always appearing wherever established inter
eats exist and capable Of unningled success be-
| cause finite things are always in motion. Or party
| NAV be based on theoretic right, and struggle IN
relenngly conform society 10 the absolute Law Of
Truth Justice and this, which u the party OF en-
tbusiasts can likewise never perfectly succeed, be-
cause the materials Of which society Is composed par
take of mperfection and to eItrpa'e all that IS I'M
perfect would lead to the destruction Of society ITSELF
And there may be third party which seeks 70 recon-
ellie the two but which yet never thrive by itself,
since il depends for its opportunity OF activity on the
previous antago nism of the others. Withos all the
three the fates could not spin their thread. As the
motions Of the solar world require the cenripetal
force which by itself alone would draw all things
into central confusion; the centrifugal force which
uncontrolled would hurl the planets on q tangent into
infinite space aud lastly that reconclng tdstment
which preserves the tao powers in harmony; 50 so
cety always has within itself the elements Of con-
servstism, Of absolute right, ana Of reform
The present state Of the world is accepted by the
yie and benz us necessary and natural state.
But az the same time, the prsctic i statesman,
whose heart has been purified BY the love OF hu-
nsDiiy and whose purpose solennled oy fath IN the
lumutabiiy OF Juslce seeks 70 spply every princi-
ME which in former ages or in his own the human
! mind may have mastered, and to make every adj
yAneement that tbs culture Of his time will sustain
In a word, he viii never omit opportunity 10 lin
the world of the inferior sphere Of its actual and
natural condition into the higher and better sphere
that s nearer 10 ideal perfection.
HE merits OF statesmen are 10 be tested by this
criterion. Ispeak Of the judgment Of humanity, not
OF the opinion of classes. The latter eIat and even
defy the advocates Of their selfshness and often
measure out their praise by the degree Of daring,
with which right and truth have been made ~ succumb
TO their interests. They lavish lsurels all the