Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-09-18

multitude Is neither rash nor hckle. In T
truth, tits less iickls than those whU pro.
fess 10 be- It's guides. Its natura dia.
iecties surpass the Logic Of The schools.
Political action has never been so con.
sistent and SO unwavcring. al when i I
results from feeling or a principle, dr. |,
fused through sociely. Tho people is
firm and tranquil in It's movements, and
necessarily acts with moderation because
II becomes but slowly impregnn'el with
new ideas ); and effects no changes, ex'
cent in harmony with the knowledge
which i has acquired. Besides, where
! il is permanently possessed Of power
there exists neither the occasion nor the
desire for frequent change. It's not the
parent Of ,umult |; scdition is bred in the
lap Of luxury, and its chosen emissaries
are the beggared spcndibrift and the I'M.
povcrished libcrt,ne, The government
by the people il. in very truth the siron.
gest government in the world. Discaf.
ding the implements oftcrror, il dares TO
rule by moral force, and has its citadel
in the heart. ,t .J..o..i-.. .sts'l /
i Such is the political system which
rests on reason, reflection, and the free
EXPRESSION Of deliberate choice. There
may bc :hose who scor at tho susgcs.
lion, that the decision Of the whole is to
be preferred to the judgment Of the en-.
ishtened few. They say in their hearts
that the masses are ignorant; that for.
4 mers know nothing Of legislation that
mechanics should not qui, their work.
shops to join in forming public opinion.
But true political science does indeed
lvenerate the masses. II maintains, not
as has been previously asserted, that
4" the people can make right, "but that
the people can DISCERN right. Individ.
uals are but shadows, too often cngross,
ed by the pursuit Of shadows the race
is immortal individuals are OF limited
"a agscity the common mind is infinite
in its experience : individuals are Ian.
suid and blind; the many are ever wake.
ful I: individuals are corrupt tho race
has been redeemed: individuals are time.
serving the masses are fearless: indi.
I, viJuals may bo false, the masses are in.
. senuous and sincere: individuals claim
:. The divine sanction Of truth for the de-
:. ceitful conceptions oftheir own .lancies
o the Spirit Of God brealhes through the
Il combined intelligence Of the people,
l. Truth is not to be ascerlained by the i'm
pulses Of an individual it emerge'
from the contradictions Of persona
., opinions (; il raises itself in majestic Sc
= renity above the stri(es Of parties and th
y, ', conflict OF sects /; il acknowledges nei
! ,her The solitary mind, nor the separat
!" faction as its oracle but owns as il
!. Il only faithful Interpreter the dictates @
nr pure reason itself, proclaimed by tn
~ general voice ofmankind. The decree
~ OF the universal conscience are the neal
y est approach to the prescace Of God i
- the soul Of man. .ar 'f,s.. - rr7
~ Thus the opinion which we respet
ellis, indeed, not tho opinion Of one or I
:, a few, bur the sasncity Of the many.
-. lis hard for the pride Of cultivated ph
4. losophy 10 put its ear to the ground, an
-. listen rsverently to tho voice Of low
- Humanity; yet the people collectiveI
Z. are wiser than the most gifted individua
~ for oil his wisdom constitutes but pa
"a Of theirs. When the great sculptor
-. Gfeecs was ehdeavoring to fashion Il
=, perfect model of,bsnuty, he did not pa
=. sively initiate the form of tho lovelie
!. twomun Of his age ;ibut he cleaned 4
.,s several iineaments of his faultless wo
.of from the many. And SO tits, that a p'
III fleet judgment is the result Of compa
w : son, when error eliminates error, Al
~ truth is. established by concurtins W
Al: luesses. 1.-The organ ofWuih Isl the inv
~ libie decision Of The unbiased world S
- pleads before no tribunal but pub.
~, opinion !; She owns no safe interpre
. NJ se but the common mind; she knows
Y 1court Of appeals but the soul Of hums
:, fity. 1t is when the multitude give col
~ fsel, that rightpurposes find safety the
- 1is the fixedness that cannot be- shake
~. theirs is thei understanding which
~ o,, ceeds in wisdom; theirs is the heart,
aa asn which the largenessi is as the sand on
"r a.. sea. shore. - .isla.i al ,iatsoia od j
alse Ii i. not BY vast armies, BY imme
en- natural resources, by accumulation:
ste. t treasure; that ike greatest results in
d "a defn civilization have sheen acct
ION. piished. The traces Of the career
,een conquest pass away, hardly leaving
,ssii.. ttscadr on The national Intelligence.
ater famous bstiIe grounds Of victory
,ed. !: most Of them. comparatively ildiffer
uals to the 'huma1 face; barren fields
uIiy blood, the scourges Of their times,
pes, Iaffscting the sooialconditionias iittl'
only .heltrasing Of a pes,ilsnce. Not one
iio. Inevolenti in stitution, not ono ,ameli'
, &C. ltins principle in the Roman stately
peo. voluntary concession, Of the saristocr,
sesof each. useful element was ,horrewsd {
q in. the Democ taciss Of Greece, eswas Z
like lhctant concession toithe demands Of
more people. The same, is, tuean mos
)oity. political lfe.nlt lt,is the g oniession aol
srian enemy d tou Democracy. e.hatsH aALA
asses. EGREAT AND NOBLE EEsHlTvT4oSs OF
ID se.iEw9RLD eHAsE ic0HE ERoN YoRvL4R
ofshs yoaTs.
,lses.L ,I.-ia,,he Nni(o5m tendency Of the
fsths ulaf AlamenA TO .slsxsts apl bless
IiuInii, ii,I tmaniy. The .exart msasprA 9f the
:.ahd tSrsss OF eivilizasipn ssthes aegset
fssa.I which ,7tha, intelljgenc6 Of She !, com