The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-05-08


eighty must be qualified to meet the responsi.
bilities of their kingly Office Tn Republic
the people are the kings. speak to-day to
those who either are, or are to be, the sover-
eigns of the land. You are not merely law
makers. but make those that are law makers
If you wear not the insignia of an arlstocratic
nobility--in the shape Of ribbons. red and
green and blue-you may remember that the
inhabitants of Lilliput did, and you are not ov-
era xious to initiate the little six inch men of
that far-famed land. The insignia of natures
nobility are the hand hardened by toll, and the
faoo radiant with. intelligence and manly vir.
tue. lleo M
You, fellow citizens, are not merely dukes
and lords. and barons and knights; but kings,
the sons of kings, ind the fathers Of kings
The crowns that come to you from the heads
of those that lie low in tho grave, will soon rest
upon the heads of these princes Of the blood
whom sec before me- 1t is for the fathers to
see that the sons are qualified for the rsspon-
sibities of American citizenship, and it is for
the sons to see to it that they do not dshonor
the crowns the crowns that the Republic has
placed upon their heads. The elements of
power and stability in nation of freemen are
the intelligence and virtue of the people who
who bear rule.
"What constitutes Stat,
Not high-raised bsttement, or labored mound.
Thick wall, or moated gate
Not cities proud with spires and turrets crown'd,
Not bays and broad armed ports,
Where laughing at the storm, rich navcs ride.
Not starredand spangled court,
Where low.brow'd baseness watts perfume to pride;
No:-Msn, high-minded MES,
With powers as far above dull brutes endued,
In forest, brake den,
As beasts excel celd rocks and brambler rude,
Men who their duties know,
But know their rights, and knowing dare maiutain.
Prevent the long-aimed blow,
And crush the tyrant while they rend the chain,
1 THESE CONSTITUTE A STATE.
If there is in Republican government
potoer behind the throne, that power is to be
found in public sentiment. And in the forma-
ton of public sentiment, oar Educational in
stitutions exert an influence beyond the pow
er of computation. Happily for the interests
of liberty and Republicanism, Colleges have
almost universally ranged themselves on the
side of popular rights. In every contest be.
tween the prerogatives of the ruler and the
rights of the ruled, they have defended the
right against tho might.
Again: the strength Of Republican govern
ment is to be found not so much in the rigid
enforcement by arms of the laws of the State,
as in tho fact that these laws are self-imposed
by the intelligent perception on the part of the
people of their wisdom and OF their necessity
Let the law be written not merely upon the
statute book, but upon the hearts and minds
of intelligent citizens, and the willing homage
which they pay to its mandates is liberty itself
in its highest form and truest type; while the
constrained obedience rendered only at the
point of the bayonet. even to wise and neces-
sary laws, is little else than slavery The one
is Ropublicanism; the other is Despotism -
The one is Liberty, regulated by intelligence;
the other is the recklessness of ignorance and
the restlessness of insubordnation, restrained
by force. Not long can a Republic maintain
its existence as such without at least that
measure of general intelligence that percoives
and acknowledges the necessity of just laws,
and that for the public good yields cheerful
and unconstrained obedience to them.
UHrestrained freedom is anarchy. Restrain
ed only by force and arms, is despotism; self
restrained is Republication. Wherever there
is wanting tho intelligence and virtue requisite
for tho latter. Republicanism expires. The
complicated machinery Of free institutions must
have an adequate regulator; and that is to be
found in an enlightened public conscience
This our Educational nstitutions--tea ching as
well the laws of social morality as of physi
science--are omnipotent in forming. And as
We cherish the heritage of civil and religious
liberty which has come down to us, so it be- |
comes US to cherish the College, the Academy
and the Common School, permeated by chris
tian influence, which alone have secured US
this inheritance, prepared US for enjoying and
it, or can prove its efficient con-
SENATORS 'aag
But more than this: our Educational Insti-
tutions arc eninenry Republican in their very
nature. Hare are brought together the sons
of wealth and of fpoverty, of patricion and ple-
bian descent, to meet upon the same arena, to
wreste in the same intellectual gymnasium,
run in the same race, and contend for the
same honors, upon equal terms, and with equal
chances Of success, only as the gifts of nature,
or the vigorous industry, the close application,
or the determined perseverance Of each indi-
vdual candidate shall vary the equation; and
this variation, justice requires us to say, is oft
on in favor of the inhertor of poverty and toll,
rather than of riches and titles Within Col
ege walls aristocratic dgnities, aristocratic
or aristocratic airs, avail their
possessor but little. Wo to the luckless youth
that puts them on. Here, If no where else, tho
mind sthe measure Of the man. Long gene
llogies and endless pedigrees are sorry Offset
'or short memories and shallow brains. Here
s valued not so much the crown as the head
hat wears it. Lace, and ribbons, and purple
md fine linen. are A moor compeu sation for