New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-22
THE PURITAN PRINCIPLE.
AN GRAFTON AT PLYMOUTH,
BY WILLIAM II. SEWARD.

and insepsrsble. The material, intellectual, moral
and spiritod conditions Of every people deter
nine, through either direct exercise OF their will
or their passive consent, the nature ard form Of
their government. Reasoning from the attributes
Of the Creator and from the constitution Of man,
we Justly conclude that high stage OF social hap
pipess is attaipable, and that benefcent govern
nent il therefore ultimately possible. any differ
emit theory makes the hopes which sustain virtue
decisive, and the Deity, who inspires them, q de-
mon equally to be feared and hated. Experience.
however, teaches rs that the advances Of mankind
toward ouch happiness and govemmt Mt are very
dow Poetry, indeed, often presents to US pleas
ing scenes Of national felicity; bat these are pure
~ imsgiAsIy, while history Is an almost unreleved
narrative of political crimes and public dangers
and calaniiies.
We discover, by induction, moral laws as inAex-
ible ss the material laws of the universe We
know, therefore, that the tartiness OF political
progress results from failure thus far TO discover
or apply those moral lave. The failure, at fret
view, exciies surprise Social meliorssion 10 ap
parently An object Of general and intsnse desire
Certainly the arts which suassrve material safety
subsistence and comfort, have been emine1tly
improved We construct useful ensines recently
oelveo; we search the whole surface of the roand
earth with comparative ease; We know the appointed
coutes ana seasons If works which we scarcely
se IL is douoifal whether the arts of erchitsctare
painting sculpture, and poetry, susceptible Of
higher perfection. Wty, tneo, does political science
remain obscure, and the oft Of government Uncertain
and perpexedl
IL bappeps, ia some degree, because material wants
have hi herto exscted excessive care; 10 some degree,
because the advantages which result from political
improvements se indirect and oifusive; bat chiefly
because the science in s nature recondie and the
art inrDsicsly difficult.
Metstbytics lie science confessedly sbstruse, and
generally rgsr. ed Is ikoome AID fruitIess. Lord
Bacon 40 proDounces, and he explains: For the wi,
"and mind O. map, II it cork upon mater, which Ia
the coneml la ion Of the creatures of GOd worketh
"sccoI oipg to the stuff snd is limited thereby; but
"f WORK upon itself the spiOer wQrseth his web,
then IL enoess end brings forward, indeed, cob
awbs Of learning, admin able for the 6uenss OF thread
"srd work, but Ct no substance or profit" How
could the sudy Of groups be either tasier or more
satisfactory than that Of individual man. The same
philosophy ceDfssses that government is part Of
knowledge ttcIet and retired
Cons OF only ope State. It's magnitude Ia Immense,
it's outlines iLdistnct, ii Ia sithout symmetry of
pArtt-s principles dispositions confused ssgre.
gate Of the impeIfec1y uDderstood principles and dis
positions Of many thousands or even many millions OF
men. The canes which have chiefly given form and
tir ion 10 these principles aud dispositions are either
unknown or forgolteni those Shicn modifying
theu are 100 subtle for our examination. Toe future
of Siaes involves further cooditoDs which lie out
tde Of the range of human foresight, and therefore
called tccidenls. Human life Il short, while the
process Of induction in political scen eIesches through
generations, and even ages. Philosophers seldom
enjoy facilities for that process Heuce they make
imaginary lave for imaginary Comnonvee tbs, and
tier oiscoursss are the ssrs which give little
light, because they are 81 high" Statesmen, on
the contrary, wife, sosor0ing 10 the States where
they live, what is received law, sno not what ought
10 be law
A copsu onsl sltera ion is often necessary to Sc
cure oex ire ble 10 ia iDprovomen; bot such an al
erofion cannot be made alt-out previous change OF
pubic opn ION in he STATE AID even OF opinion 10
tunoupeiDg States; for naoi are soci, persoos and
members Ot universal Commonwealth. IL .b!t re-
ssis such cbanges. EmiGi,y, though boxing for
wsId is rbortsishred; and With farsightsd venera-
tor, which always LOOKS backward, opposes such
chsDses. Lass, bo1evec erroneous, or however ar
biuail, established, acquire supposed sanctity fron
the ceremony Of ter eLsctmeAt aad derive great
strsng,h rom pro.rsc cd acqui sceDce. In desPodo
State no subject Can move changes. La q free one
each member may oppose, and Opponents more etsiy
combine than adv1 oates AHoitien is the ruling
passon of States Ii is blind to defects and dangers,
while Lpuyi Ing them On 10 careers OF aggression and
sgs ranoizsmeIt The personal interests aud AN
birons Of msny effective members of the State cling
10 irs In stt uons-h0 aever erroneous or Djurious-
and protect them sssinst innoys sion. Reform can
only sppesl 20 reason and conscience. Conserve
tsm Mouses prejudice, cupidiy sad fear, and
edroiy e1cites d. ecs hatred sgsnst the person of
the reiorner. Retaliation too naturally folio 70; and
the coDtroversy which properly ought to be pub
lilo ano ois yassonate ole, changes impereepuby into
sttated conflict Of factions Hun sni and bsnevo.
lebce developed only with increasing knowledge
ard refinement Hence, csstts and classes long re
msis; and there, although all equally Interested in
proposed meiorston, are, by an artfal ore tion Of
tbei nuiual annpahies, made 70 defeat it by their
mplscsoe content OBS Material sniereste are ion ne
distely reused and combined 10 opDo,i,ion because
they sofer from the least disturbance. The beoetts
OF social change are more Distant, aud therefore
ohrpeitd and uncervalued. The law OF progress Ger.
tsiHly does not require changes OF institutions to be
mace at the cost of public casmes or even OF great
private DcoDveLiences Busthas Law is gertheless,
In. xorable. necessary reformation will have its way
Peacefully favored violently If resisted. In tots sense,
the Founder Of Christianity COME ssed ID 81 he had come
upon the earl 10 briIg, notpeace, but sword Rev
Citations are no' oiviIely appointed attendants of prog
ffes, nor If liberty necessarily born of social convu
sim, and baptized With blood. Revolutio 49, on toe
contrary, are The natural penalties for uGwise per-
siseDce In err, and seve scqaesceDce In injustice
AID oppression Such revolutions moreover, are Of
doubtful success Mos: men enssge readily enough
10 civil sac, aud for Hssh are hot s.d &C i've; but
they cool from atursl ulstesdiness of temper, aud
abendon their obtcs ano, desu ute ike Of principle,
honor and true courage be ray themselves toeir a.
tocises, aud even Their cause, however jest or
uto. Happily, however, martial revolutions 90 not
always iai. In some o.ses the tenpers and DISPOSE
TORS OF the nation undergo proptt0us changes il be-
gener ous brave aud self denying and freedom
eoIsequsnny gains sabsiaDtal std enduring riu@phs.
bsro In suoa cases to separate the shs re of for
tune from that Of ueii in zDg tee characters Of
heroes Nor 10 It sbsolu ely necessary. fne martial
hsroism Of such reyo ions Is wisely honsred, evea
WIN sxaggelatloD, because such hOnors stimulate
Vrtnees sno ioble emulation MsokiGo seek out the
rcoes' among the suooessfu chsmpio1s anS inveet-
ng him WIN imaginary excellence ia addition TO his
real heii', sol him apart object of universal
veDeration 10 ne wala's end. We reoog Iise such