Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-04-08

GENERAL REMARKS nrcoNxkxp ,r,ovs

MAMMAL REMARKS, misconceptions, EIc
The age IN which we live is full of promise.
Old things are passing away, and all tbiu-s a7e
being made new. Not that we vet can clearly
discover the near approach of either Political.
social or religious millennium, b,It that we can
catch glimpses of the early dawning Of far
brighter and happier day. Ignorance want,
suffering, seifisnness and dissension are net the
hard necessities Of our being, and cannot al
ways continue.-Tbey shall not always darken
our hfe-they Shall not always hedge in the
+ path Of progress The light that breaks from a
sing'e point in the intellectual and moral heay-
ems, shall! spread wider and yet wider, deepen
ing and gathering intensity in its onward flow.
until the whole earth shall be flooded as with a
sea of glory. The restlessness, activity. Intense
effort, and the stirring and deeply exciting
events of our time. true indications of the
approaching period when principle shall prevail
I flere than system, and there shall be less of
wrong and suffering and tears
There is more thought in the world than
/ there ever was before And this generally pre-
vailing Thought is more intelligent, more ear
/ nest, better directed and of purer and lof1ier
character than that which has preceded it In
stead of being shut away from the means and
I even the right of thought, or of having no time
for thought of anything beyond the narrow cir.
Gle OF their Own physical wants. the condition
OF the laborIng masses has been improved mag
nihcent stores Of knowledge have been o,ened.
and general diffusion of intelligence has pre-
pared the way for Thought. And - krowl-
edge increases. Thought expands. is elevated.
and becomes more free. Then there being the
mil lSafi Of
tiles of the soul are enlarced-a clearer and
stronger perception of right and duty impaired
and man begins 10 lift himself erect in the
dignity of his august nature. Hence those de-
nominated the Common Pecple-the toiline.
degraded and suffering millions-throuch the
power of thought opening their ewes TO see
that this Is Gods earth and some way or other
all His children, even the poorest and weakest,
have right TO much of the soil and wafer.
and air, as shall sustain life under circumstan-
ces favorable 10 unfolding and developing the
faculties and attributes of the whole man-phvs-
ical. social. intellectual and religious
Thought Is cleatly element Of progress:
and If there be that which yield under its pow
er, 1t certainly is because it is wanting in adap-
tation, or is false and wholly unGt for the place
1t occupies. Truth cannot suffer from thought
no good thing can be permanently injured by
it; it eonserves that which is excellent. and
right. and binds up the good of to-day with
that which may be developed Tomorrow Thus
ii Is naturally aiding cur redemption from ma
ny and great evils. and making the law of uni
versal brotherhood Of practical force and effect
in all lands where its freedom is tolerated Be-
fore its power thrones shall crumble and des-
pptisms shall pass away--crue!:v and Injustice
shall flee from among nen-lumau equality
shall be established-opp1essio shall ce Sc
religion be shorn of pride and self-r!gi,teousnc
and there be new heavens and new earth
Nowhere, perhaps is there so much free tho't
rs in our own land. In no part Of the world il
broader scope allowed t. or greater stimulus sup
piled it. And here, as in no other country, II
works out its legitimate tendencies, and achieves
It's noblest triumphs and Is at cncc IN element
and an evidence of orr national greatness and
prosperity True there might be more mental
indePendence-moreu euprightunhncling back
bone more manliress self reliance and self
respect than there is. Bigo.ry and intoler-
ance are here as elsewhere. Fashion. custom.
caste and false distinction circumscribe. fetter
and enthrall in this Republican la,d as in the
are backed by no political power, and derive
then authority only from common consent
Every man, ifhe will, may think, believe. speak
and act for himself; responsible for the lceiti-
mate use of this right to 10 class, sect or party
but to God only.
One OF the agents-and principal one-bv
which Is developed this increased and increas-
ing thought, is the CoNMoy ScHooL Planted
amid the rugged and rocky hills Of New En-
gland or the sunny wales of the South or uron
the broad, green prairies of the West it unfoids
the germ ofinellect, rears the tender thought"
" forms the common mind" and fits and quail
fies In no small degree for the active duties of
life, and the responsibilities Of citizenship
Humble and obscure it may be- communicating
to the children Of lowly birth only the simplest
rudiments of knowledge, yet it is one OF the
strong defences of the land-ti.e NursERY OF
FREENFS! Many bare-footed boy, with rag
ged jacket and tanned face, has gone out from it
with great thoughts stirring within his soul be-
cause of ifs ministrations. his ambition aroused
and his enthusiasm enkiEdIed 10 achieve no.
bic destiny in some department Of intellectual
or moral effort, and make bright some page of
his country's history. E" Patient thought" has
been born OF ITS hunt lie lnIstry-thought that
moves, guides, and viii redeem and save the
world To the extent that the Common School
widens the sphere Of intellectual action and cf-
fort, aids in The diffusion Of intelligence and
tends to elevate indivic uals and communities in
: the scale Of rnoral being. it may justly be re-
garded as one Of iie symbols Of great and
I prosperous State. 1t Is an instrument ofachieve-
nent and an agent Of actual power and Of
living performance"
There are other signs and representatives of
national greatness. However insignificant it
really is says Chaplin " man spreads an ideal
glory the land Of his birth Perhaps its
historical importance compensates for Its geo
graphical narrowness. or its material poverty is
hidden by its intellectual wealth. From its
stock of mighty men-its heroes, and bards ard
sages who havs frightened the roll Of fame or
from It's memorable baffIe folds on Wild hn,tb