The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-07

Saxon race; one to combination of the old
Teutons, Romans and Gauls; the fourth to
combination of the Sclavonic and various Ash
attic races There is no instance at the pre-
sent day Of any progress made by members of
any African or any pure Asiatic, or any in
digenous American race; nor is there any vi
tally to speak of in the remains Of the old do
minant races of Europe, the Greeks or the Ro-
mans
Tie United States, England, France and
Russia are progressive. They are all aggres-
sive and expanding States; they are the States
which figure as molesting the peace of their
Ieghbors they command the trade OF the
world and the sea; they are the source Of all
INVENTION, energy, and nearly all social de-
velopement.
There is, however, vast difference bet geen
hem. Each appears to be the type Of 3
particular stage Of human progress aud de-
velopement. The United States are the type Of
pure democracy. In them birth is OF no value
whatever. The State itself is not Of mach con-
sequence. Men live and die, do business for a
life time and make fortune or lose one, or
live apart from trade, aud never once hear Of
the government That may be ia the hands OF
politicians, of rogues, who seek to feed on the
public; it matters not, even they caunot do
much mischief Nominally the basis of the
United States government is the ruling poye
OF the people; practically. it is the powerlass
ness Of the government A stranger Judging
Of the progressiveness of this country would
be apt to ascribe ii to the extra ordinary free
dom from restraint enjoyed by the people: he
would be apt to say that their energy being
diverted from futile political disputes, is natn-
rally thrown into useful channels-hence the
advancement of the nation.
But what would he say about Russia? That,
too. is progressive country, as eager for ex-
tension and aggrandizemens as menacing to
its neighbors, as toe United States. Bus its
progressiveDess cannot certainly arise from
freedom. In Russia there are not only no free
institutions. nothing in the shape Of reprasen-
tation Of the people, or even Difference to taeir
WILL but there is no free press, no books, no
popular diffusion Of learning, no individual
existence, we might almost say. There the
government is eyerything-the people nothing
The government initiates, carries out, COM
pletes-the people look on. 1t is said, In
some respects, to be paternal government
almost as paternal as that of Austria before
the Verona Conference; selfinterest demands
no lees. II takes care of its people as planter
cares for his slaves--as farmer cares for his
cattle. They are it's riches and their loss
would be fatal What progressiyeness Russia
exhibits must be due apparently to the high
developement Of the vigorous natures Of the
members Of its court and aristocracy.
France is alao progressive country. In
matters of science, France progresses faster
than any other nation. She stands at the head
Of many of the fixed sciences, and much near
er the head OF the speculative sciences than
Americans would be generally willing to ad-
NIT. Her misfortune in having so wild love
for military glory has rendered her efforts in
search of republican freedom failures up to
this moment. Yet it is quite plain France Is a
democracy at present. Far mora Of de-
mocracy, for instance, than England, which
boasts of its freedom, or than Germany. France
is not now an aggressive country, needing dy-
nastic coed will; but for the last twenty years
she has done nothing but conquer territory,
and keep her neighbors in terror. Her pro.
gressveness evidently grows out Of her people.
So does that of England, which is nearly as
progressive a country as that Of the United
States 1t is not sufficiently known in this
country that many of the cities Of England.
such as London and Liverpool, have increased
during the last ten years as fast as New
York or Buffalo. The population Of Eng
land does not progress as fast as it might,
because there is want of elbow room
for men to settle and bring up large fami-
lies; and, besides, emigration operates as a
powerful check. But the wealth of England
is always on the increase; so is her trade, SO
is her shipping, so is her agriculture, go is her
industry. There is no sign any where Of di.
intuition OF her vitality. Yet England, under
the name of constitutional government, Is
probably the purest oligarchy the world ever
saw. En- glishmcn fancy they are free; it is
only foreigners who can see that the British
empire and its government are the heirloom Of
some twenty families. Still, with all this in
cubus, England progresses and Ia decidedly an
aggressive, dominant nation.
These four nations have the worlds fate In
their hands. Africa will never be woltn
writing about Asia is revolutionized on one
side, and partly Anglicised-partly Russian
lied on the other. The Southern nations of
Europe will not for many generations be able
to play any other part than that of spectators;
nor will their old dependencies in America
On the future relations of the United Stat -,
Russia, France and Eos gland, the peace, pro
gross and prosperity Of the world depend.
KANSAS N CoNGREss-WHIrTfEf.D vs.. REEbER
BILL FOR PURIFYING THE ELEcTIoNs.-The
antislavery majority Of the Committee OF
Elections Of the House Of Representatives at
Washington have presented long report to