True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-07-29

1lzl-Il-nlIE
from the beauty of the true theory of lib
erly. In France, neither law nor liberty
is what il should be. The one has too
much of arbitrary power the other TOO
much of RIGHTEOUSNESS. On the rest of
the continent of Europe, little else is to be
found but law without liberty.
But, under the Roman government, the
individual was, in the end, crushed by
the power Of the Stale. The strong arm
Of infexitle law finally broke the spirit
of the people. Kingdom after kingdom
was annexed as Roman province, and
the native laws and institutions were set
aside to give place to those of the Empire.
The Syrian, the Egyptian, the Numdian,
tie Spaniard, the Gaul, the Briton, the
German and the Sclavonian all felt pain
fully the weight and authority of the
Ruman law. 1t was reserved for Chris.
tianity to bring reliefto crushed humani-
ty by giving new ideas of the dignity OF
every human being, and suggesting the
great principle, now so well understood,
that man was not made for The govern
ment but the government for man. These
ideas are indeed of exceedingly slow
growth, aud it has required ages 10 bring
them out. But it is now well understood
and generally conceded that if a political
millennium shall ever come, it must come
a'Ihe civil order produced 5y Christianity.
y u
Of the Germans and our important con-
nec'lon with them, must say less than
could desire. That they formerly acted
chief part in delivering Europe from
ignorance and superstition, and tha, they
now occupy the lormes. rauk of nations
in many branches Of literature and sci.
ence, few will deny. Such universities
as those Of Berlin and Munich are found
nowhere else in the world No other ma
ton furnishes such classical scholars, such
erudte and philosophical historians, such
learned antiquarians, such profound orr
entalists such men of historical and criti-
cal research in law, medicine and theolo-
gy. In astronomy, in physics, in mathe-
mates and chemistry they are to say the
least, behind no other nation. They are
the only people with whom geography
and education are sciences. During the
last quarter Of century, they have inau.
enced all the higher learning of England
and France, much more than the latter
have influenced them.
And they are just as much in advance
of America in these respects as they are
behind it in enterprise. They work the
brain from youth 10 old age more intense
" and more vigorously, at the present
lime, than any other people. Hence their
life is more introverted, less directed to
outward activity, less practical and effec-
live. They are speculative and theoreti-
Cal. With them money is the means Of
acquiring knowledge with US knowl.
edge is the means of acquiring money.
That they are always profoundly senli-
mental, aud sometimes not a little dreamy
and lranscendenlal is almost a matter of
course. Theirs is the spiritual, and ours
the material phase Of humanity. l speak
only of their scholars in this connection,
partly because the relative number of
these is much greater than in other coun-
tries and partly because 1t is through them
that Germany is doing its chief servic to
mankind.
n
A still greater ard more difficult task is
10 be performed in connection with this.
1t is that of forming the habits and char
acter of the people on the strictest prn-
ciples of integrity. Corruption is the
Asiatic cholera which passes over repub-
lies and leaves them weak. making them
an easy prey to military despot. The
incorrnplaIbility Of the people is the only
safeguard against the overthrow Of the
government. is not enough to stand
and cry out against corruption when it
comes. Demosthenes dld this, and ye,
Roman liberty fell. 1t was done under
The Stuars, and under both the Napoleons
and yet corruption and tyranny triumph.
ed. The morality of a people is thing
Of slow growth, requiring patient culture
and eternal vigilance in every household.
The family is the only sure nursery ol
virtue. Every religion must 60 there il
il would achieve its greatest work. Our
homes must be more sacredly guarded. -
We must, in our families, as we'll as
elsewhere, recede from the easy and frail
morality Of the times, and 60 back in our
domestic discipline to the stricter mcrali.
ty and consclen,iousnes of our fathers,
or still greater harvest Of corruption a.
waits US. Woman, as we'll as man, must
be true to her nature and calling. She
must not be superficial and frivouIous.-
She must moi, in this corrupting and sen.
Sual age, leave her children at large
while she is futtering in her silks to at,
tract public admiration. When mot her.
forget their material duties, and cease tC
instil daily, with Bible in hand, the prin
ciples Of purity, virtue, honor and patri
otism into the minds of their sons, in or
der 10 prepare them to serve and adorr
their country, as did the mothers Of oul
revolutionary worthless, III en- the days o
the Republic are numbered.
j Let, then, the secular mind among Vi