New-York daily tribune., 1857-04-25
NEW PUBLICATIONS
GrRowsKrs AMERICA AND EUROPE.


its imperfect development in European socie'!
its eliminating point in the institutions oil AnFr'o"
is the central hea which inspires this volune' A'
the opinion Of the author, the laws which Cover"
the movement Of civilization not to be iouhd !"
any physical differences Of race but in the inoorh'
universal elements Of humanity. American He "
characterized by the freedom and porer when sre
given 10 the nober sentiments of mans nature, ana
from hich social state has been evolved that mas
no parallel in the history of the past.
The most remarkable feature exhibited BY the
American people il the public spirit which perVadeS
the whole mass This has been brought out IN
funess and vitality Of which examples are 10 w
found among the elder nations of the word'
Scarcely less potent is the thirst for information
which urges on the American in the career OF IN
quiry II acts upon all classes, is not peculiar l"
persons of leisure and wealth, but i. developed TO
the highest degree among those engaged IN the Pur
suits of industry. Proceeding from the universal
recognition Of the equality Of rights, II inspires tne
humblest individual with sefrespect, and opens De-
fore him an horizon of bright and noble purposes
II adds vigor 10 the love of excitement which Is
salient passion in the American. No one can lsnd
on the shores Of this country without being struck
with the general efieryescence Indeed, it is not
easy for foreigner 10 escape ts influence himself
Neither age nor sex is free from the seducing III
toxcation Every circle Of society takes IL part
in the wild dance of the Whrling deryises. How
far this is to be explained by the influences of eli
mate or the effect Of reaction against the nsor OF
Puritanism, is doubtful problem. But il certainly
cannot be regarded transient superficial sentl-
ment. Below the froth Of excitement, deep en-
thusiasm for all that is grand generous, and noble
is found in the American breast. The exercise OF
this emotion was at the basis Of American history
from it, early dawn in the Mayaower to the
Declaration of Independence.
Gifts influence on American nationality, the two
great products are democracy and self government
No nation has had similar origin Its cradle was
not rocked by any fabulous hero. No crouchlng
subjects followed an ambitious leader for the sake
| of protection. The democratic sentiment was the
| vital essence of the new society, and democracy
was nurtured by the combination of events that
| brought it into existence. The primitive settlers
were attracted BY Identical aims, and hence social
| equality was unavoidable. Each coionlst was
| thrown on his own resources, and was obliged to
| break out n path for himself The first village
| was composed of equals, and from germ like this
| the whole community was unfolded. No feudal
lords Obliged others to work for them in servile
| obedience Every function was alike necessary,
| and hence alike honorable Democracy was thus
naturally transpanted from social life 10 political
| institutions.
European statesmen and political writer's rarely
| comprehend this primitive character OF American
| democracy. They confound the purely political
nature of internal parties with inherent differ
ences of opinion. They regard the names of Wings
| and Democrats representing two hostile
| elements that are mutually destructive Of each
other. In their view, the party which styles
itself democratic alone possesses the character OF
democracy according TO 'he European or philosOph-
| ical conception Of the term. But this is a
| fundamental error, the author maintains.
Neither the question of State rights, nor that of
enarging the Federal power, nor that Of free
| trade and protection, of internal improvements,
and others of the same character which divide the
| two parties, have the effect of neutralzing the
| original democratic principle which is common to
both. But European pubcists, especially those OF
| France, even when they adhere to the demo-
| cratic creed do not discriminate between de-
| mocracy as the name Of political party aud
as the only social constructive element 10 American
| democracy communities.
| With such different social commencement from
| that of the European nations, the destiny Of
America must differ from that which has marked
| the existence and the doom Of other states. Amer
csn society cannot in the circle to which phi
losophers have hitherto limited the destinies of the
| race. 1t was in the first instance, the offspring
of principle, and not of authority, tradition, or
| example The established axious Of sociology
| therefore, do not apply to America. She will not
adjust herself 10 their frames. Other societies
have begun in synthesis and ended in anslysis
Starting with aspiration for social or political
authority and unity, they have traversed various
| phases of activity and wound up in subdivision
| criticism. and science America, on the other
hand, in philosophical point Of view, is the Gre
alton Of analysis and, therefore, of that phase in
which other societies have found their completion
| She personifes the combination Of free ndividu-
ahty with association IN selfconscious democracy
"a combination hitherto unknown in the history of
man. Hence the problem for America 10 solve has
no'relation with that which has been attempted by
other societies. Ii is her function to reconstruct
| a new and higher syntheSis out OF the negative
| analysis which gave her birth. Her present state
| may, indeed, be considered "a experimental but
successful experiment Is succeeded BY generaliza
| ton.