The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-08-19

which may serve as commentary on the
recent declaration Of the New York Journal
of Commerce that universal suffrage in our
cities was failure:
The only expedient for realizing Govern.
ment based on intelligence is popular repre-
sen,ation; the only form Of popular rcpresen.
tation Ia popular election: and the only defen.
sible mechanism Of popular election is uniyer.
sal suffrage, with the invariabIe aeeomPani,
ment Of free press. II is acknowledged that
truth Ia often the property Of q minority; but
where decision is imperative, and the choice
lies between an armed appeal and numerical
dictation, we cannot he state which alternative
To prefer. Should the defeated opinion have
right on its side. no arithmetcal force can H.
nally 0verpower il. All the established truths
are consuests won by the minority over the
majority. Thus, the minority. which repre-
sents superior intelligence, retains the right Of
ultimate victory, and is itself represented by
the press. The suffrage Of NJ. Pelctan Is less
universal than suffrage with universally as
its ideal. II excludes women for sociological
reasons IL excludes all who have not receivcal
primary instruction. II makes the franchied
co extensive with moral and intellectual eleva'
ton. The principle which regulates its exeer
else accommodates itself 10 the state OF socie'
~, expanding or contracting the suffrage with
the expansion or contraction or capacity, but
ever tending TO aaipsrsahss il as tho only me-
thod of realizing national life, national repre-
sentation, patriotic devotion, and collective
sympathy.
The letters OF Mr.. II. L. CAREY, which
were addressed to the President of the
United States, through the Boston Adrer-
tsvr, "On the foreign and domestic policy
OF the Union, and its effects" have been
published in book form. Mr.. CAREY is one
Of the most vigorous exponeDts Of the PRO.
tectionst school, and will be recollected as
the author of u valuable work on Political
Economy and his grave allegations Of the
political, moral and material deterioration
of the couutry--of its diminished productiv.
ity and declining commercial power-chal-
lenge serious attention.
WHEN shall we learn what is true OF that
which calls itself history! Who shall
separate the legend from the fact? The
readers Of history are familiar with the many
attempts to mould sort Of connected his
tory, from the materials which have descend
ed to US, and the hints We find in ancient
literature, Of the prehistoric ages.
Among the medi avail monks we suppoe
that HERoDorrs, nay, HOMER, were never
questioned as historical authorities.
If Jupiter clasled with the current
theology, the discrepancy was recon.
cled by making him transcendent hero
and forelather, and crediting his apo,heosis
to the generation Of his Greek posterity.
Later philologians have decided that Of
what is prehistoric, we can know nothing.
GRorE attributes everything in the shape OF
oral tradition to Greek fancy. The Greek
was 40 made that he must solace himself
with dreams, and the whole mythology Of
Greece, and all the fables Of its heroic age,
HoMER and all the rest, mean nothing, may
be true or false, but are incapable of his
toric intepretation--are mere poetry. But u
new oracle appears with new translation
Of the disputed hieroglyphics Mr.. GLAD.
STONE, the English NJ. p, whose name is al
ready familiar to the literary public Of Eng
land, has restored all this discarded pre-
historic past TO history, declares HOMER TO
be an unexcptionable chronicler that the
Had and the Odyssey are history in verse
AcHrIAEs' vulnerable heel then, we sup
pose, is an unimpeachabIe verify, JUSo the
implacable virago che is represented to be,
and VENUS pretty piece OF veriabe flesh
and blood, when that disguise suited her &C.
celestial fancy.
Here is something from an exchange about
THAcEERAY
Mr.. Thackeray ia So years old. though from
the siyery wbitenesr Of his hair he appears
some ba, older. He is very tall, standing up
wards Of six feet two inches, and 40 he walks
erect his height makes him conspicuous IN eve
~ assembly. His face IL bloodles. and no,
particularly expressive, but remarkable for the
fracture of the bridge Of the nose, the result OF
an accident in youth. lie wears small gray
whi-ker. but other wise Il clean shaver. No one
meeting him could fail to recognize him gen
tleman; bis bearing is cold and uninyiting, his
style Of conversation either openly cynical. or
afectedly good nstured and benevolent. his
ton.ommis IL forced, his wit biting, his pride
easily touched-but his appearance Is invara
bly, that Of the cool, suars, wen.bred gentle
mau, who, whatever may be ranking within,
suffers no surface display OF emotion.
The first Of November 10 TO witness the
issue Of new Quarterly Review by the
famous London publisher, BEsrLET.
A LETTER from Rome TO London paper
mentions some OF our American literary
celebrities. HAWTHORNE and his family
spent the winter there, and few days be-
fore the date Of the letter the writer bad
met BRYANT, the poet, who had been trav'
cling in Spain and Italy, accompanied by
his wife, daughter and niece. lie was then
on the eve Of departure for Florence.