The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-03
The Worlds Progress I'm 1s5s-What Has
Been Achieved for Humanity.


Been Achieved for Humanity.
We have given in our columns these past few
days copious index to the events of the world
transpired during the past year, and now that
we are entering upon new one, a cursory re-
view of the great points achieved in the worlds
progress is worthy of our attention.
We do not hesitate to place among the most
important-if it is not in fact the most impor-
tant-of the achievements of the year, the
gathering at Liverpool of the philosophers and
statesmen of England, and their solemn adop-
ton and PRONUNCIATION Of the great idea which
lies at the very foundation of all things, physi-
cal or metaphysical, in this country-that po-
litical science is secondary to social progress
and elevation. We claim this as the true Anne.
rcan theory of human development; and its
adoption and teaching in the first Of European
nations will eventually rock to their foundations
nearly all of the time honored tradi-
tons Of Europe, for it wars with all
of them. Besides this, the year 1853 has
been one of great social developement
Among the prominent events we may notice
among ourselves the establishment of the Over
land mails, the opening Of the Tehuantepec
route, and the metalliferous Developments in
Fraser river and Arizona, which will give new
impetus to our Pacific empirel In Europe the
most prominent events in social progress have
occurred in Russia, where the emancipation of
the serfs, the opening Of the Amoor territory,
and the vast public works that have been con-
structed have embraced territorial extent only
equalled by our own.
In politics the field has not been less actively
worked than in social science. The acknowledge
ment by England that the law Of nations does
not admit her claim to exercise police of the
ocean is great point gained in behalf of the
whole world. The opening of Japan and China
to commerce and political intercourse il anevent
full of import for the future. In India, Eng
lands rule has been re.establisbed, and the East
| India Company, whose destruction had been q
| problem TO statesmen for half century, has
been abolished. Our own land has witnessed the
| cessation Of the Kansas feuds and the repression
! of the Mormon rebellion, both Of which events
have demonstrated the stability Of cur Union
and the elasticity Of our political institutions
A not less remarkable event is the initiation OF
the Paraguay expedition, which may be said to
be the germ Of the Development of trnly
American policy in our political relations.
The mechanic arts have their trlumphs, too, 10
record in the year 1858. First and greatest
among them we recognise the laying of the
Atlantic cable. In this event, and the impulse
which it has given to ocean telegaphs every
| where, revolution has been initiated in COM
merce and politics which will be felt till the end
| Of time. Another event worthy of mention here
is the completion of the great iron steamship
Leviathan. Unwieldy monster and crude ex-
pertinent as she may now seem, If we measure
the progress of the future by the development
Of the past we shall see that the day is not far
: distant when the necessities Of iniercoumunica.