Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-10-14
UnrOll the Map.

"Roll up the map of Europe said
the elder " aipole to his son when some
dec sive movement in European politics
had reached a result contrry to his
plans and expectation. The willy old
statesman saw the diplomatic meshes he
had long been weaving suddenly rent to
tatters, and for him the inter st of his
tory was thencetorward at an end; the
drama enacting on the worlds stage had
reached a lamehtable catastrophe; the
stage itself was no longer worthy of be-
IN, looked at, and he gave the order to
roll up the map
And yet, what vast and propitious
changes have taken place since, about
century ago, that order was given How
magnificent has been the progress of So
cie,y! France has undergone immense
ameiorations. Prussia has been devel-
oped into frstrate monarchy. Russia
has emerged from condition Of semi.
barbarism into a high civilization, rife
with all progressive impulses. Even
the gloomy despotism Of Austria has
been miti1ated. Ital y is picking hard
at the shell which has for ages kept in
embryo darkness and circumscription her
glorious energies. England herself has
made incalculable progress. For ausht
we can see, Europe has gone on Just as
we'll under the compressed folds of Sir
Robert Wal poles map as if it had hung
expanded before his eyes, revealing to
his delighted survey the success of his
manguvres and the accomplishment of
his hopes.
And then. if we extend our view be-
yond Europe to portions of the world
which lay quite beyond the sphere of
Sir Robert Walpole's politics. and scarce
iy within the range OF his humanity, and
yet compared with which, in Mt and
population. Europe itself is materially
and mum, rically insignificant, the pro-
gress which the last century has witness.
ed is still more mani est ana wondrous.
Aslatic progress and civilization is, in.
deed, rather in preparation as yet than
in actual accomplishment. But the
preparation is on stupendous scale and
the movement, once inausurated. will 60
on with force and rapidity which will
probably distance all previous history.
The whole world, then, is on the
march. Even the seeming retrocessions
and reactions, as in the complicated evo
lutlons OF great army, are in order to
the onward movement. Every great bat
tie OF the last century las been victory
on the side of freedom and truth. The
adversaries of those great interests have
shown themselves slow and weak against
their allies and the inherent energies of
the cause. They have fallen back on
their base Of operations, and good men
begn 10 talk Of storminy the tortresses,
long deemed impregnable, as practicl.
BILE work.
1t will not do to be under the domino.
ton Of one idea. We must not despair
of the world because the maicstic cur.
rent Of history sometimes winds around
precipitous headlands which hide its fu.
ture course from our view. Like the
Hudson when seen from above the High.
lands, i, Will find its way, and when we
have foated little further, we shall see
1t to have been then most picturesque
and grand, where full stop or a back
ward flow seemed to US inevitable. 1t
is we'll to cherish large and hopeful hu.
manity; for this world is under a pater-
nal government,and truth and right, how
ever fierce the struggle with hostile
forces, are sure to be uppermost in the
end.
Least Of all will il do for us to magni-
ty the past or NOPE despondingly over
the present. Mankind have lust come
forth from the womb OF darkness. teem-
ing darkness
"ro drink the spirit of the golden day
And triumph in existence
When Sir Robert Walpole 'rolled up
the map of Europe which vas rroba.
bly, about the year l742, when he with.
drew from office, or rather Office with.
drew from him. for politicians always
think that the world is going to the dogs
when they cease 20 govern tive had
not yet. as a nation, begun to be. lfl
Europe has within that century or 80
emerged from the chaotic darkness and
confusion which still brooded over her
from feudal times, and Asia has lust be.
gun TO uphcave her gigantic bulk above