New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-06-24
uUunoLDr ON AMERICAN SLAVERY.


" inferred with their bones,' It is nos 50 always.
1t i. net of. n that msn dies for whom tho *
preston Of sincere sorrow and reverence Is 80 ust
yersal as that which we haze just Witnessed all
over the world, ct the death of Humboldt II
errors be had an,-as. doubtless. he had. beng q
m,u-they axe forgotten, and tue good only [" 70
memb-Ied As humsa Pss-i"n aud human frsilsy
are outliveJ by the old. We are prone to b"~ be
fore tie very aged With that natural veneraton ~h'eh
the bumsu heart ever renders 10 virtue. Years
al.o are resereniial, aud We bow with a~e ia the
preseuce of that life which stretches far back into
the dim past when We were not aud stands v,siby
uvop the confines of the unknown future. But all
thus We may feel when any good old man lays down
bis burden There more tsan thus ut IN" destA
o, IIumb, lot He who is most b"nored Ia our day
for his contributions H. science, hewho mas dovoIed
as uispy years to the cause of knowledge az say
other man who has ever lived, aud whose name ~
a nan of .cience Will endure So long As tho three
principal living languages of the world shsd b
spoken or written tongues, has died. There 10
mourning tor hun whose name "a enrolle< hsA
upon tue list of those benefsctos Of tho race whs
have enlarged the field Of human knowledge, and
oprnrd new avenues tor human thought.
But not for these things alone do venerstion and
sorrow wait upon the memor, Of HUMBOLDT AZ
a matter of knowledge we study the publc career
OF great men AS a matter of interest wo turn 10
their prN ate histories. Their grsainess wo take
almost for granted it the world has passed 10 Jnds
meut upon it; their goodness, or tho w,nt OF il
We make question Of personal foeliog. Tie whs
has not this personal hold upos po-teriy is au oveal
rather than M individual. II is the universal rev.
ereDce tor this maa's private chrrac er more thsa
for his public seryic-s, the estimation ot lifelong
consistency IN the advocacy Of great moral qres-
tons more than for the devotion VI 50 msDy yosn
to the pursuit Of truth that has called forth 50
striking aud uoiversal an expression of sorrow al
HIS death. Tho uulearDed stand with him hero -
common ground. They look up tn aud admire bi~
AS the philosopher; but Is u man who feels with
them for the wrongs aud suferings OF his fellow
creatures, they spproach him rs friend
In this couutry, especially. it is the few only
VINO understand aud appreciate the scientific labon
L. ahich Humboldt has devoted 80 long q life.
But ali can sympathiZs with aud honor his dovo-
tioo to the great cause Of human liberty WaAt
ever personal ar political considrrat'oss or In
terr-ts n,y bo involved among US, IN the ds~issipa
Of this question OF freedom, no reasonable ssd
thinking ulaD denies that it is ooe from whish We
eau not escape; that our DatioDai existence do
ponds, Oh. way or another. upon liz settlement
aud that M question has taken deeper hold upsa
the cobscleDces ADD the minds at the sober, thak-
ing people of the North than tbis. Tho rights II
mad sre the same everywhere. Neither natioa
atty, LoT color Dor race alter ia any degree,
how slight, the great principles which Ito at tho
root Of any discussion Of these rights. Taey
are 10 be ssc.TioIned aud settled On To
came ba-is everywhere, however much the method
of settlement may b. affected by circumstances VI
times or Of country. No mau saw this more c!eshg
be loved il abroad; as hs maintained il to BIO the
heaven born right Of the white man. ~ be svowel
that it belonged equally to tho bl,ck. No PRIV
dice Influenced him; familiar with the A'ricss
slave wherever the curse of African Slavery exists,
h. never permitted bis Judgment to bo warped by
contact with the degradation to which centuries VI
bondage hid reduced It's victims. He looked npoa
them as men, and applied To them, as 10 al other
human creatures the great truth Of the nalIensbls
nights which belong to humanity. He De'~
forgot to ay0w his faith, and where its avowl
might cost him something in the respect sna
70 be instant in season and out Of season, u
bearing bis testimony against oppression. Is bx
Lot been uDobseryed. We believe, by the Americas
people, that for years past he has written no lev
t.rs, and held no conversations, which we're likeg
to be made public in this country, that were want
ing in rebuke of American Slavery. But it VA
a febuke 20 gwen that the most sensitive coais
never interpret il Ms al interference with nations
poliiics, and the most bgoted could hardly fail v
admire tAs msnliness and persistency with which
be adhered to what, II was evident, he considered
Christian and humane duty. ~ was felt that BIC
heart throbbed 10 unison with the heart 81
the people, and that the owliest aud most oppressed
he never forgot. Tbi. life long devotion Of Hug
boldt 10 the great idea Of liberty is the keynote y
a noble character. In such nature there 10 I
msgDaninty and generosity which command tho
reverence and the love Of the virfuous, and the
instr Give respect Of even the sort of nea
In another part Of THE TRIBUNE OF today, W
have gathered together some Of the evidence Of
this determination on bis par. never 70 peems -
opportunity 10 escape HIN Of bearing sis TESTIMONY
upon the question Of Slavery 10 ibis country which
We think, the reader, whether familA. with i!9
not, VII tarn 20 vita great interest
-Iss Legislature Of New Hampshire has cjefs
tely rejected bill to repeal Jaw Of that State whoa