New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-03
Netp9)ork Daily Wribmms
THE PLYMOUTH COURSE.
THE LESSON OF THE HOUR"
LECTURE BY WENDELL PHILLIPS.

Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, was crowded on Tues
day evening in every part, the occasion being the
nourcement of the regular lecture of the Plymouth
Course. and the lecturer Wendell Phillips of Boston.
Mr.. Philips in ascending the platform, accom-.
uanied by Mr. Theodore Tton of The IadepeAdeat,
who pre- .ided aud the Hon. Tom Corwin of Ohio.
After the applause which greeted the appearance of
Mr. Phillips had subsidized NJ. TLToS made few
opening remarks in introducing the lecturer
Mr. PHILLIPs said he could scarcely say anything
from this platform which the audience had not already
heard: bnt ~ he felt tonight that be was simply to
give his vote he would only say ditto to hal they had
heard day after day. He would willingly have avoid
ed this even at the last moment: and, like the Irish
man. be had offered to hold the hat OF the Hon. Mr..
Corwin of Ohio Applause il he would only speak.
But most nnaccountlbly, he was sorry 10 say that
gentleman had declined his generous offer, laughter
20 that he was obliged To fulfill his appointment.
The Lesson OF the Hour was lnsurTec-
ton. Insurrection Of thought always preceded
the instruction of arms. The las, twenty years bad
been an insurrec,ion OF thought We seemed to BE-
entering on a new phase Of The great moral American
struggle II seemed 10 him that had never.
Americans accepted our own civilization. We had all
the tiuidty of the Old World. When W. bent our
eve, uron ideas or the people. we shrank back and
tred IA AVE ourselves from the unettered control OF
the thoughts Of the millions On the other side Of The
wafer the idea was that man created 10 be- taken
care of by somebody. The Old World therefore,
ALWAYS dreaded the average conscience and common
,eu,e Of the million. If seemed 60 him hat the idea
OF orr civilization, underlying all American life, was
that We did not need any breakwafer. Not only
the inevitable but the best power this eide
O.; th,. ocean the unfeftortd average COM
mon sense of the masses Institutions,
were accustomed 10 claim they We're bat paste
board intended 10 De- against the thought ~ the street,.
Statutes were hut mere milestones telling bow far
terdavs thought hal Travelled; and the talk of the
sidewalk was to-day the law OF toe land. Briefly
stated the idea OF American civilization wds uucOm-
promising faith in the average -elishness, n yOu
rhoose OF all classes neutralzing each other and tend
ing toward that lair play that constituted rOclety.
l. seemed 70 him that on al questions We dread
ed thls--that acknowledge ourselves une-
anal 20 the sublime faith OF our fathers and
lie explanation of the past twenty years and
the present state OF public affairs was that
Americans dared not look their own fate in the face
Tie AInoTican- had no idea of absolute right. They
ve-r born since us and absolute right meant with
then the truth diluted by a strong detection Of the
Constitution OF l7sq. For the last twenty years there
had been going on. more less Needed and under
stood various sides. instruction Of IDEAS against
this diluted American civilization endeav0rIlg 10 restore
absolute right not only that but the recognition and
conviction Of absolute truth. Men had not yet raised
themselves 10 level 20 dare 10 trust justice which was
the preliminary consideration 70 trusting the people
For whether native deprivity were u truth or not,
il was truth attesied by all history that the
race gravliaied toward Justice and that underlying
all parties and all differences of opinion there was an
inherent tendency to the great English principle Of
fair play at the bottom Of our nature. Applause
The Almighty said Of Slavery. that = ustice-that Is
iuiquty-and the level of Gods thunderbOt went IN
a straight line and from one TO the other and the
Church which could not stand IT, stand out OF the
way. Loud applause. Our object for the Last
twenty years had been 10 educate the masses OF the
American people up TO that level Of moral LIE tnaf II
should recognize the safety of such ethics. Scholar
hip stood on one side. and said this was madness
The very difficulty of the whole matter was that u did
think 20. Laughter. And TINS Normal School they
had opened for such and their seat was on the lowest
end Laughter The lecturers idea OF civilization
was that a second part of the sublime confidence
in the popular conscience and popular thought winch
was the groundwork Of Grecian Democracy AZ evl
denee of the correctness of this conclusion he cited
the hypocrisy of the men. When they had COM
meneed the Ant-slavery agitation, the papers talked
about Slavery and Bondage. BIZ. u few years il