The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-02-08
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dates from passrnal estates and The bones
Of their anccseers; and who, although i'm
potent to control, are strong enough to arrest
III growth and snbit1er the tempar Of the
community. But this state Of things is
rapidly disappearing. Every surge Of our
aefce democracy 10 sweeping away some
rsnaining stone Of this Chinese wall Of here
ditary social privilege The American idea
0f society u appearing more decidedly in the
more papulous and active portions ef the
land bntno corner of the Unioa IL unmind-
tal OF the rising tide and the slcepiest vii.
lage on the Connections or the Hudson, and
the most remote plantation in the Old Do.
minion, have fearful half knowledge that
the old basis of social distinction is yielding
day BY day, while the foundations Of the
real American society arc a. surely being
laid.
The most significant indicat,ons of this
new order Of affairs is the appearance Of our
new aristoeracy Of the dollar Within the
last thirty years, power and influence in the
social sphere have been gradually passing
over from the old families and hereditary
estates to the new men, who have acquired
money By their own ability. In several
States this transfer Of position is complete ];
the old aristocracy 10 hopelessly swamped,
and the sceptre is in the iron hands OF those
who hare conquered the prizes of life for
themselves. The real contest now in this
country is between the descendants of the
able and rich men, representing the ideas Of
the past century; and the able and rich men,
who stand for the ideas of the present -
Every repulse Of the new party only sharpens
ITS energies and combines its forces for an
NthAP attack. and no Lo
yOnd the smoke and dust Of tOday's battle
may discern the victory ahead. but this vic
tory, 90 far from being the end, will only be
the beginaing Of . republican society. In
| the achievement Of true freedom q practical
people always begin ct the national basis,
and the first redemption must be from the
fear Of starvation. The man Of practical
power, who has demonstrated better way
to get living aud an easier road to a remu-
nerative industry. will be the leader in every
new democracy. 1t is easy to ridicule the
aristocracy Of the dollar; but certainly, the
man who has grown from obscurity to fame,
by industrial services rendered to his country
is more deserving Of position than he who
only lives to perpetuate the reputation Of .
bygone virtue. Finally our new basis Of
distinction certainly is real, but it may be
| u1llSU us Tic SOIiV AOuudutlUu u UGtlcK
thing TO come. For, say what we viii, there
has never been so magnificent spectacle az
| the uprising Of the industrial interests in
this Republic. 1t has stimulated the hopes
and overcome the despair Of millions of men
in every civilized land 1t is now creating
States with the capacities Of nations, and
dreaming of vaster conquests It's agrees
sive and intolerant, because it hates unthrift
|a I'D aruo1nr and nd I- bof-
lenges every people or institution on the
Continent to wake up and make an Eden Of
the land or vacate and leave it to its better
methods There is no doubt that this spirit
Of American industry is the most character
istic manifestation ofour ideas Weare now
really toiling to release men from the slavery
to nature. The new aristocracy Of the doll
lar is the NEST legitimate that ever existed;
representing II greater amount of services
rendered to the common good than any class
ever represented before.
But the despotsm of new moneyed class
may easily become as intolerable as tie
oppression OF u landed nobility or a court.
Indeed our new aristocracy is already play
ing such antics as compel every thoughtful
man to contemplate lis restraint For when
our rich people of yesterday, forgetting that
tucy nave uSCH iuoOC Wy Tic eyuRdiuN Ok
the people, turn against their creators and
prostitute their gains to n barbaric luxury
and q vulgar usurpation of all the privileges
of elegant society. to corrupting the eternal
laws of honesty in commerce and insulting
the Providence in history to bribing voters
and bullying the preacher in his pulpit and
turning the screws Of an ignorant selfwill
on the free press they may be assured they
H. al.
fall. Too much of this insoenco of newly
made wealth already oGends the moral
sense and refined perceptions Of the people;
and a careful observer can perceive the COM
ing of u brighter state Of social life than now
change and in the capital Church counts
out the price OF all things in venal gold
The basis of social distinction is broaden
ing in those parts of our land where the
democratic idea has been most truly exem-
number Of communities is increasing where
enlightened public opinion to devote his
of the whole. There is fatal circle draw
ing in many neighborhood, over which the
rich man steps only to fall into such Cow
vi SVotShte oAA HuohS swim ~ Cl..oo
WAS ever able to infiict This Is well. And
there is also an increasing number of people
every where who understand that character
is the everlasting cornerstone of all perman-
ent superiority. Almost every village or
city has now class Of thoughtful and cult
waited men and women, whose opinion has a
weight in social affairs quite disproportioned
to their numbers This class is increasing
more rapidly in our own than in any other
country, and is to be the real anchor of
our ship of state Nothing is so ditiusive
as virtue, refinement and intelligence; and
the fierce Colos sus Of our national enterprise
will find its savage energy gradually tanned,
its rampant ambition bafileG its goddess
schemes frustrated, and its wilful vulgarity
held up to ridicule and disgrce by
foe too subtle to be crushed, and too obsti-
nate to be bought In the contest between
the man of mere business capacity and the
truly cultivated gentleman, the former must
finally be conquered and won to the cause
of humanity and public morality.
The great problem now before the rising
class of cultivated and religious people in
our country is, to win over this aristocracy
Of the dollar to service in the glorious work
of eleyating the mass Of the people. Our
new rich men must be taught that they hold
their wealth as agents for Providence, in the
divine enterprise of creating a Christian civ
ilization, in a new world This lesson is
to be taught by the united influence Of the
superior people Of every locality. There is
now no apostacy so scandalous as the treason
Of cultivated, refined, aud virtuous man
to his obligation. The artist who coaxes
his rich neighbor to hang up beautiful
American picture in his saloon; the editor
who can command capital to establish high
toned Journal; the woman who can reso-
lutely Danish yugarity and iniecency from
her drawing-room. though gilded with gold;
the statesman who can teach the lobby its
place; even the huDblest Young man, or
woman vino can help to modify public opin-
ion in favor Of an actual repubIicanisin, is
the zeal architect Of society. And tie be-
trayal Of this sacred trust, by the teeblest
member Of this fraternity, is crime be-
yond any that can be committed against the
state
Let the few really best in every comiau-
nifty be hopeful, tor they are influential bp-