New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-08


asr and inactive; and thai he approached the opinions
nd habits of Other rather from The outside as
necnla,ive critic than from the inside as loving ex
rer;rne ntast. He had not that deerental mind that
pc.tic caution, that cOurtier sense OF fitness, which
would cause him 10 refrain from the moss and vines
tha ding on Intellectual Tuios; but rather that rude
y,alousness after reality, which would lead HIM to
ruthlessy tear the moss and vines away, making the
ruin unsighty and offensive, ull s former admirers
could longer recognize it. and must hate him for
showing 50. The poetic perez pton and enjoyment
the sympathy of genius which be largely carried nto
other departments, seemed TO forsake him-rather
were borne down and hurst aside by stronger passions
the moment he entered the department of posmic
theology OF secarian criticism. HIS tremendous
esness in the battle necessitated this il could not be
otherwise. IL s true that while he had tender rev.
for the natural sacramento his Independent and
inevitable search and thirst for what is absolute In re-
hgion often made him sem eontempuous OF the con-
ventiOnal sacramens. Unquestionably he did in
sequence, often offend sequestered good taste and
shock eomplacent respectability But do not think
that good taste is God that responsibility is final
authority. However much, in fashionable commu-
ny and an easy age fastdious polt. ness beartless
conformity timid indulgence, and disdainful arts
tocrsey, may imagine respectabEty to be the touch
stone of merit and good taste 10 be the sovereign
bitter in all questions, must beg leave 10 dissent alto
gether from that opinion. Are not truth, Justice
benehcence, grander shapes aud clothed with dviner
command! Is nothing to be pardoned TO honest ZEAL
il fai he artistic and psthetic1 In the name of
God much! When an ethical Hercules smashss his
club against some hydra-head even if the spirtiug
blood and MAJ ged mass do shock silken responsibility
and siken squeamh good taste, believe the shock is
wholesome, and that the sickness may be sAnctifed
Honesty is higher than politeness in the sight of
EFT men, Service takes precedence of oth in the court
of true honor. LeODidas-the altsrs hearths women,
and children Of Sparta behind the mountain at his
back the million of invaders At his feet his short dag
ger dripping with slaughter in his hand his body dis
figured with sweat and wounds his long locks be-
grmed with dust and gore falling amid heaps of dead
Persisns while Liberty lowered over him-afords
spectacle of good taste and respectabty Good taste
and N hp fhpip of
ease, or at their banquts of wine. He whom
speak OF stood twenty years in pass of Tnermopyla
fighting unto the death With superstition, slavery M
temperance fasehood hypocrisy, and corruption. 1t
long agony OF devotedness, conflict, aud toll,
continued until he fell in the trenches, and died mar
tyr 70 HE work The question is OF D0beness, not OF
cOmpaisaDce Inquiries about taste, prudence meas
ured propriety of place. Honesty, disinteest-
edness herosm, service are the test words IT is n
expre ssibly ooGtemptOle TO condemn such a man, in
such eXigencv, because he did not stud adjust
attitude word, tone and geture to the standard Of
panpeIed criticism. Such Judgment, common as it
is rage upon ali just ethics OF correlated char
acter and circumstance.
The other objection relates more especially to a
personal characteristic, which doubtless might Of
ten cause misapprehensOn of the real traits of
his disposition.
twill be urged against him. that he was unmerci.
full in his nveclive fierce hater. In regard TO this
We are consider, in the outset the cause and nature
of his haired. If he hated much believe II will be
found 10 have been because he first loved much Ii is
very remarkable III relation 10 this inquiry that 10 all
bis fe in the long list of his published addresses he
never once assailed Of his personal ensmesth0se
who so hated him, il suited and pursued him. When
we remember the bitter calumnes which were ralued
on bin; the agTavatng attacks of all sorts he con-
santly met every hand the quickness and depth OF
his sensbilties; the c0pOus vocabulary OF sarcasm
he had at commsnd; the tremendous arsenal OF weap
ons and power ready the perfect with which
he might often have repealed the accusations, and
cred the acCusers with discomh ure shame and rdi-
Guile; aud then when we recOllect that not In single
instance did he cOn1escend TO retort on one of his prl
yate foes-I think we must confess that il is such
example, either of magnanimous self-rne or of lofty
serenity has but the ewest parallels In history. In
the nsme OF Justice, let 1t be kept III mlud ia Judging
this man that his terrible rebukes and denuncatiOns
were no efuson Of gall over private injuries no re.
yepgeful qualification of personal animosty or vent OF
Characteristic spleen as many appear TO suppose.
malicious hater does not pass over all his Individual
foe and select the exclusive marks OF his assaults
those whom he believes TO be vioatOrs of the law OF
God offenders against the social veal demOrahzers OF
the country. Theodore Parkers hatred was utterly
devoid OF that selfish magnlty which goats 10 us own
venom 1t was generous affection, intamed and pre-
cpitating itself against its deadly opposite Hls love
~ trutb was the measure of his hate of asehood. His
intense featy TO right pToportoned nus merry scOr OF
wrong. AS nigh ths pendulum OF his CONSCIENTIOUS
passion swung side in affeconate service OF hu-
nantv go high it on the other side on mighty de-
testa,iOn Of tyranny His hatred was not selfish put
disnterested; malice, but championship IL Is lm-
possible reconcile any other conclusion with tne iac
that so long as sneers and vituperative ISLANDERS
touched only himself he invariably turned away IN
silence: and that it only when he thought truth
and iustice the honor of God the interests of human
ity were outraged, that he grew 80 wroth and IN
weighed so uDy.
Furthermore we must notice what it was that he
hated What were the objects OF hs respective eulogy
and attack Very much on this point ia Judgment
must turn: for the essential mark of man greatly
good il not as some try to make it out thai he Is al
ways sweet and calm; but it is, that his indignation
and scoyn when they do arise are al ways lraIk ana
generous Cold-bloOded reptiles alone are venomous.
Now no one can study the pages wherein theodore
Parker has 30 fully recorded himself and not see thai
his oul glow in admiration before the sages heroes
saints marty rs poes inventors the great Oenelactofs
nj humanity who have bought our privileges Tor US
with their tolls and sacrifices; but burned holly az lnst
false teachers unjust judges injurious rulers sohiul
sxcophsnts the tools OF tyrans, and the traitors 10
feedom His heart full of love for the great name
less multitude Of the common people-the apprentice,
the s4austress the student, the mechanic. however
rn0oed Al rocky his work. they drip with TINS money
Meanness oppression dainty haughiiness refusing TO
touch burden even with the tip Of one OF lts Igers
selfish cOwaidce calculating duphclty-these ne da
hate wi b force accOrdant with the poweIfuiness OF
bis spiritual make; and whenever he saw them, by
the ova spirit that in him he could not refrain 10
set his kBghtly lance III rest and 0rlve full TIT against
them in the name of bis God He was never found IN
word or deed, expressing annpahy TO truth and la
ture science and progress, liberty, good government
and the uuiye sal welfare of man. Unlike some OF
tbose whom he denounced, he never hated nor de-
spse0 the poor and the wretched the exile the oGtcast
the prisoner the save, the sick, aud the dying On
H. contrary he sympathized with them, opened his
house 10 them gave them If his time his counsel and
his means until the that heard him blessed hun,
aud The eve that him bore witness OF h and the
blessing Of them that ready 10 PERISH ca ne upon
him.
81 Thaadnra