New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-07
The Social Significance of Our Institu-
tions.
An Address delivered at Newport, r. l., July 9Th 1851.
by HENRY JAMES.

An Address delivered at Newport, r. l., July 9Th 1851.
by HENRY JAMES.
A friend observed to me few days since, as nc
cepted the invitation with which your Committee Of
Arrangements has honored me to oficiate as your |
spokesman this occasion that could hardly expect
under the circumstances TO regsle my auditors with
the usual amount of spread-eagleism. replied that
that depended upon what he meant by spreadeageism
II he meant what was commonly meant by it, namely
clearly defined Proydenhal destiny for our UniOn
that do what we please we shall fall short OF it,
could never, under any circumstances the most op-
posed even to existing ones, consent to Aatter my
hearers with that unscrupulous rubbish. No doubt
many men, whose conscences have been drugged by
our past political property, do fancy some such ln
evtable destiny as this before us do fancy that We
may become so besotted with the lust OF gam as 10
permit the greatest rapacity the part of our pub
lie servants the most undisguised and persistent trick
cry on the part OF our municipal and private agents,
without furfeitiDg the Providental favor. From that
sort Of spread.eagleism told my friend that hoped
we were now undergoing timely aud permanent de-
iverance. But he meant by that uncouih word an
uudiminisbed yea, d heightened confidence In our 70
ltical sanity and vigor, and In the fresh ana glowing
manhood which is TO be in yet larger measure than
ever tie legitimate fruit Of institutions could az
sure him that my soul was full Of it, and il would be
wholly my fault if my auditors did not feelngly re-
spond to il.
never felt proud of my country for what many
seem to consider her prime distinction, namely, her
| ability to foster the rapid accumulation OF private
wealth. II does not seem to me particularly credii'
ale thing that greater number of people annually
grow rich under institutions than they DO any
where else. Ii is fact, doubt and like all fectt
has its proper aniabe signiication when expoeedto
the recti!ing light Of Truth. But 1t is not the iact
which Ia foreign land for example has made my near,
! TO throb and my cheeks to glow when remembered
the great and happy people beyond tie sea- when
thought of the vast and fertile land that lay boseom
L..l fog nd fla
| ann For there in Europe one teestbis same private
wealth. ia less dilused form, II Is ttue conceutra
ed iu greatly fewer hspds no dou6 bot al the same
time associated in many with things tnat goevery
way 10 dignity it or give it luster rot It's own: asso-
ciaied with tradition al family refinement with inotfen
sive transformations Manners with the praotice OF ar
and science and literature, and sometimes WIN tnt
pursuit of toilsome and honorable bersohal suken ven
| lure Every one knows, on the other hand no"
htle are exact fron our rich men; how meater and
mean and creeping race we permit our nch ne,
TO be- if their meanness is only Favored VIII
profuson have not been favored with great many
rich aconaintsnces, but still bave known not in.
considerable number, and have never found them the
penons to whom would spontaneously resort IN DIE
most celestial moments or communicate WIFI the mos
naturally il his deepest sorrows. vi course, nave
known executions to this rule, men whose money
ouly serves TO illustrate their super or human sweet
pess, men of whose friendship everybody, Is proud
Bat as general thing nevertheless ore hkes best 10
Introduce ones foreign Acquaintance not 70 our coh
mercial nabobs who aggravste the price OF bouseeli
and butehers-mea 30 awfaly to US poor NeWl0refsi
not TO our fact fnancers and bank-cashiers who on
salary Of 50 900 year, contrye TO support IN igNu!
h. side their proper wife and offspring dozen dome
nc ,eryarts and as many horses but TO oar, IN the
main up,iqht self.respeciog, and, if you pleHe, un-
uored but at the same time upsophstica'ed ehhdie'
of toll who are the real fathers and mothers OF our io
| turt distinctive manhood.
! No. what makes ones pulse TO bound when he re-
| member, his own home under foreign skies is never
the Iich man, or the learned man, or the disin-
auished man Of any sort who Illustrates Is history
for in all these petty products almost every coun-
t,v may favorsbly at all events tediously compete
With our own; but it Is all simply the abstract man,
hood itself of the country, man himself unquahhed
by convention, the man TO whom sll these eonvep-
tional men have been simply Introductory, The nan
who--I me saw it-for the first time IN human history
finding himself In biz own right erect nnder Gods sky,
and feeling himself D bis own night the peer OF every
other man spontaneously aspires and aItalns 70 lar
freer aud profounder culture oil his nature lhah ns
ever vet illustrated humanity.
shallow people call this pretenton OF ours the OIL
snring Of national vanity, and stgmaiize 1t as npy
ing the greatest immodesy 10 every one VINO asserts
H. L. il not the came as saying, they AK, that lg'
norance ia good a. experience, weikness az goOo as
sLi nature as good culture the crude ore as good
as the uolished metal which Is extracted IRON II
viii show YOU the absurdity Of this criticism IN u
few moments when show you the peculiar founda.
tion which sentiment in question, the sentiment OF
human equality, elaine in our historic evolution ana
! ,,roy,b For the present have word more TO say
Ia regard the contrasts oi EuioPe"n anu
thought and aspiration.
No Auorican who Is not immersed in abjeet spreac
! eaUlestn-that il 10 say,-no American who bar had
the east glimpse Of the rich social promise Of our H.
siiutions Of the free play they accord TO the sP
i,ual activities Of our uatuTe-vaues the mere point
ica prestige of his nation the repute II enjoys VIII
other nations as the true ground Of iIs glory. Niue
less of coure does he the mere personnel OF bi
Government NJ oonferfing any distinction upon him
Loyalty which il a strictly personal sentiIneD, ha'
long Given place even in the English bosom, where h
was native TO patriotism, which Is muth more IA
tional sentiment. Loyalty bears to pniIioliSm tit
same relation that superstition bears to relsion iht
zealot worships God not Infinite spint OF love
bnt "a fLite person: not for what He Is inwardy u
Hm.elf but for what He may outwardiy be 10 tut
worsbipper He ad res Him not for whnt alone zen,
ders Him worthy OF alteration, namely bis essehys'
humanity, that Infinitely tender sympathy WIN ~ ~
Himself that the latter may be exalted but
| simnly because lie is eminent in place and powef
above all beings, and 20 is able 70 do all manner Of
Kindness to those who lease Him. and all manner ol
unkindness those who displease linn. Exacty som
loyali worships his king or bis queen nov Iof thel
ranist hnman worth not for the utes their great a
uity prouotes to the common or associated i.si ~
short not from any rational perception OF their nwa,"
adjustment TO the place they occupy but simply
because thew do occupy that eminent paceeinply be-
canse tbev 6nppen TO be crowned king and crowned
oneen-t6e traditional sources OF honor and dishohoi
to their subjects Iu both alike the homage e
purely blind or instructive, and though oentng ehli-
dren is unworthy of adult men, Religion, on the con
trary clothes the Divine supremacy with essentially
spiritual attributes makes His perfection the perfection
OF character the perfection OF love and wisdom, ana
Of power thence alone energised 30 thai no religious
man worsips God from choice voluntarily oui spoi
| tapeousy or because he can't help himself 10 m9eh
does the oyerpowering lovelinees eOnstren him. Ina.
l. 10 sav every man truly ~orshpe G% In the exact
measure of his own unaffected goodness, purity an'
truth. And is thus precisely tna, 'ne pun, Nc,