Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-12-03

be affected by these modern inventions,
old thoughts have remained undisturbed
for while modern locomotion has intro
ducsd new methods OF traffic and exchange,
the great principles of maritime and mer-
camille law, remain essentially the same as
in the days of Lord Mansfield, or even of
Justinian. But when the writer proceeds
to say that Charles the Fifth and his min
listers are very like modern statesmen in
the essential elements of their ways of
thinking, do not doubt we ought to be
allowed to lake issue with him. Perhaps
he did not look beyond the political hori-
zon Of Europe in making this comparison,
and in respect of monarchicai governments
the assertion may hold true. but certainly
not in this Republic of ours. The essen
tial elements of the WAYS of thinking
among American statesmen from the Rev.
olution down have not only not been like
those of Charles the Fifth and his minis
ters, but have been in direct and radical
antagonism. And this has been brought
about in great measure by modern inven-
tions in the material world. For while it
it may be true that habits of thought in
other respects have not essentially changed;
while 1t may be admitted that the present
age has produced no writers superior to
those of Elizabeth's time, and no philoso-
pher superior to Bacon, yet it should be
remembered that where there was then but
one Addison and one Bacon, there are now
thousands OF them. Though the habits of
thought may be the same, the thoughts
themselves, which were then confined to
the few, are by means of modern in
ventions, difused in our day amongst the
masses. The printing press, the locomo-
tive, and the telegraph, are carrying the
thoughts OF Bacon down into the cabin Of
the humble poor, as well as into the pala-
ces of the mobiles of the castle, and this
laws the foundation of that craftsmanship
which admits the practicability Of self-gov-
ernment. 1t must, therefore, be admitted
that it is the direct tendency of modern
inventions and discoveries to difiuse knowl-
edge, and by elevating the mass Of man
kind, to introduce free governments in the
place of despotsms. Charles the Fifth
and his statesmen would find much diff
Guilty in administering the government of
the United States upon the political prin-
ciples which prevailed in their day and in
their empire. And so endeth train of
thoughts suggested by a train Of cars.
From here it is my purpose to proceed
one or two hundred miles into northern
Wisconsin, and it may be that shall have
occasion to say something IN future let
ter OF the soil, climate and resources of
that region, and the projected system Of
railways by which transportation between
St. Paul and the eastern cities may be ma
terially shortened.
/ cannot but observe how everything
out here is on scale Of "faagni6cence.n y
The territory certainly is;--so are the
lakes, the rivers, and the undeveloped re-
sources, but it seems lndicrsus to speak Of
places containing from one hundred to a
thousand or two inhabitants, as cities y
/ passed through one of these Settles, y
which has its 'sgrand avenue" its 'metro-
polltan hail." only a little better than an
" Irish shanty," its "parks " and its
''pronenades," forcibly reminding one OF
the eastern proverb, full of graphic satire
"The horses of the Pasha came down to
the water to be shod the beetle stretched
ont his leg tee" G. G. ID.