Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-06-03
Archbishop Hughes's Speech at 81
Johns COLLEGE, N. Y.

Archbishop Hughes's Speech at Sc.
Johns College, N. Y.
After congratulating the graduates upon the
excellence Of their exercise aud tie soundnoss
ana maturity OF their arguments, the Archbish-
op referred to the topics that had been CHOSEN
by the speakers and continued as follows: Tho
origin of society and laws is o topic that Ia al
most bouudless in Its eIpsnsibllty You have
treated your topics csnoidly, and particularly
With regard to that sophism Of Roasea u--that
you have treated as 1t deserves to be treated al
Wsys. The idea Of q social compAcS is non-
sense, and you will discover by going back and
tracing to the origin of the hnuan race that
there has not been at any time society With
OUT government and Laws, no matter Thethee
they we're written or not. Lava, no matter
how crude they may be, are universal. They
are among the tribes Of the lndlaHa-theY are
among the tribes of the most uucvilized people
On the fsce Of the elrth-the negroes OF Africa
they are among the Cafes and Hottentots of
the peninsula of that country; they are every
where, In all lands. | remember but one ir-
stance where Law did not exiet, the reference to
authority of whlon cannot now reclte. II Ia
| the story of two boys abandoned In forest In
China. They understood no language, but they
were, more or less, companions OF each other,
and on one occasion there was only enough food
sufficient for one; so one thought it expedient
| to preserve the least cad kill the other, and he
did co. Afterward he was taken and brought
into civiliEed lite, and he found language enough
to say thas the act wac done without any con-
sciousuess of evil. There there wss no eociety
no law. Another point Is, that no matter
what may be the form OF government, its chei
/ l. IL 0he to ontf
say 1t is the people that govern. 1t is not 60
The people know that they are to1 many to
govern; that the administration of govern
meat among auch multitude vould be ab-
surd, and none would submit to the other
And they reduce their powers, whatever they
may be, to unity. In monaFchical aud
imperial governments unity Is hereditary
here il is not. Here Is is the choice Of the
people. In Greece everybody voted in tho gov
ernment, aad 1t vas kind Of popular govern
ment, complete. Hero that ID impossible; and
the multitude send deputea to make their laws
ard one deputy to administer them, according
&c the form agreed upon By tho nation. They
have, however, two privileges-both const!tu
| tional. a government 10 one thing that 10 q
principle, and that must ever be sustained, -
| Now thoso VITO administer O government are
quite another thing, I have seen many admin
tstrationa of this government. one of the
constitutional privileges to which refeF--that
the Constitution itself mRkea provision Tor, for
a ssfety-val7e for this numerous people is, that
every four years ID Ia perfectly constitutional tc
make q evolution--ealmly, quietly--by the
votes Of the people. That 10 one constitutions
privilege. The other ia inherent in tho Ia
ture OF tho people and Of the government
that 10 the right of gfumbling (Laughter.) II
you elect man TO administer the government
10 lenS than eighteen months you arc very sorry
for what you have done and you have right II
grumble, aud there will be only three year,
more to wait when you can make revolution
when yon can throw aside the get shat have
been in power, and try to get better oct ir
their place the next time. That has been tn,
rule. l have seen great majority OF OIL
Presidents elected, and never knew an excep
tion to that rule Therefore it 10 thas there L
no country in the world that can fairly be com
pared to tue American republic under the Amer
loan Constitution. Il is Just for this reason
Not that Eoglishmen don't claim the rjgat o.
grumbling, too, but they have not the remedy
every fOnT yeare. They caunot change then
rulers Here it is q privilege and con-
stitutionai right. Even though yon votet
for the incumbent for the highest office, YOU
can grumhle. But, further than that, yor
must wait until his time is out and then get an
other and better man In his place, That is tht
remedy. AS to republics, have TO remark thai
this is not she first in the history OF the hum al
race. Italy ahounded with Furnishing repub
hcs--small, ii you please, in territorial Limits
When Venice ruse up ou6 Of the Adriatic, witl
her hair dripping, beautiful city, surviving
much longer thau thia oountry has done YET
prosperous, commanding trade TO the east aud II
the West, to great extent che Was Republic
but unlike ours. There was no saiety-valve -
Not 70 overlook small ,hings, there is toe littl,
Republic of SON Marine, and that furnishes th,
only instance In which supreme power was neve
brought 70 the ulity Of one head; for they are &c
Jealous OF their ilDertes that they have two
Pfesidents--one to watcn the other. (Lsugh-
ter) That little Republic In the Appenines un
der the protection OF the Popes has existed fol
nearly tntee hundred years, keeping the lamI
OF liberty bright, In order tnat nations desirinI
90 Initiate her example may light their taper
at her light, and bring their people to freedom
aud to tho Jealousy aud protection Of liberty
wherever that quality is essential aud the peo.
} pie suited TOR IL. The whole territory 10 no
very iarge--nine miles long aud four and hal
wloe--still they Won't trust one man alone II
power. They are both farmers aud both pea
ldente. We TAX OF our standing armies--thel
have their standiDg army and ai"ays have had
numbering ftSy-six meu. (Laugntsr.) But, no
TO u,tAln .ou snd the audience wno have been Z,
deils nttd VI b Your performances longer, vii
closs my remarks by again congratutssing you
q q, trow the evidence furnished here, with th
same application, Industry anu talent, there i
No aoupt 'has in life you Can especially succeed
ss guided Dy those honorable principles OF righ
anu justice 10 which you have 60 eloquently al
uded (Grest applaure)
lErnm Tho ilskalnnna Kansaal IndanAndant