The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-07-28
Revolutions Never 60 Back.
WAr6-

This Is a common maxim, almost univer-
sally received as an automatic truth, and as
such frequently quoted by historians, philoso-
pliers and statesmen. Yet the idea expressed
by this phrase is SO far from the truth that. for
all practical and instructive ends the very op-
posite is true. Revolutions always go back
ward. Revolutions result from the moving
power of ideas, right or wrong, which become
''the spirit of the age" or the people where
they prevail Whether these ideas be right
or wrong, they possess a motive power which
rouses and moves society, either to peaceful
change and progress. the revolution of socie-
", or to bloody conflict, the revolution of
governments, or to these combined results.
And there always comes a time in the pro-
gress of events and in the lapse of years
when these new ideas lose their freshness.
their vitality and their power over the minds
ana hearts of men, and then the revolution
retrogrades. History teaches no truth more
clearly than this, and furnishes no lessons
more profitable to its students than those
taught in this connection.
The Old Testament History is full Of these
lessons, and contains the germs and models
Of all that are revealed in the history of the
human race IN subsequent ages in miniature
or full length portrait Study that wonderful
combination picture of the spiritual, intellec-
tual. social and political revolution through
which the people of Israel passed from their
bondage in Egypt to their occupation Of Pal
estine as an independent nation; the shouts
of victory and the songs of triumph after the
passage of the Red Sea are followed, oh how
soon, by the murmurings and contention at
the waters Of strife, when the people longed
again for the flesh pots of Egypt" unrnind-
ful of the intolerable bondage they had suf-
fered there in the midst of present evils, and
mutinied against their deliverer and leader.
And It was only through the miraculous and
direct interposition of God. continued by dav
and night for forty years, that the reaction
was prevented.
Asia Minor was revolutonized through the
truths Of the Gospel by the immediate disci-
pies of Christ, and her capitals became the
powerful seats of the Christian church and
Christian civilization. But there was a reac-
ton of ideas; the revolution went backward,
and the seven churches of the Apocalypse
with all their dependencies sunk into oblivion
as the night Of heathenism settled down on
that region.
Revolutions and reactions in ideas, in reli-
gion, IN civilization, and in governments,
raised Babylon, Baalbec and PALMYRA, in
turn. TO the pinnacle of glory and maenif-
eence, and then buried them forever in de-
struction and oblivion; crowned Egypt with
halo of glory as the seat of power, of SCI
ence and of art; consecrated Greece as the
home of the muses., the land Of song as we'll
as of liberty and learning; gave Rome the
empire of the world, and has left nothing of
them all but
"a name,
To point a moral adorn . tale
Thus history proves, BY the long lynse Of
oe ages, as well as by its briefer per;ods.
tknt revolutions, of whatever CHI ,.cter. .re
fo1I60ed by reactions, and do '.rx.r;.hlv and
Hssably, sooner or later, G. backwards; and
~ nession that societ- holds all II gains,
- e. humanity max es steady progress up.
.rs step by step, ;s-nos sustained by the
49,. OF the past. On the contrary, the
Dy which country or an age climbs
.gher platform, often tunbles down
En and all, and the next progress made
Ankind Is in different country, and
Ets, It may be, from lower level
Bat suffering these general remarks to pass
parenthetiqnl, let ms test the axiom by Two
= III known revolutions in modern times. The
nch Revolution which, through the force Of
t1saA abelshed monarchy, abolished aris-
ey, abo6shed slavery, and realized for
sIiberty, Equality and FntAEnity,n
noon It went backward, first to military
otism, then to Bourbon, to Orleans,
1again 70 ssthe Empire 8
Dst i IS from the revolution of England =
y civil var Of the time Of Cnenvn1--<hat
s4a1 dsnss sons pro6tahls lessona fcr or
ine and country. 4ss.s
- EneIaA people suffered fton. ~ -
nsaas = rslnags ~ eeatuna1