The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-03-14
Conservatism vs.. Ifadicalism.

It seems to be accepted as . truisu
that all thing, fouad iuth world esi.E
for beneficial purposes: Hence, We ar:
not so adventurous as to deny, that Con,
and Conservatism have place.
in tho economy Of creation, and are, 10
sauie way or other, productive of good
results. PtYisely Shat good they do
We cba,s sddcavorss~to ascertain, by
hun Gns u8.nd dow a,hroush eoclesiis.'
ic.and SECULAR history, and BY watch:
inr 6o stream Of contemporaueou'
evss. b4 our re.sarch and patience
have been rewarded 6y no discoveries.
It's Q abvioS snougk. what hindr.oce,
they hs7r been to eysry good word and
vot, on all lines Of thought aud acsiou:;
Everywhere they are to bo encountered
putting dqtytho broak', aud thru'tios
billc,s of wood betvccn the dpokcs Of the
wheels, under prctcusc that tho cars Of.
progress arc 10 danger ofruuuing 10 fast
as 70 be thrown of tho track. What
sgrcgious folly The danger lies alto
'gethcr the other way. What friend Of
education ever found too great zeal in
establishing school houses, academies
and collcses2 Whist apostle Of reform
ever found that too many men were
cossinc to drink rum What minister
Of the Gospel ever found too many poo.
pie seriously disposed to become Chris.
tians2 What statesmen or jurisconsult
ever found favored classes too fortlrd
in rclinquishios prescriptive privileges
by which tho masses Of theipopulstion
we're Injured 2. Sarely J, NJ 1Rfp pnyenielces:
have been experienced id b lOii,, direction.
The great dl0aSlt3 has bceh 70 Sek, ,spt>
| sG&cicnt ,sb6Sm TO- make .-lny progress
IAbslevSf:SYeta ~ soon'as the 6ressre Ei6..
died, hundreds and thousands Of fconscrv!
atives start up aud rush forward proclaim,
ing thasa forward movement is tho most
perilous thing 10 tho world and that tho
highest safety consists, not even in
standing still, but in running backwards.
Why will people be deceived BY these
impositions7 Turn over the pages Of
ecclesiastical history aud sec what names
stand blazoned with immortal honor.
Not 4 conservative among them al ! Ell:
wards, Wesley, Knox, Crsumcr. Calvio,
Luther, jerome, Huss, Athanasius,
Paul, Jesus, Ezekiel, Moscs-make the
list as you will, and not conservative
can find place. The names ofthe con.
scrsatives have either periShed, or stand
on pcdss.als Of iufamy for perpetual sx.
ccration.
Nor are the facts different 10 secular
history. The great men that stsud ~
beacons along the generations are they
who rested under the imputation of rad
icalism. By whom can the world b
led except by those who arc 10 the ad.
vancs.in the march Of opinion and ex.
perimcntf. Truc, the world has at timss
an ungracious way Of requitius its boa.
ciactors. II often happens that "the
path to apothoosis runs hard BY tho
scafold." Which Of the prophets did
not your father kill was asked BY tho
great Radical eighteen hundred years
ago, Of the conservatives Of his day.
But conservatism has popularity
that always obtrudcs itself upon a,tea:
ton. It delights to c!othe itself in tho
eust.off garments Of radicalism. Whssi,
the radicals have battlcd for an idea or.
4 measure, and carried it through, the
conservatives eagerly take it up. Tho :
history of tho controversy about slavery :.
in theI country is fruitful OF instances
illustrating thi. point. Every step 10.
advance that the radicals made, tho con.
servatives Set up . characteristic howl
but. as soon as tue radicals pressed on o..
step further, the conservatives hovled
anew to bo surc; but they followed aloag
and slipped into the vacated position.
When, at length the radicals urged tho
organization Of negro regiments. and the
Emancipation PROCLAIM alton, as q neccs: :!
Y.ry c,ortollary thereto, how amazed aud ;,
Indignant the conservatives were = They
are ria Of these torrible sensations now.
Ons Of their number, who may DO taken /
a. an cxtrs 1pscimsn ofthe brotherhood,
recently pronepnced in tho Hall Of tho
House Of Representatives,, an eSlogy oa
President Lincoln, iu which that Procla. {
nation was cited as thcEehief glory Of
bis life. A year or two henceuot aeon. 8
seryatiyc will be found but will LAY yoiSiu !,
to the honor Of having approved tho
great Act Of Liberation from its incsp:.s
tiou, and will DO foremost 10 Wrsathio3
Liocoln's statue With dsathless ;laurel;r -
The conservatives always build ..monu.
ments to the memory Of the mon thsir.
fathers killed. Ten or twenty JssrS
will have to elap,o before they rear =;
monumental pile. In: honor of Jehut
Brown. .But,in process of time, they.
will be sure to bestow ,;their eG3rs. 10
that direction. It, may: be .Pro,idencs
tolerates their existence for this excep.
tionil lssfalneIs. Pitsts6nyh 'Gas't: 31. 4