Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-08-08
ADDRESS OF HON: GEORGE B.
Willard

at the recent commencement at Amhers
College, on THE political duties Of edu'
Gated men in our country at the presen'
time" was not only the address OF th'
commencement, but one more marked oy
careful and finished thought than almos'
any of the season so far. Indeed. MI
Hillard is one of those who speak seldom
blu, with care that all he utters may DC
worth lstening to. Always in earnest
he speaks not to occupy his hour. but to
utter truths of importance to the nation
Literature and science shine only with
cold and lunar beams, compared with
warm, Efe-giving patriotism and the hot
passions of politics. Not to take an inter-
est in political measures is not to be q
true, living citizen. Here two opposite
extremes present themselves. On the one
hand it has been remarked that there Is
always a tendency to speak evil Of the
government under which w may chance
to live, and on the other there is dispo'
sition to praise up our own institutions a
the best possible. Yet mere praise ineVi'
tably becomes over-praiSe, in fact dastery
for while society is divine institution
each particular form Of government is
human continuance for supplying the PEG
Piles wants, and therefore BY no mean
infallible. A simple government. whethe'
a pure democracy or u pure monarchy
would be intolerable. A government
must, to q certain extent, be complicated
with checks and balances.
The great political popularity Of oui
| Government is, that each citizen is subject
10 two authorities-the State and the
General Governments. Modern civiliza-
ton. moreover, is distinct from the old and
and Oriental in the Difference it pays to
public opinion, and in America this fea-
ture is carried further than elsewhere.
Here, law unsupported by opinion, stands
but a little while respected. From public
opinion there is no appeal. 1t is the fault
Of educated men If they do not have
fair, indeed a preponderating, influence
in the formation of public opinion.
They have at their command two in.
struments Of which public opinion is al
ways the growth, !. O., the tongue and TIT
pen. Intellectual voluptuousness or {
bullying spirit are the opposite abuses o.
these powers. Civil society usurps 4
power to which it has no right when i
checks the growth and expansion OF indi-
vidual opinion. Yet the American scholar
has got to give an account Of the use hi
makes Of his influence, both in forming
correct opinions and in opposing unsoune
ones. This requires self sacrifice, but i
not the less a duty on that account, ant
it must be performed by educated mel
chiefly, if at all ; and without this, vi
have in our institutions the elements o
ruin. In the early history Of our countr.
it was the chief difficulty to secure q sufi
Gent public authority for the support o
central government. In future it will b
our glory to keep unimpaired a centra
power, without losing the principle Of 10
cal influence. Aggregate symmetry with
out loss Of individual energy is the per
fiction Of Government. France is q warn
ing Of the danger Of too much centraliza
ton. She gave up liberty for persona
security.
1t is pitiable to see a scholar turn asid
to the golden apples of wealth from III,
intellectual aud moral growth Of his owl
true character and influence. The schola
must renounce self, oppose wrong opin
ions, and form around him good ones
He who opposes tyranny earns the plaud
its of posterity. But he who opposes
wrong public opinion dnds little Of sucl
consolation. But that is the cross for TIT
scholar to bear, and to welcome detractiol
and poverty, if need be, Us the road to hi
crown. AS one Of the most scholarly
things Of the kind yet delivered, Mr.. Hill
lard's address attracted much attention
more practical admiration aud esteem fol
its author and for its principles, than such
things usually do.