New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-14
ANTICIPATION

The more enlightened men become the
more dc they look to the future, The savage
lives altogether in the present, forgetful of the
lessons of yesterday and needless of to-mor-
rows wants the civilized man sows in
spring time that he may reap in autumn,
gathers stores for future subsistence, builds
in summer o shelter from winter storms,
cherishes the calf that is to draw his pillow and
the lamb that is to clothe him, plants the
apple seed where his children shall feast upon
the luscious fruit and the acorn where his
children's children shall rest in the shadow of
the oak 1t is only in civilized lands that
men revere their progenitors for their fore
sight and sagacity and uncover their heads in
reverence for benefactors whom they never
saw. There only does mental prowess out
shine the physical, there only is intellect
honored, there only do the minds of
the brave in thought penetrate the future
and by the calculations Of wisdom more than
realize the dreams of the soothsayer. The
man who anticipates is peculiarly the product
of that civilization which he in turn so po-
tently aids. The success of men in all
important undertakings may be measured
almost infallibly by their capacity of looking
into the future, whether aided by extraordi-
nary dlearness of mind, or by unusual indus
try. or by close reading OF the past, or by the
pioneering intellect which is given to the
highly favored, What will happen? is the
question constantly in the mind Of every saga
eious man engaged in any important enter
prise. What is present and around him others
know as well as he /; what is past and recorded
in chronicles they may learn as well as he ;
but his toiling brain calculates the accidents
and events Of tomorrow and thinks only of
what's to be, His future is not that which
eager hope paints TO the sentimentaLst or to
the blind speculg5or in luck and chances
Anticipation is the statesman's gift. The
mere politician limits his knowledge to the
passing day or studies the future only in a
gamblers spirit, learning nothing from it but
what concerns himself individually and di-
rectly, Its prophetic power is not largely be-
slowed upon the mere wire-worling partizan.
Where pure, earnest, deep rooted love of
country, stalwart calm and methodical
mind, profound learning, and niagnanimous
indifference to the applause Of the thoughtless
and to the perishable honors of official station,
all meet in the same person, a statesman is
the result Such d statesman as our own
Calhoun vas, A statesman, because his great
mind dwelt continually upon the distant fu
ture, and to whom the present, with its events
and theories had no significance except SO far
as they influenced theEdestinies of the com
monwealth and race, Such men are rare and
the peculiar product of high civilization. Any
century that produces FIVE such men is pro
life any country that owns one such man is
fortunate thrice fortunate if it lends itself to
his guidance and obeys his oracular warnings,
for such are the deputies appointed by ProYi-
denee to rule among men.
American experience and all history show
that Africans as race are essentially lacking
in the faculty Of anticipating the future and
the disposition to make provision for newt |
able necessities. Although our colored popu-
lation have by absorption acquired goodly
degree Of civilization, and by initiating, have |
caught much of the spirit of enlightenment of
our race, they have been slowest in acquiring
this most valuable habit of looking to the
future and providing for the wants of the NOR |
row. The people Of the Northern States will
soon be made to see, las we shall feel, all the
truth of that which has been urged SO long by
Southern speakers and writer's as to the need
by negroes Of the foreeasting brain of the
white man, They will see in part, if they do
not confess, the stupendous error that has
been committed in too abruptly releasing the
negroes from that control which secured to
hem many and great benefits of the white
mans . guiding intellect and anticipating
3agacity The industrious and thoughtful
smong them viii still enjoy those benefits
he idle and needless will, for the want Of it,
rayel the downward road towards that barbar-
SIN which seems to be the doom of their race
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