New-York tribune., 1867-08-30


princpes of the Declaration of Independence are tne
roatcst ohstacle 70 civ zation allowed to upllit
tbeir forfeited heads and to retain certain amount
90 Golf r.sroc+ n the midst Of those who tOught IOr
freedom and equal rights
Citizens of the great and powerful Union may
the human race in all future time' DE aole 10 Apply
- tIoyo evaltel words which your Senate, after
uc cdoat,, Of Washington addressed TO President John
Adams, Greatness and crime are too often llnkeu
together. Washingtons fame is even purer thah u
is iInstrious The oppTessorS of the nations stand
sboncd by the majesty Of his virtues. These virtues
condemn the boundless ambition of despotS ana
darken the splendor Of their victories"
Prof. Neumann is now in his I'D year The stroke
which has fallen upon him has very much shaken
his nbvsicol powers but his mind remains astonsh-
ingly active and vigorous. This latter crcu instance
in fact threatens to retard his recovery. Notwth-
standing that the physicians have prescribed abso-
lute rest he has commenced arranging the materials
for his history of the Rebellion, which he intends as
a sequel to the other work. His devoted wife ana
daughters are with him in this temporary retirement
but even their care cannot check the untIrlhg
activity of mind which seems to exist only IN LABOR
Like his friend Boeckh, Prof. Ncumann Is man %
small stature; he is thin, with head ra'her lons
than broad thick gray hair, small keen eyes anu "
nose which would puzzle Layater IL the size Vi 'i0
organ indicates force Of character as some Pn9e'os
orrists ossort we can account for the Professors
u-ordorfnl mental energy. Never was man more
tboroupblv in earnest than he in the task wihch he
has undertaken. In the conversations whch nave
had with him since his arrival here, hnQ no aspect
of our present political situation with Which he Is hoI
familiar and can with difficulty believe that he has
not long been a resident oil our country WHICH, III
fact, he has never visited.
Prof Neumann looking at affairs with the eye OF
historian. and accepting the logic Of our past six
wears Of history. does not hesitate to condemn from
first 10 last the course of Mr. Johnson while he does
not feel called upon to take a partisan position
indeed his character as historian expressly torDlds
i-he considers that the attitude of Congress toward
the President will bc justified by the developments
of the future. lie watches the progress OF tho
struggle from week to week, with an interest which
l can only properly estimate when remember how
many years of study have preceded 1t.
Let me say, since l have touched upon political
question: that since have come to Europe have been
constantly called upon, in France Switzerland ana
Germany, to explain our present dihculty, ana tlaO
while have found a great many persons unfrendly
TO the permanence Of the Union, no one has the
courage to confess himself an admirer of Andrew
Johnson. Whatever may be the prevalent Ignorance
of our institutions in Europe, most persons can DIS
tinguish between the functions of the Legislative
and Executive Departments and the attitude as
sumed bv the President is the more notifying
because it renders his office through him. ridiculous
in the eyes Of both partes-thoSe who wish us we'll
and those who wish us ill., heard Mr.. Buchanan
praised over and over again by members of the party
of Reaction in Europe by the men who would restore
Absolutism if they could; but the same men do not
dare 10 praise Andrew Johnson lest they should seem
10 svmpathze with what they admit TO be folly
and stupidity As for the McCracken style of diplo-
macy which has come into practice at Washington
let us blush and be silent.
Perhaps | should not write these things, II had
not been hearing the bitter regret that they exist
from the lips of a man who has proved himself to be
one of our best advocates IN Germany. cannot be
less American than this noble old foreigner. who,
after giving the prime Of his life to the study Of the
Oriental languages, recalls the fire and energy OF
youth in his interest for the young history of the
Occidental Republic Wearied with struggle in
which Laye only the place of common duty which
belongs to every American citizen, wo-d willingly
forget the excitcmcnts Of the last act OF the drama
bnt few visits to Prof Neumann have restored all
the emotions sought to escape.
There is another distinguished German author IN
the neighborhood of whom shall have something
| IN say in nv next b. T.