The Portland daily press., 1868-10-20

Whenever the Liberals of the old World
snccaod In. oattino a foothold they will take
such "tumps forward" as will leave me SLOW
movements of our steady going, stiff jointed
eaut,ous and almost timid democracy a great
wsy behind. Far be iG from u to deprecate
the worth of our own free institutions They
embody republican ideas in constitutions more
successfully thJn any OH srs that now exist or
that ever did exist. But whoever supposes
that abstract dem ,cracy has in the Uni, ed
State reached its highest ideal, or that the
peopls Of tie q lited States entertain more
radical lsVeling theories than any other peo-
pl', ia egregOu'ly mistaken. To the European
Literal this distinction must be accorded. de
Is uJaoie, owing to the repressive lUhuence OF
rnonarohica governments, TO give practical
form to,his dreams, and consequently he terlS
nothing of those limitations that check the
growth OF democracy here, where we have moi
only taspsculAte buG 20 do. II follows that the
practical Rldica! u America is a very narrow
fellow beside ths speculative Radical of Z u.
rope.
AIremsmber what thrill of horror went
Through the cou1try whsn Senator Wade, ex
hIlarated by the bracns air of the praires, ex-
pressed some views in y speech at Lawrence,
Kansas, that see.ped to Indicate a leaning to.
ward a2fariani.m. Bat asrarisnisin is nild
firm oil comm onism t. some Glasses of Euro
pean Libsras. Years ago Proudhsu found
supporters Tor bis dogma, La pTopriStS cest !e
V0I.-spropsrty is robbery" winch is eitasnly
great way ia advance OF Senator Wade.
The revolution in Spain shows how favor.
able Cline for the growth OF democracy is a
despotio government. 1t is no less gratifying
than surprising TO dld that under govern
ment that super1dded TO it, own absolute char
aoter the authority of that incarnate despol-
Ism, the Catholic church, the most advanced
theories Of government had gained q firm foot
hold among the people. The provisional gov
srument does the most surprising things. 1t
taxes thv initial measures for the abolition OF
slavery with In, re- than the zeal of carpet-bag
legislature. Religious freedom, free speech,
free press, TIE abolition of capital punishment
the restoration of the common school system
and the overthrow Of the Jesuits follow each
other with bawldering rapidity. NJ re re,a-
tive progress has been made in two weeks OF
Radical rule 10 Spain than in two yea.s Of
abe Same in America.
But tie time of the European Liberal has
nctyetcome No one yet dares to hope that
che work Of the Provisional Junta of Spain
will Do permanent Some scion Of the etfete
Bourbon race, some ferdinand from Portugal,
some. fostering Guelph from Eugland, or Vic
tor.Enanuei's son, succeeding TO the throne,
willspeedily restore things to something like
Their former condition. But the theories of
life and Of government among the Republicans
ofEurope are SO extremely broad and geuer-
oas that when their hour does come they will
put Europe as far In advance of America as
America now Ia in advance of Europe, The ii
views are as wide as the Universe. To them
there are DO geographical lines, but all men eV-
srywhere are their brothers. In their meeting
last year in Switzerland they organized the |
"Uoited States Of Europe" They will have no |
more war; they have strong leaning toward
communism; they repudiate whatever of op-
'pression there is in church government; the
rights Of women are recognized by them; CAPT
tai punishment ut is to them relic of barbaris1n
and the custom house an abominalion. The
European Liberal is almost sure to ba free |
trader, like Golden Sometimes he is a skep- |
tic, but this does not seem to impair the Keen |
ness OF his moral perceptions.
1t Is unaccountable that the sovereign peo- |
pie of a Republic should become conservative,
hue they have become SO There is more fear |
displayed 10 America of taking hold of new |
reform tory measure thanin almost any coun-
try in The world. If we 90 not recover from /
the st ffless in the Ints with reasonable ce. |
le"itv, other democrac'es, freer purer, more ill.,
teiligent, will dispute our claim TO be 1.-THE |
model Republic"