New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-23
PRUSSIA.
MORE ABOUT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CELE-
BRATIoN-sPEECH OF PROFESSOR VIRCHoW-
ARIsTOCRATIC COLD sH0ULDERs-LETTERs
TO yARNHAGEN Won ENsE. ........

MORE ABOUT HUMBOLDT WOhklNHMENe CELE-
BRATIoN-sPEECH OF PROFESSOR ViRCHoW-
ARISTOCRATIO COLD sH0ULDERs-LETTERs
TO vARNHAGEN Won ENsE. .....
IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT
BERLIN, Sept. 2O-In my letter describing the Hum
boldt Festival in this city, alluded to the ndfer-
ence with which it was regarded by the Court and
the aristocratc classes and the universal interest
which was manifested in its spirit and purposes, by
the woringmen, who this occasion met the culti-
vators of science on common ground. Significant
illustration Of this was presented at meeting OF the
Berlin Workingmen's Union, who hOnored the day
by special celebration, in addition TO the festivities
of which have spoken elsewhere. was not able
to be present on the OCCASION but from the reports
which / find in the morning journals. the meet
ing must have been of unique character, and
highly creditable to the sense and intelligence
of the classes whom it represented. Among other
appropriate speeches. the address of Professor Vrchow
was remarkable for the profound sympathy which it
expressed with the interests Of labor and its impress
i've delineation Of the position Of Humboldt as the
advocate of liberal ideas and the friend Of universal
humanity Professor Yirchow, scarcely need say, is
one of the most eminent men Of the age in the depart
ment of science to which he is devoted. He is
cherished in Berlin as Of the brightest ornaments
of the University his reputation is the subject of
national pride, and his words bear an authority
which is rarely accorded TO private opinion His la
bors in physiology aud especially in the branch of
pathology, are well known to the scientific world.
but his interest in social progress and the elevation
of labor has naturally attracted less attention
community in which the pride of learning and the
pretensions Of rank exercise so predominant in
Huence as in the aristocratic capital Of Prussia.
1t required no little strength Of conviction his
part as well as high of duty, to give utter
ance in such an intellectual atmosphere to tho sem
timents which vtazed his speech with subtle
magnetism that will hardly bear reproduction in an
other language. can furnish you with but few
hints of its substance but sufficient perhaps TO ena-
bic you 10 appreciate its freedom and courage. and
its tone of generous humanity.
He commenced his remarks by saying that he
could not but express his delight at seeing such an
assembly-an assembly Of workingmen-
united 10 celebrate the man Of science.
the man of high functions, in the Royal
Court. 81 am inspired said he with
feeling of joyful pride, feeling Of sublime nation
atty, when remember that at this moment when the
sun is setting upon the present assembly, new as
sembles are gathering beyond the ocean, in order,
with the rising sum- 10 celebrate the life of this
mortal hero. Never in the history of the world has
such a celebration taken place. When Humboldt
entered upon his great American journey and with
difficulty obtained permission from the Spanish
Court to commence his grand investigations in the
colonies no man breathed the suspicion that free
dom would follow the footsteps of the resolnte ex
plorer. AT that time no man dreamt that with the
first approach of brave intellectual conqueror. the
chains would fall from people whose necks were
bent beneath the Spanish yoke No man dreamt that
a Republic would at once arise upon tho runs
Of n Satrapy. But we now see that III the same old
Spain, the spirit Of Humboldt, the spirit OF freedom
and of independence has made a Judgment, that the
spirit of culture will spread, recognizing no dlstlnc
ton between the wOrkngman and the educated
man. For the first, time now see the old cultva-
ton of the people revive, and allow the entrance OF
freedom. And so | hope that every man IN this
meeting will welcome the thought that cultivation
makes free that cultivation makes Independent, that
cultivation gives life, and energy, and power Let
rs all be impressed with the assurance that this
energy and power will spread abroad, endowing the
people with the freedom 10 strive after the manll-
ness which Humboldt throughout his life so strenu'
Ously asserted for himself IL is not easy 10 live
in the court of the Great, and remain an in
dependent man. And yOu know wen that
the most unfayorable Judgments that nave Deeh
passed upon Humboldt, arose from the fact tnat
though he lived I'm Court, he never sacrlilced ms
independence. We will therefore celebrate IN HIM
the symbol of that old German manliness OF when;
for long course of centuries nothing has remained
but the German Freiherr (bdrOn). n relic of the old
Germanic institution which gave 10 every free man
the title of FreheTr.' Ii is well to remember now
this Germanic origin And as that other great frel-
herr, Baron Won Stein, has given Ms the token Tor
municipal freedom, so has the Freiherr Baron Won
Humboldt, given us freedom OF Thought, OF tnOu2nt
which makes all the powers of Nature subserylent TO
itself In fact is not all the coming fortune OF
humanity involved in this subsection OF Nature TO The
spirit of man May We not hope that IN proportion
as Nature becomes more accessible, richef portl0n
of her goods may fall 10 the lot of every individual
So let us wOrthly conclude this festival without the
epogue which once brought disgrace npon the com.
now be said that the worklngmen OF Beriln Dy
hOnoring the man OF science, have brought honor
upon themselves" Professor Virchow closed with the
% ., Col LAIN hot nj
cal or intellectual" which received with enthu-
siastic sympathy by the whole assembly.
The GOODNESS with which the celebration OF the day
was treated by the arist0cratc portion OF Befl So
ciety partly accounted for by the prejudice excited
against Humboldt few years since by the pnDllca-
ton of his private correspondence with Varnnagen
Won Ense, in which he INDUCES in slIndry comments
of the fTees character on the stupidity ana pedantr
of the court officials not sparlng even inc sacred
person of the King himself. These letters created
not little scandal at the time, and great lhdgna-
ton was expressed at the niece OF Varnhageh Won
Ense his literary executor, who gave them publicity
from mercenaTy motives In pnRc Spo who Was
readily excused for being little lndlscreet I'D the
privacy of familiar correspondence but lhe couIs
circles never foTgave the Oilense. a ieelng, OF
wounded pride transmitted even to their emil
dren and resentment ut the stain thus cast on ther
reputation continues to be cherished after The lapse
OF years. ;.,,o.,,. o,,,o 90 ,,r;svorce agonst
the memory of Humboldt the aristocracy OF Berlin,
both in Church and State, could have felt Dut NUS
sympathy with man so thoroughly emanclpateu
from conventional prescriptions, devoid OF respect
for the teachings OF ancient creeds and so strenuous
an advocate Of unlimited human freedom III the
pursuit of truth. Humboldt certainly not =
democrat as the term Is now usually understood
and applied in our own country. He was Thoroughly
imbued in his youth with the spirit Of tho freneh
Revolution, and gave his cordial sympathy 70 the
Republicans of that day. He never ceased 10 re-
spect the essential attributes of humanity, more
than the accidental distinctions Of birth or rank
Bnt II is by no certain that in the state OF
thngs during his old age, he would have preferred
Republic for Prussia 10 a constitutional monarchy.
A swarm Of pamphlets and other publications nave
been called forth in Germany on occasion OF the
hundredth anniversary of his birth. Many of them