Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-06-30
WISCONSIN EDITORIAL COyyENT'N,

WISCONSIN EDlTVkIAL CONfENI'N.
,r,,. ADDRESS DELIVERED BY GEO. VAN Wa
rros EDITOR LEAN WOLF, BEFORE WISCONSIN
nrroR1AL ASSOCIATION, AT PRAIRIE Do
rgIEs, JUNE q, 1870.
NJ President, and Gesaenees Of he Wlscon-
That the time set apart for the recreation
- nvaryorked minds be not nnnecess ariy
;nfrinced on, We SHAH dispense with all pre-
iH;n,;naries. in # introduction, and pro-
ND at once to the announcement of our sub
80 which wiseiy, or unwisely, has been
!hosep for youl entertainment.
,sNoral Progress as aided by the Press, y is
.eyt that admits of so wide range of dis
aussion that twenty minutes effort can al
sord INIT little more than mere skeleton OF
he subject. We certainly need not waste
t;roe upon an audience like this IN proving
what is already scientlnc deduction.
That Progression is law Of Nature there
oan he no doubt; and that its workings may
be greatly accelerated or retarded by fayora.
Ne or upfayorable conditions, is tact clear
y, established in nature, The full period OF
.!,1s occupied in the growth and maturity OF
~ human race will show the unmlstakable
root Of this position. But that there may
he thousands OF years wherein the workings
of this law may be found suspended, Is fact
equally certain.
century finds mankind greatly improved in
teIiectually and morally is certainly a most
tsIIacious one. That man has sought out
many inventions that h has greatly i'm.
rToyed his surroundings, has made many
rgrapd and imposing demonstrations over the
Clements Of matter that ne has multiplied
his eniovments and even created new wants,
are facts most obvious 10 all.
4l,,, MIL hove ~ oil L..
rssnrrected and made to inspect our modern
adyancements, he would undoubtedly be I'LL
ed with awe and amazement, if he did not
even fall down and worship the man of the
nineteenth century. But should he, by de-
prees take time to carefully examine our
Great inventions, and study somewhat the
nature of the men and women of the present
age. be would gradually regain his equilibr-
nm. and, upon finding that mans physical,
intellectual and moral organization was no
further developed or matured than it was
three thousand years ago, his high respect and
reverence would undoubtedly be much
sbated And though 1t be granted that in
nhysjcal condition the human race is at a
stsnd.stlll, yet the question arises, Mas there
been no advancement made towards the
perfection Of mans mental and moral pow
ere, during the historic period? We answer,
that though the sum Of human knowledge
has greatly augmented, yet we have no prow
that the moderns, III point of intellectual
capacity, are one whit ahead Of the Ante
dIluvians Where, in modern literasure, can
We fud superior productions to the liliad of
Homer, the Songs of David and Solomon,
the poems Of '0ssian and, above all, the Book
Of Job2
And ags n, when we note the wonderful
Lessons in morality, ethics and religion, Of
those by-gone periods lessons that have
been subscribed to and adopted a. the au
thoritv and rule Of action throughout the
civilized portions Of the world, we are forced
TO acknowledge that those early periods were
productive OF a class of men not only equal.
but greatly superior IN devotion to truth, III
self-saerfcing benevolence and the rigid
virtues, to any Of modern times.
The civilization Of our own favored land
politically the freest on earth--has made no
adyaucements beyond that Of Greece and
Rome; and, like theirs bids fair to end in
general obiiteration OF virtue ant and high
toned manhood.
ANA here LET us ask Is not this great re-
pubic subject to the same mortalities Of ma
tons gone beiore2 And do We not already
show symptoms Of viruient disorders that
prss2ge Gecrepitude, if not dissolution, at
n0ygIy Iemota period Are We doing any
more tAau following the beaten track-the
broad road-of all renowned historic people?
HThs Is the moral of all human tales
'Tis bat the same rehearsal of the past
FIRST freedom. and then glory-when that fails,
Wealth, vice, corruption, barbarisIn at last
And history, with al its volumes vast,
Has but one page"
christianity thus far, has succeeded in sub
iecGiug but a small portion OF mankln 10 Its
do4nJons, Both Europe and America, 1t is
true bear the liable; but how much of the
Christianity taught IL Judea eighteen hun.
drad Years ago, can be found at the present
time II these grand divisions Of the globe
Nan l4- mastered the elements of earth; has
literally gained supremacy over the forces
oflature. His real achievements are more
wonderful than those OF the fsbied magicians
OF story. Does not steam harnessed to his
car transport him with the seed Of the tor
nad0f Has II not become his efficient ser
want upon both land and sea2 Have not the
lghtnings of heaven been impressed into his
service, aye retained to do his errands?
40 tread the oeze Of the salt deep,
To run upon the sharp wind of the North "
All things have become subject to the will
Of this lord Of earth-all save the unsubdu-
able, mutinous and rebelious passions of his
own soul, which set his will at defiance and
both scom and mock his power. Man, to-day,
Is about the same selfish, poicy-governed
animal that he was eighteen hundred years
ago, thus atfording most striking example
OF the suspension of known law Of nature.
But 1t i asked, lis there no remedy for
this dwar!ed and morbid condition OF the
moral facuties2" Aye, there must be rem
edy in Mattress Pharmacy for all evil. A
Change must sooner or later take place IN the
moral faculty OF the race. A time will come
when men will be liberated from tie thraldom
Of the baser passions; when mans word
Will be as good as his bond when friendship
VIII be something more than a name; when
NE noble principles Of impartiality will dwell
N the hearts OF earth rulers when justice
and beneyoleuce shall walk hand in-hana,
and when true manhood viii be estimated at
lis proper value.
The way aud manner such a condition Of
things is TO be brought about, is question
more Of theory than of positive knowledge.
we need not speculate upon the probabilities
o. constitutional changes being Effected IN
mans nature, whereby the earthly passions
" be left in subsection to the moral powers:
nor need we advance the hypothesis that
lse present race must, in conformity to law
o. nature, eventually become extinct, anG its
pace filled by race less under the influence
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