The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-11-24

queQ1Soned tkeJknphen1 On Sariooo DxnD
cone sning - cents 1T ha1 taken Pl24
or were taking place, I'D then nd, sol
emily: The hour has not yet come and
90 went out to silence and solitude for few
more ages or centuries. Yet they whisper
he will come and do great things for Ger
many. Sach fablD are opt 70 b stroag
among people Who feel that they have
great destiny ahead" Z=z-5zz5sssz=-zzZ
As might be supposed, Carlyle is . strong
advocate for the Absorption Of Aizace and
part of Lorraine By Germany. "They were
both taken from Germany jnt in the way
that Mr.. Richard Turpin used to take
watches from English travellers. There
could not be more exact historical reply to
the long grasping Of the FfSnch, Turpin-
wise, after further German possessions, than
to take from them those they have already
distracted. 1t Is the best thing too for
France, can we'll zee, to have the Rhine,
altogether Withdrawn from their eyes. The
sight of it has already seemed TO engender
kind of madness For the French people
have great deal in them, great deal very
valuable to the world, but not likely to reach
the world SO long - they are distracted by
the vain ambition to be the controlling power
in Europe. A very good spice for the main
dish, but not the main dish! One cannot
live on spice alone"
Speaking of the destiny of Germany, Car
lyle expressed the opinion that it was inevi-
table; that it would become speedily CONSOLE
dated, and that the chief, more particularly
German, portions of Austria wOuld-a little
later perhaps-be united with the rest Of
Germany. He anticipated that the influence
of such q Germany would be infallibly
peaceful. 'The very name Of the German
indicates how strong he has Away been in
war. German means only gue,Te-man, or
for force, in Scottish speech still, and say,
T'll gar he'll do it, Guarantee is from the
same, and probably ,car Is but another form
Of it. Yet though he has always Leen q war
man, he has never been inclined to pick
quarrels, or 60 to war; he is rather quiet,
homely, industrious kind Of person, who
loves to follow domestic and agricultural
pursuits. But once reused to war he never
yields. No doubt, too, the Northern Ger
mans will become considerably improved by
more intimate union with the South Ger
mans. There has always been certain
hardness and roughness about the PrusSans
not found among the people Of the lower
States. There is great deal Of improve
ment to 60 on, no doubt, but the great OBJ
s.acle to it will be removed by the security
of that unity which France chiefly has OBJ
s.ructed. So long as Germany was divided
up into petty States, the French were able to
keep them in perpetual state Of turmoil and
disorder. With its unity within, and its new
frontiers, Germany will be forever fortified
against French threats, and be able to 60 on
quietly building up great civilization in the
heart of Europe"
1have of course, written down these opin-
ions of the foremost authority on German
history from memory. / regret that am
unable to transfer to my paper all the quaint
language, the rich illustrations, and above
all, the impressive manner and voice with
which these opinions were expressed. Re
publican and Radical as am, find much
in Carlye's talk with which l cannot liter
ally agree, but it is impossible not to feel at
every step that his views are the results of a
study SO patient, learning 50 vast, and a
genious 20 profound, that I for one, prefer
to listen and ponder what he says, rather
than oppose to them opinions of my own.
And here l may remark that Mr.. Carlyle
has, to my personal knowledge, often felt
deeply annoyed by the fragmentary reports
that have from time to time appeared in
American papers Of his conversations with
American visitors on the political affairs Of
their country. He feels, as do those who
have been in the habit Of listening to his
conversations through many years, that no
chance expressions during an hour or two
ought to be held up as representing
his full opinions on the great sub
jects involved in the political and
social tendencies Of America. He
is, indeed, opposed to democracy, and
he looks upon the two leading AnglO-SaxOn
nations, America and England, as going, one
close after the other, upon the wrong path.
| Ard that il about as much az Carlyle's casual
| American visitors get from him. II, how.
ever, they should be able to hear all sides
| of the question within his views, they would
| find that he regards both countries as des-
tined to pass through the democratic or neg
alive phase of development, to q condition
of social order which the most radical Re
| publican or Democrat would regard as mob
| Ter ideal than his own. At no time has Car
| lyle's deep interest in all that concerns
| America failed. As he respects the German
longing for unity; 50, even while withhold
ing his sympathy from the North in our late
| ClSh VIII, db ~ NS VushC Pui POoS, =
have often heard him pay tribute TO its
love for the Union The determination OF
the Americans to defend that Union did
| not fail to excite his admiration, and in his
address in Edinburg he named America as
| among the ''greatest nations" His knowl-
| edge about America is alsO far beyond that
| even of the most educated Americans. Ihave
| often been amazed at the exceeding minute
ness of his acquaintance with the whole his
tory Of America, from the date Of its discov-
ery-i.s settlement and progress, the rise of
its cities, its pioneers, soldiers, literary men.
have known him entertain room-full of
educated Americans with facts and anecdotes
about their own country, which one and all
aiterward confessed had been utterly I'M
known to them. He speaks in touching
terms about the way America first took him
up, and the fact that the first book of his
own that he ever saw was sent him from
America, with a good sum Of money for
writing it. And he still speaks of Emerson
Al ''the cleanest intellect now on the planet"