New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-26
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AND TRUE.


but which is susceptible Of imitation. Ac
cordingly we find it held in great estima
ton by people of little minds and restrict
ed views; incapable of estimating the
genuine gem, but anxious for the distinc
ton which its possession affords. Such
make g great boast of their consistency
meaning by that misused term their te.
nacity in regard to old opinions, some Of
which may have been proved by time tc
be false, and others rendered by the
change Of circumstances utterly worthless.
Living examples of such consistency are
said to have existed until very recently in
the heart Of Tennessee, in the shape Of
venerable sufragists, who regularly, at
every Presidential election, deposited their
votes for General jackson. They had
learned in their youth that this was the
proper thing to do on such occasions, and
consistency" as they understood it, re-
quired that the usage should be kept up
for the rest of their lives They were
very proud, these solid old citizens, Of the
snowy shirt studs which blazed upon their
bosoms, and would have felt themselves
insulted to be told that they were but
glistening gauds of paste and brass.
There is, indeed, sort of consistency
which is Of great worth, namely, that
which consists in being steadily acted upon
by the same motives, and these the high
est, steadily bent in one direction, and
that toward the discovery and practice Of
truth. But consistency Of this exalted
character will seem to the ignorant or pref
udiced to be broken by thousand devia-
tons from the direct line. The ships Of
Columbus might have seemed to a lands
man veering and lacking toward almost
every point Of the compass; yet they were
surely proceeding westward, in the direc-
ton Of the land Of promise. So
the man Of high views and noble
aims seeks the good Of society
not by the treadmill path Of past exper-
mces, but by every opening which leads
toward the wished-for goal. Such man
lives in the living present, looking for
ward and upward, with eyes and ears
wide open, to take in the instruction of
the passing moment. He does not pore
over the pages Of the wise men who wrote
for other times, and under other circum-
stances, to learn what he must do; for he
knows, if he cares at all for their opinion,
that were they living now, it would no
longer be the same. To be consistent in
this way, man is not chained by his past
does not trouble himself about
his record. Great minds are above such
they seek not to be consistent,
but simply true
In fact, no reform is possible either in
religion or politics until the false notion
hat men are bound by their past opinions
s uprooted in the minds Of sufficient |
number to make an onward movement |
possible Had the most earnest and re-
igious among the Jews and Pagans in the
.postolic days been Influenced by this
,ugbear of shallow minds, a false consis-
ency, Christianity could never have been
established. St. Paul himself, under its
way, would never have become the apos-
lie Of the Gentiles, but would have fin
shed his public life as he had commenced
t, consistently marrying Christians. Our
fathers, pledged as they
7ere by solemn and repeated assurances
f devoted loyalty to the throne and gov
rnment of England, had they been in
uenced by narrow views Of the nature Of
UGH assurances, would have shrunk from
be responsibilities which they so nobly
ssumed; while Washington, who had ac-
uired the military skill, which afterward
erved his country 50 well, fighting under
be cross Ct st. George, had he held re-
tricted views Of duty in this regard, would
ave doomed himself to the ignoble OBJ
curity which covers, as with q pail, the
'ories of those days.
With nations as with individuals, the
purse of wisdom forbids a strict con-
5ruction of established principles, but
that new lights should be fol-
wed. That the constitution Of our coun-
y originally favored slavery, no candid
ian will dispute. That the nation did
ell in first disregarding its slavery foster
lg provisions, and then in repeating
lem, few viii now gainsay. And yet
us seeming contradiction in our course
a nation is reconcilable with the most
consistency; as both the pro
sions alluded to and their abrogation,
ere dictated by the same motive, namely,
le welfare Of the nation, as seen under diff
rent aspects and by different minds. The
me institution which was at first fos-
red that we might become a nation, was
forwards abolished that we might re-
lain nation.
Thus the times change and wise and
rue men change with them; "speak-
lg the thoughts Of to-day in words
Ike cannon balls, and when tomorrow
ONES, speaking its thoughts in words as
2ud, though contradicting in everything
he thoughts Of to-day" Live and learn
live and change. True consistency is
ruth to conviction.
THE RATIFICATION MEETING.
In another part Of this issue will be
eli a.,o4 r Al .c IL.