New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-04
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
LECTURE OF MAJOR J. NJ. BCNDY AT COOPER IN
STITUTE.

LECTURE OF MAJOR J. VI. BUNDf AT COOPER IN
STITUTE.
Major j. NJ. Bundy editor of The Erening
Mail ectured in Cooper Institute Saturday evening
on the theme of Democracy" In the of his re-
marks he said after abiding TO the previous lectures In
the course and TO the unpatnotc comments on free in
sttutons OF Americans who have travelled abroad the
lecturer said:
OPPORTUNITIES make neither nations. 1t s the
use of opportunities that determines development ana
success either And fear that even Americans
do sufficiently bear in mind that our history unique
in the fact that here for the first time III te words an
mails there was whole people earnestly engaged IN
working out their political salvation ruling themselves
according to their own notions OF rght anu Jusuct,
thinking about discussing, and striving TO carry out the
principle of segOveTnment and ntelgenty crltcslng
all the existing forms OF klngy or aTlstOcrauc RUE
II was reserved for tins city TO make supreme demon
stration OF the recuperatve powers inherent in our
popular system Lees than wear ago inc SITUATION Oh
municipal affairs was as desperate as was ever known
in history any city II is needless now 10 20 into
The details OF our humiliation The mOurnful story has
told often and every phase OF Its Developments
every intelligent citizen Indeed, the whole civilized
world has become familiar with the black record such
| an astounding accumulation or wrongs ana Onenses
committed by the trusted servants OF million OF people,
was never before revealed IL was the cIOWniing
this terrible test found them adequate TO the emergency
The victory here che 7th Of November last VIII
he hroniced as the Gettysburg of the conflict between
the widely prevalent evils that sprung indirectly ont OF
our great civil war and local dlstempers OF longer
growth. and the free institutions that threatened
by accumulation and combination OF disorders. The
electricity that flashed the news of this victory TO the
ends OF the earth new courage TO every friend OF
| Democracy, and shamed those enemies who rightly
counted that failure here meant eventual failure OF pop
uar institutions everywhere NewYork has borne the
suit she entitled wear the honors of a self
| effected redemption and ylndication of honesty and
justice. For those hOnors, thirty stolen millions were
cheap and paltry price 20 pay.
Undoubttdy the greatest dangers that now threaten
orr institutions those that arise of the very
chnery which We most Of material progress
and development. TecOect hearing Prof. Parsons Of
the Cambridge Law school make the prediction, years
before the Shareholders Rebellion was thought Of that
the power of corporations would yet become more for
mldable than that Of the southern saveOcracy. To-day,
three men IN country control more miles Of railroad
than built at the time Of the pmlosophc prediction
! made hv the Cambridge Law Professor. They employ
armies Of men, and these men are of all grades OF ca
pacity and influence, from the common handler OF a
spade the vigorous and abest men of affairs in
! the country. They wcid their great influence, not
sayeowners but quietly aud through subtle agencies
0 %Ca e CS1g saa socetv YSn dSp
feel Col Scott, Vanderbilt Gould all the Con
tinent. They are powerful elements in the politics a.
well III the business OF the land What the result Of
this almost inevitable policy will be no one ought 10
day on which our people shall be convinced that the
of corporate powers has become uncomfortable and
property interests viii witness the beginning OF the
tam oyerth[ow Of oyerSr9%n Ty.eges LEGISLATURES
long as there Is no strong current OF mtege1t pubic
deep OF popular Indignation fairly stirred by afro
cos usurpaons Of power and gross OutIages on private
rights, they will not be quoted by cOrIup-eRisaton or
by any other device than That OF Fighting the wrongs OF
| tile people.
our present dangers all be traced TO some depar
ture for democratic principles Ii we are disgraced and
threatened by corrupt legislation and low tone Of
morals in public life, II Is because we have forgotten that
the proper functions Of government are 10 secure justice
and TO protect life and property, and have undertaken
10 egslae for special interests 1t II impossible 10 de-
fine exactly where the line should ne drawn practically,
but only safety is IN adhering to the principle that
our Government has paternal functions 10 exercise
over the people. They need such tutelage All they
want freedom TO develop themselves and 10 work out
the full Of their energies and abilities No Con-
gress that sat direct the activities of
Of free human beings wisely they direct them
| selves.
After abiding the proofs which the American people
have given of their fitness exercise their highest
rogative the selection of their Chief Magistrate the
| lecturer concluded as follows:
| Reviewing immediate past with devOu gratitude ;
cOmprehendng fully that our progress has been due not
70 chance temporary causes, but TO the conformity
philosophy and with the eternal laws of human nature
profoundly impressed with the conviction that all our
! future greatness and prosperity depend on our ad
| herence TO the democratic principles which have
| guided national develOpmen-let US here ana
now adopt the language OF Nj. Lincoln in
his immortal dedication speech at Gettysburg
and enlarge its reference 10 the heroes who there
fell so include all those who IN civil life the
field have lived and died for the Republic. Let
us say now as he said then: IL Is for u.s. the living
rather dedicate ourselves 10 the unfinished work which
they who fought here have thus far nOby advanced; TO
ourselves 20 the great task remaining and TO
gather from the OF these hOneTed dead increased
devotion that for which they their lives
Here let resolve that they shall have died in vain;
that this nation shall under God, have new birth OF
freedom and that government OF the people, 10y the
people and oI the people, shall not perish forever from
the earth"