The New York herald., 1872-11-13
THE Law OF REVOLUTION.
MIR. John Stuart Mill and tho Intcrna.
tiOual.

Mr.. John Stuart Mill and the Intcrna.
tional.
The Nottingham branch OF the Workingmen's
International Association has recently published Q
pamphlet entitled "The Law OF the Revolution
embodyng its political programme. A copy hav-
ing been forwarded to Mr.. ]. s. Mill, he has &C.
knowledged the receipt in the following letter to
the secretary of the society,"
AvIGNoN, Oct IA, 1872 y
DEAR SIR have to acknowledge your letter oil
August q, and to express through you my thanks
to the Nottingham branch Of the International
programme and Of your able pamphlet, which they
have done me the favor to send. In the principles
find much that warmly approve and little, II any
thing, nom which positively dissent; that, from
the e w wha @ those % &c sst are ss
should concur In the practical measures
which the ASSOCIATION would propose in or
remark, however. is suggested to me By
some part Of the phraseoloey both q the pro-
gramms and Sf the pamphlet which should o. think X
designating the doctrines Of the association by
such title as "The Principles or the Political and
any set Of principles or opinions is not English. A
revolution Is change Of government effected by
force whether il be BY apopalar revolt or BY mill
means some particular man, so "the revoution''
means some particular revolution such as the
1.-THE principles OF the Revoutionn can only be-
guessed at from q knowledge OF French, In which
language 1t seems to mean the political ideas Of
any person Of democratic opinions who happens to
good to adopt this mode Of speech from
OF the French mind, which has been one main
cause OF the miscarrages Of the French nation In
its pursuit Of liberty and progress that OF being led
away by phrases and treaty distractions as II they
were realities which have a will and exert active
power. Hitherto the character OF English thought
has been different; IL has required propositions
that express definite facts not vague words which
only seem to have q meaning. There is no real
thing called "the Revolution" nor any "prnci-
your association, In my opinion, rightly considers
to be essential to just government, and there is
tendency, increasing as mankind advances In in.
the doctrines OF just government These are all the
facts there are In the case, and the more clearly
and unambiguousy these, and nothing nut these,
are stated, the better people will understand one
another, and the more distinctly they will see what
they are disputing about, and what they are
avowed TO prove: When, instead ndr OF sais men
and enemies of "the Revolution" the only
important question which is just and useful
is Kept out Of sight, and measures are judged n0t
by their real worth but by the anology they seem
to bear to an irrelevant abstract The otherwise
very salutary intercourse which has grown up OF
late years between portions OF the English and
French working classes will be dearly paid for II
IL causes the advanced politicians OF this country
to abandon one OF the best characteristics OF the
English mind and replace 1t by Of the worst ol
the French. cannot conclude without expressing
the great pleasure with which have seen the full
and thoroughgong recognition by your body OF the
claim Of women to equal rights In every respece
with men, and OF minorities, proportionatcly to
their numbers, with majorities; and its advocacy
Of the federal principal for the security of TINS TINS
last AS q further means to the same end pro-
noting at the same time other ends not less vau
able, would invite the attention OF your aSsocih-
TO the Improvement OF proportional represents
''n'" am dear 'F- yours very 'lncsri.,x :. = MILL