New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-08

pleasurable, and when they warn against
the power Of = long encouraged vice. -
IN fact, IT We consider the question closely
no other arrangement of things can De
imagined. For we must adopt one OF three
propositions: We must either affirm that
the human being is wholly unaltered by
the influences that are brought to bear upon
LiM-his circumstances, as we call Them
or tina. ne perpetually tends 10 become more
and more untitled to those circumstances;
or that he tends to become fitted TO them.
If the first is true then all schemes 81 edu-
cation. of government, Of social reform, all
instrumentalities by which it il proposed 70
act upon man are utterly useless, seeing
that he can not be acted upon atali. II the
second is true then the way to make man
virtuous is to accustom him to vicious prac'
tees and vice versa. Both OF which prop
ositiOns being absurd, We are compelled TO
admit the remaining one.
Keeping in mind then, the ewo facts that
all evil results from the non-adaptatiOn of
constitution to conditions. and that where
this non-ada ptatiOn exists It Is continually
being diminished by the changing Of consti.
tuition to suit conditions, We shall be pre-.
pared for comprehending the present posi-.
zion OF the human race.
By the increase of population the state OF
existence we call social has been necess;e
tated. Men living in this state suffer Under
numerou. evils. By the hypothesis it fol.
lows that their characters are completely
adapted to such state.
In what respect are they not SO adapted!
What is the special qualification which the
social state requires.
II requires that each Individual shall lave
such desires only as may be fully satisfied.
without trenching upon the ability of other
individuals to obtain like satisfaction. If
the desires of each are not thus limited,
then either all must have certain of their
desires ungratifed, or some must get graft.
tcation for them at Che corresponding ex.
pense Of Others. Both Of which a!tecna.
tives necessitating pain. imply non-adapta.
ton.
But why Is not man adapted to the social
state!
Simply because he yet partially retains
the characteristics that adapted him fOe an
antecedent state. The respects in which he
is not fitted for society are the respects in
which he is fitted for his original predatory
life. His primitive circumstances required
that he should sacrifice the welfare OF other
beings to his own, his present circumstances
require that he should not 10 SO: and in as
far as his old attribute still clings to him, in
60 far is ne unfit for the social state. All
sins of men against each other. from the
that fill our prisons, the tvicketies of trade.
the quarrelings Of nation with nation and
of class with class, the cOrruptness of in.
situations, the jealousies of caste, and the
scandal of drawing rooms, have their causes
comprehended under this generalization.
Concerning the present position of the hu.
man race we must, therefore, say that man
needed one moral constitution to fit him for
his original state; that he needs another to
L. L. L. l.,
been, is, and will long continue to be, in
process of adaptation. By the term OF
civilization We signify the adaptation that
has already taken place. The changes that
constitute progress are the successive steps
of tine transition. And the belief in
human perfectibility merely amounts
to the belief that in virtue Of this pro.
cess man will eventually become complete.
~ suited to his mode Of life.
IT there be any cOnclusiveness in the fore.
going arguments, such faith is well found.
ed. As commonly supported by evidence
drawn from history, it Can not be coDsid.
dred indisputable. The inference that as
has been hitherto the rule it
will be the rule henceforth, tnay be called
plausible speculation. But when it is
shown that this advancement is due TO the
working of a universal law, and that in viz
tue Of that law it must continue until the
state we call perfection is reached. then the
advent of such state is removed out of the
region OF probability into that of certainty.
f any one demurs to this, let him point out
the error. Here are the several steps of the
argument:
All perfection is unftness to the condi-
tons of existence.
This untitness must consist either in hav.
ing faculty or faculties in excess, or in
having faculty or faculties deficient; Of in
both.
A faculty in excess is one which the con-
ditions Of existence do not afford full exer-
else to, and a faculty that is deficient is one
mand more than it can perform.
But it is an essential principle Of life that
. faculty to which circumstances do not
allow full exercise diminishes, and that
faculty on which circumstances make ex.
,essive demands increases.
And so long as this excess and this def
,iency continue there must continue de-
,rease ON the one hand and growth on the
,ther.
Finally. all excess and all deficiency must
disappear; that is, all impertection must |
disappear.
Thus the ultimate development of the
deal is logically certain, as certain as any ]
conclusion in which We place the most i'm
,licit faith; for instance, that all men will |
lie. For why do we infer that all men will |
lie! Simply because. in an immense num-
yer of past experiences, death has uniformly |
occurred. Similarly, then, as the experience |
# all people in all times-experiences that |
re embodied in maxims, proverbs and |
moral precepts, aud that are illustrated in
biographies and histories-go to prove
hat organs, faculties, powers, capacities,
# whatever else we call them, grow |
" use and diminish from disuse, it is
Inferred that they will continue to do |
o. And if this inference is uDquestion-
bic, then is the one above deduced
rom it-that humanity must in the end
'ecome completely adapted to its condi-
also.
Progress; therefore, is not an accident,
ut a necessity. Instead Of civilization be-
az artificial, it is part of nature; al of a
iece with the development Of the embryo
r the unfolding of a flower. The moditica-
ions mankind have undergone and are still
Undergoing, result from law underlying
be whole organic creation; and, provided |
he human race continues, and the cOnstitu-
ion of things remain the same, those modi-
cations must end in completeness. As
lrely as the tree becomes bulky when it
lands alone, and slender if one of a group: |
3 surely as the same creature assumes the
iiferent forms of carthorse and racehOrse, |
ccording as it's habits demand strength or
3eed; as surely as blacksmith s.arm grows
.rge, and the skin of laborer's hand thick;
J surely as the eye tends to become long
GIFTED in the sailor and short-sighted in
he student; as surely as the blind attain a
ore delicate sense of touch; as surely as
clerk acquires rapidity in writing and
llculation; as surely as the musician learns
} detect an error of a semitone amid what
ems to others very babel OF sounds, as
Id diminishes when restrained; as surely
a disregarded conscience becomes inert
nd one that is obeyed active; as surely
J there is any efficacy in educational cul-