Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-01-14
THE EQUALITIESe
The ideas Of Disraeli upon Social
Civil, Material and Physical Equal

l.
Civil, materiaI and Physical Equal.
titles.
In his speech upon the occasion OF
his installation as Lord Rector of the
University Of Glasgow, Mr. Disraeli ex-
pressed his opinion upon some of the
tendencies of the day in these words
Whatever may be our feeling toward
France, may be permitted to say that
of all the many services which France
has rendered to Europe-that land of
ancient creeds and ancient governments
and manners and customs older than
both-there is no service so signal as
the proof she has afforded to us that
the principle of social equality is not
one on which nation can safely rely
in an hour Of trial and the day of dan
ger. Loud applause. Then it is
found that there is no one to lead and
nothing to rally round There is not a
man In the country who can assemble
so people. And rightly: since for an
Individual to direct is usurpation of
the sovereignty of the many. Laugh
ter. Those who would lead
feel isolated, and those who
would follow know not to whom
to offer their devotion. All
personal influences are dead nothing
remains but that central authority
which is an almost Irresistible power
in fair weather, but which in stormy
times Is always the part of the machin-
cry of the State that breaks. Cheers. !
Civil equality prevails in Britain, So
cial equality prevails in France. The
essence of civil equality is to abolish
privilege The essence of social equal
ity is to destroy classes. If the princi-
pie OF equality at the present day
assumed only these two forms, I do
not think there would be much to per-
pick you in your choice Or in your
Judgment as to their respective results
but that is not so. The equality which
is now sought by vast multitudes of
men in many countries, which is en-
forced by writer's not deficient in logic,
in eloquence, and even learning, does
not condescend to notice the existence
of civil equality, and treats social
equality only as an obsolete truth. No
moral or metaphysical elements will
satisfy them they demand physical
and material equality. This is the
SplIlo NlIiNIi ID HOW IISlUS
like moaning wind in Europe; but
which, when you enter life, you may
possibly find to be a raging storm. 1t
may, therefore, be as well that
your attention should be called to it's
nature, and that you may be led to con-
slider it's consequences. The leading
principle of this new philosophy is that
there is DO happiness but material hap
piness, and that every living being has
right to share in that physical welfare.
The first obstacle which they naturally
find to their object is the existence of
private property; but social system
must be established on some principle,
and, therefore, for the rights of proper
ty they would substitute what they
style the rights of labor. Now, the
rights of labor cannot be fully enjoyed
if there be any limit to employment.
The great limit to employment, to the
rights of labor, and to the physical and
material equality of man, is found in
the division OF the world into states
and nations. Thus, as civil equality
would abolish privilege, social equality
would destroy classes. So material and
physical equality strikes at the princi-
pie OF patriotism, and would abrogate
countries. rl-