The Portland daily press., 1875-06-18
Individuality.

1t has been in fashion for forty years OF
more to say that with the progress of the
Democratic idea the Importance and weight
of the individual have decreased, while the
influence of the mass has grown. This theo-
ry has been put before the world in multi
plicity of forms. Doctrinaires have written
pamphlets based upon it, histories have been
penned to show its gradual development, sys-
TENS of political economy have taken it for
their cornerstone, orators have proclaimed it
from the platform, and poets have sung that
the individual withers and the race is more
and more" We have come to look upon the
statement as a truism, scarcely worth the
trouble of repeating. One man alone, Thom-
as Carlyle, has denounced it as false, has pro-
claimed that the worship of great men is the
only possible religion, and has spent bis life
in an attempt to demonstrate that the table
man" must ever be ruler over his fellows,
and must shape the course of the race for
good or ill.
theory may well be questioned. The infu-
ence of the individual has certainly not
"withered" in any appreciable extent, how
ever true it may be that the influence of the
masses has greatly increased. Three weeks
ago the menace of one man was sufficient to
alarm all Europe, and it is generally be-
lieved that the pacific disposition of another
was the only thing that prevented great
war. Bismarck has but to utter a threat,
and there is sound of increased activity in
every arsenal and navy yard of the continent;
furloughs are revoked, foundres set in oper-
alton, munitions of war gathered, depots OF
supplies established, and soldiers set march
ing and counter-marching up and down the
face of Europe. The Gear of Russia speaks
a reassuring word, and the war clouds are
dispersed. Men return to their ordinary
business, and the fear of conflict passes
away. These men apparently hold in their
hands the destiny of Europe. Should one OF
them die none are bold enough to say that
peace could be preserved three months.
Nor is it alone in moparchical countries
that the individual eZerts great and often
times overshadowing influence. Had Lin
coin come to his death a year before he did,
had confederate bullet struck down Grant
at the Wilderness an altogether different turn
might, and probably would, have been given
to our history. Only few days since an ac-
cdent to railway train in New York came
near to greatly simplifying the problem of the
presidential succession. Tbs sudden with
tiraVvaf of Messrs. Blaine and Wilson from
the field of American politics could not fai
to have very appreciabe effect upon the po-
lltical contest of next year. Indeed the pow
er of the individual is quite as noticeable in
our history as in that of other nations.
1t is evident that our truism is no truism
at all, but simply false statement that has
been suffered to pass unchallenged. The in.
fuence of the individual is as potent in this
age as in any preceding. In truth it is
more powerful, and the glory of our time is
that we have done away with the class dis
tnctions and the artificial restraints which in
other days debarred so many from the oppor-
tunity of making their mark rpon their gen.
Grafton by force of superior talent or am
bition. The power of the individual is not
lessened, but the opportunity of the many is
enlarged. The class from which the rulers
of this world may spring is becoming cock
tensive with the people, and the shaper of a
nations destinies is no longer taken from a
privileged class. We are more fortunate
than our ancestors, and have the pick, not
of the strongest man of few thousand; but
of the strongest man of many millions. The
day has not arrived, nor ever will, of per-
feet equality of mental powers among men
''The race is becoming more and more," but
the influence of the individual is not thereby
lessened. The world will continue to be gov
erned by its great men.