New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-07
EX-SENATOR SCHURZ At BERLIN.

| HIS SPEECH N ENGLISH AT THE BANQUET IN HIS
UoNoR-sIGNs OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL AID
! vANCEMENT IN AMERICA.
The Hon. Carl Schurz, at the banquet ut Berlin on
the sth of June, besides the speech in German Soi
which translation has been published in THE TRIB-
| UNl), made the following speech i'll the English
Language:
The American Republic is now passing through "a
most important period OF ITS history FROM silms
Cling confederacy of thinlypeoped agricultural SET
Elements stringent along the Atlantic coast, andony
here and there dotted with few small commercial
towns the Republic has become great LinpIe aiu
mendous i'll extent and numbers, with many ana
large cities, great centers of commerce. Industry
and crowling populations and this large empire,
in spite of its territorial extent, Is much more cpn
pact and drawn more closely together by the mode =
means of rapid loconotion; than the oid
colonies eyer were, thus nnrougn ncb 'e grentcr
facilities Of central action But more than
that We have gone through great clvll war. ana
from it the National GoYernnent has emerged, no
longer the modest old institution, Narrowly circnm
scrbed in its power and pretensionS, living on lew
duties Oh Imports and laying up money at mar, pu,
now rational Government of vastly increased
authority and prestige, proudly oyershadowIng the
States, administering National deDt Oh glgahuc
dimensions and heavy issues OF paper money y.
enormous organization OF pubic servants ana !lat
Government is continually appealed to by various
classes of people for protection ana the promotion on
their Interests. III one word gentlemen, the bucollc
state of the American Republic, as night call IT,
belongs TO the past, never t. return, and III some M
portant respects we are gradually approaching many
of the conditions of society prevailing III older cOun-
tries. With the greatness of the Government ITS
temptations grow; with the temptations, It's abuses
with its abuses, the dangers they bring forth, and
with those dangers the problems we have to solve
With Til h6& condition of things we have to deals
is perls aud pcrplextcs We have to meet and to It's
exigences We have Ia adapt the method OF our po-
liical life. [Applausc.I The appreciation OF these
circumstances Is happily growing stronger every day
in thc American mind Their ultimate development
is still in misty future, but many thinking men in
the United states have long been disturbed by serl-
Gus appehensOus of the mischief, which IN
so grave q period may be INFLICTED upon the
pnbiic veal by a selfish partisan spirit, which, max
lug light of constitution and Law, Uses the interests
of the country only TO serve its own and looks upon
the Government mainly as machinery for the dis
trbuton of the sp ills OF office llppaIsel; by low
! demagDgry, which appeals only to the preJu'iices
and passions of the masses by that pretentl0us IL
norance which desplscs the teachings OF science ana
the great historic experiences of mankind lappalse
and by that sort of patriot sm which, III the vigorous
language OF old DIR. johnson, Is the last refuge OF
| scOunirels. Laughter and arplalse.I
The American mind is beginning more clearly than
ever 10 understand that mere form OF government,
however free and however wisely devised is not
alone sufficient 10 the liberty, happiness, and
| greatness OF a people that an active public con-
science is the true balance-whcc of free govern
mcnt; that popular institutions can safely stand
| only on a strong foundation of public virtue, and
| that the morality OF II government must he ruled
| by the same principles which III private life form
1
1t begins 10 be felt more strongly than ever, that for
the guidance OF American Affairs Ill such period
craftsmanship is required which knows something
better and higher to do than feed efficient parti-
sans with public plumber; statesinanship that has
intelligence and knowledge enough to understand
and appreciate the problems TO be solved, and
also moral courage and independence OF
spirit enough to treat those problems on
their merits and not merely III their rclai ion 10
party advantage. lApplausel Nor is the number Of
those small whose hearts are full of the sentiment,
that parties well III the way and useful, long
they strive for power only to ii for the public
good and rot merely to possess 1t for their own
oyment but that 70 serve his country III the best
sense every true American must recognize his duties
as patriot first, before he thinks of any obligation
as a partisan. lApplausel
| Am wrong assuming, MY American friends,
that sentiments like these have brought you to this
festive board Just a. much personal regard for
Inc I mo, n0!l And am most nappy to say to yOu
that those who appealed to the judgment and con-
science of Americans in this sense have not appealed
in vain. 1t is IL most significant fact that the ap-
preach of the centennial birthday of the Re
public finds the American people in Il peculiar
| ing up the pyOudest memories OF American history,
and well calculated TO make the American Eagle in
dulge in an extraordinary effort to aOft and to
| flap his wings i'll the good Old STYLE Laughter
States for any display Of unreasoning, supcrciious
| elf-gOriication lOu see the American people,
even while celebrating the historic deeds Of their
| great fathers engaged in sober and earnest
se!fcTJcsm when dwclls upon liults no less tiiail
| mon virtues c0nsccniiously inquinng what good
there is to develop anu VIA. o'h ''<e 10 Y" eoect'
1a me this is u hopeful sign that the year '76 of
the nineteenth century Will not be unworthy Of the
veor j76 of the eighteenth and that the American
people Obey their nobicst impulses VIII earnest
strive TO make their Government the true exponent,
pnt ~ their weak nesses, but of their virtues.