The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-15
The Future Of America.

Professor Huxley, In his recent address
at the opening Of the Johns Hopkins Unf-g
yersity, Baltimore, said
7 constantly hear Americans speak OF Che
charm which our old mother country has
for them: OF the delight with which they
wander through the streets OF ancient
towns or climb on hattlements OF medievals
onpholds, the names Of which are tndls.
solubfy associated with the great epochs OF
that noble literature which is our common
inheritance, or with the blood-stained steps
Of that secular progress by which the de-
scendants of the savage Britons ana the
wild pirates Of the North Sea have become
converted into warriors OF order and cham.
pions Of peaceful freedom, eXhaustns Whae;
still remains of the old Berseaker spirit IN
subduinp nature and turning the wilder
ness into garden. But anticipation has
no less charm than retrospect, and to an
Epglishmaa landing upon your shores Tor
the first, time, travelling Tor hundreds OF
miles through strings Of great and we'll
ordered cities, seeing your enormous, ac-
tual, and almost Infinite potential wealth in
all con,mod itfes, and in the energy and abil-
ity which turn wealth to account, there is
something sublime in theyista OF the future.
Do not suppose that / am pandering to what
Is commonly understood by national pride.
I cannot say that / am in the slightest de-
| gree impressed by your bigness, or your
| material resources as such. Size is not gram
deur, and territory does not make nation.
The great issue about which hangs true
sublimity, and the tenor OF oyerhanging
| fate is what are you going to do with all
these things? What is to be the end to
which these are to be the means? You are
making novel experiment in politics on
the greatest scase which the world has yet
seen. Forty millions at your trst CEN
tenary; it is reasonably to be en-
ipected that at the second these States wiz
| be occupied by two hundred million of
IEfgiish-speasdng people, spread over an
area as large rs that Of Europe, and with
climates and interests as diverse as those OF
Spain and Scandinavia, England and Russia
i You and your descendants have to ascertain
whether this great mass will hold together
under the forms OF republic and the des-
potic reality of universal suffrage; whether
State rights will hold out against central
ization without separation; whether CEN
1 tralization will get the better without ac-
tual Oh. disguised monarchy; whether shift
ing corruption is better than perma-
nent bureaucry; and rs population
thickens en- your great cities ana
the pressure of want is felt, the Saunf
spectre OF pauper1sm VIII staih anons
YOU and communism and socialism VIII
claim to be heard. Truly America has a
great future before her-great in tot! In
care, intresponsibility great in true glory
il she be guided in wisdom and righteous
ness; grcat in shame If she fail. l cannot
understands why other nations should envy
YOU or fail to see that it is for the highest In
terests OF mankind that YOU should sue
coed; but the one condition of success.
your sole safeguard, is the moral worth and
intellectual -clearness OF the individual citi
zen. Education cannot give these, but it
can cherish them and bring them to the
front in whatever station OF society
they are 10 be found, and the uni
yersities ought to be, and may be, the
fortresses of the higher life OF the nation.
May the university which commences its
practical activity tomorrow abundantly
fulfil its high purpose; may its renown as
seat Of true learning, a centre Of free in
curry, focus OF intellectual light, increase
year by year ,entil men wander hither from
all parts of the earth, as OF old they sought
Bologna, OF Paris, or Oxford; and it is
pleasant to me to fancy that among the Eng
lish students who are drawn to you on that
day there may Epger dim tradition that
countryman of theirs was permitted to
address you as he has done to-day, and
feel US If your cause were bis cause, and
your success his joy