The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-28


scholarship end, Of good books for their owl
sake, but OF education power In human affairs. o.
educated men as an influence 10 the common wealth
so; that when DR.. Johnson said Of the teachers Of
Rssseas and the Princes Of Abyssna BE- truly said
OF thom The sages who instructed them told them
of nothing but the mseres OF public life and described
all beyond mountains regions OF calamity where
discord was always raging, and whore man preyed
were American citizens. They knew that patriotism
has its glorious opportunities ana It's sacred duties
Civil and religious liberty in this couptry could
be preserved only through the agency OF our polit-
teal institutions But those institutions alonc would
not suffice II rot the ship much as the skilful
sailing that assured tho prosperous voyage American
institutions presupposed not only general honesty and
the out ur ana
upon all the people, not upon part OF them
ana the citizen who s svadsd ,.a his share hare
safety lay in Institutions, but 10 ourselves
Public duty IN this country was not discharged, as
o s'sn s ss ssseS.y ~ his ' POLITICAL
duty, as tho Pharisee VINO gave tithes Of
all that be possessed, ana lasted three Times Time,
OF religion. When an American citizen was content
with voting merely no consented to accept what 10
help shape the alternative. This, which was for.
merry less necessary, IS now Indispensable In
rural community such as .nis County was hun
known to his ncghbors, and the consciousness
OF that knowledge was conservative inn 10 dc.
terminng nominations. But 10 tho local elections OF
the great OF to-day elections that control taxa
ton expenditure, the OF the voters vote IN
absolute ignorance of tho candidates The citizen who
supposed that he performed all his duty when he
voted. placed premium upon political xnavery:
cSnss h% he had S TO-
between jeremy Dddler and DICK Turpin. II ignor-
and corruption and intrigue controlled the pr.
tated the nomination, the fault was in the honest
and intelligent workshop and ONCE, in tho
sd w a as nS
faithful TO tneir politic Aghts as tho sums and the
groashops. the pool rooms and the kennels; when
the educated, INDUSTRIOUS temperate, thrifty citizens
jealous and prompt and uniailing in political
activity as the ignorant and vcnal and mischievous,
or whom 1t plain that they could not be reused
to their duty, then bnt not until then-if
ignorance and corruption always carried the day
there could be honest question that the republic has
failed. Mr. Curtis next went to explode the theory
that the higher education is often practically held to
almost disadvantage In this country. In this
ern statesmen who have SNAPPED the politics oil
the world. They were educated men; were
they therefore visionary pedans" mprac'i'aSe
ono from the Alps to Tarentum from the
lagunes OF Venice to the Gulf OF Salcrno; Bismarck,
who had raised the German Empire from name TO
fact; Gladstone, to-day tho lncarnate heart and
conscience OF England they were the perpetual
rciutation OF the sheer that high education weakened
After discussing in eloquent language tho dangers
arising from bitter party and personal controversies
in public AFFAIRS the speaker alluded 10 tho late Presi
Dental election. The ordeal OF last winter The
severest strain yet applied to republican institutions
was moral strain aloH8 very uUTo Oh our SvS-
tenn II was not a collision Of sections, conflict
OF principles OF civilization. II was supreme and
triumphant test Of American patriotism. Greater
than the Declaration OF Independence by colonies
hopelessly acnated from the Crown and already IN
arms; greater than emancipation, as . military cxpe-
dent, amid the throes OF civil war, the peace
full and reasonable consent Of two vast par
ties-in a crisis plainly foreseen and criminally
crisis IN which each party asserted It's
solution be indsputable-to devise lawful settie-
ment OF the tremendous contest-a settlement which,
through furious storms OF disappointment aud rage,
has been regiously respected Had the sophistry of
party prevailed, had each side resolved that not to
insist upon its own claim at every hazard, was what
tho mad party spir. Of each sids declared y to
one party and that Of Syla the other this
waving valley OF the Mohawk would not that day
mar with The music OF Industry and the tranquil
voices OF scholars blending with its happy harvest
song; 1t would have smoked and roared with
fraternai war. and the shuddering river would
by burning homes 1t was because these consequences
werc familiar TO the knowledge OF educated and
nssuage this party tire and to take that party
was always subordinnied to patriotism. The remedy
for the constant excess Of party spirit no conended
lay, and Law alone, In the courageous ndc-
pendence OF tho individual citizen. The only
way, for Instance. 10 procure tho party nomi-
nation of good men was Tor every self-f:spocting
voter refuse TO for bad men. In the medieval
theology the devils feared nothing SO much as the
drop holy and the sign OF the cross, which
they were exercised The evil spirits OF party feared
nothing much boiling and scratching. In hoe
s,gno rinces. II farmer would reap good crop, no
scratches the ecds out oil HIS field II would have
good upon the ticket VIC must scratch bad
mon of. II the scratching broke down the
party, let break for the success OF the party by
such means would break down the country. The evil
spirits must DO taught by means that they could
Sersand Them isow." sa,d the captain Of canal
u thing until you kick them They feel that and un
derstand.'
Mr. Curtis concluded his splendid grafton as fol-
lows The welfare OF the country dearer than the
mere victory OF party as truth IS more precious than
the interest OF any sect You will hear this patriot
ism scorned as an impracticabio theory, as the
dream OF a closter, the within OF o fool.
But such Was the folly Of the Spartan Leonidas,
staying with his three hundred the Persian horde
and teaching Greece tho selircliance that saved her.
Such the folly OF the Swiss Arnold Won Wpkclred,
gathering into his own breast the host OF Austrian
spears making his dead bouy the bridge victory
his countrymen. Such tho folly of the
American Nathan Hale, gladly riskng the SEEM
ing disgrace OF his name and grievng that he
had but life to give Tor his country. Such
the beacon lights OF pure patriotism that burn for
ever in mems memories and answer each other
through the illum mated ages And OF the Same
GRANDEUR in less heroic and poetic form, was the pat
riotism OF Sir Robert Peel In recent history He
the leader OF great party and the Prime Minister OF
England. The character and necessity OF party
as plan to him as to any man. But when he
saw that the national welfare demanded the repeal Of
the corn laws which ne had always supported, he did
not quail Amply avowing the error Of lite and the
duty OF avswns It, orseeing the probable overthrow
OF his party anc tho bitter execration that must
the eyes Of England fixed upon him IN mingled
amazement, admiration and Indignation he rose
In tho House oil commons 10 perform as great service
any English statesman ever performed Tor his
country, and closing his last speech in favor OF the
repeal describing tho consequences that It's nero pros
pect had produced, he loftily exclaimed: -"W here
there dssatis action see conten mcnt; where
there was turbulence | SEQ there is peace; where
there was disoyaty | see there is LOYALTY
soc disposition 10 condde IN you and not 10 agitate
questions that at the foundations OF your insttu-
tions." When all was over when he had left olilce,
when his party was out oil power and the fury Of
party cxccration against him was spent his position
was greater and noblcr than II had ever boon.
Golden said OF him. '.Sir Robert Peel has lost Office
but he has gained a country" and Lord Da-
ling said Of him, what may BIO truly said oil Washing
ton:-''Above all parties, himself party, he had
trained his mind into a disintcrcsted sympathy
with the intelligence OF country" pubic spirit
lofty not confined 10 other ages aud distant and
You conscious OF its strrngs IN your souls. 1t
calls you to courageous service, and here bid
you obey the call such patriotism may be ours Let
IL be your parting vow that II shall be Boiling
broke described patriot king IN England can i'm
agine patriot president IN America. | him
indeed the choice oil party, and called TO admins
the government when sectional jealousy is erces and
party passion NEST inlamed. l mag