The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-07-05
This public spirit does something more.

This public spirit does something more
| Il upholds law and order. 1t flames up
higher and fiercer than private resentment
at an insult to public authority-a defiance
of law It feels it as an insult to self, to
wife and children and every man, woman
and child in the land, as blow at govern
ment, law and order, and everything they
promote and protect. 1t Will urge strive
and combine. 1t will support the magis-
tracy and never cease its efforts until the
supremacy of the law shall be hrmiy es-
tablished and acknowledged, 1t inspires
that public opinion which is the strength OF
the law.
The peculiar virtue of its exhibition IS,
that the spirit of disorder and crime qualls
before it, and the victory iswon without any
violent collision. We saw how in New YORK
a set of bad men possessed themselves OF all
the seats of power and made spoil OF the
public revenues. The machinery OF the
law was paralyzed. A body of citizens or,
ganized themselves into a society, reused
Ep the slumbering energies of the people,
and when this was done, the whole fabric OF
systematized plumber fell to the ground.
Society work has never had footing
here, and must be permitted to say, it is
partly from the absence Of public spirit ana
partly from another cause. We have no IN
ternal traffic, notwithstanding our enormous
consumption. Such traffic keeps up the
contact and connections OF people, ana II
we had more industries it would grow up
here We have no great city, the centre OF
intelligence and capital, and the focus of
our civilization. Manufactures would build
that for u.s. Our main product is tributary
to cities of other States, There is not here
great consolidated public into which we
feel blended. We have not entirely freed
ourselves from another influence, which
weakened public spirit springing out OF
slavery. The wealth of the country taking
the form of plantations and slaves, created
So many small communities. The master
was a ruler-a law-giver and Judge lie
had his workshops. Sending his cotton out
of the State, he had his foreign rela.
tions. He was in measure independent OF
home government and home connections.
The truth is, he was willing to let the gov
eminent alone if it would let him alone.
Men of this class had the usual share which
wealth everywhere has, of education and III
telligence. All these tendencies consplre to
weaken the sense of duty to the general
publc-to that public which is represented
by the State, which has come to be regarded
as something apart from us-as high and
dry political idea. From all this has sprung
an overweening pride of individuality, and
a lurking dislike to associated effort; Let
us admit that this spirit has produced splen-
did specimens of individual men; yet it is not
the spirit which makes a great common
wealth. 1t is not selfreliance, for that is
never afraid of being lost in crowd, or OF
being interfered with by societies. This in
dividualism is very timid on that score.
Don't understand me, young gentlemen, as
making an assault on the doctrine, Let
every boy spin his own top" mean to
stand by that, but mark you, I make this
point on it. When boy is called on to
spin a top, let him spin his own top by all
means, but don't let him be always spinning
his own top, and do nothing but spin his
own top.
One thing more. 1 remember that Mr..
Carlyle in his inaugural address as rector of
the University of .Edinbug, amongst other
things, dwelt upon the subject of health.
Without aspiring to initiate the great man,
claim his authority for mentioning sub
ect of almost equal Importance, and that
IS the practice of individual economy. 1t
ought to be taught here,
That surplus Of ready money which gives
to some States the power to build them
selves up is the aggregate of private savings.
We seem never to have known what are the
lctual results of systematic private econ
,my The methods of this economy are not |
n stinted food and raiment: it is in getting |
id of all expensive habits and follies. Try |
he experiment of seeing how many things |
vou can, without disadvantage, do without. |
The man of the fewest wants is the most in |
dependent of men. Of all the virtues that |
which produces the richest and strongest
character, is selfdenial. 1t will save you
rom many notifications and embarrass- |
nents. A man by avoiding all habits and |
cquired appetites, which do not advance
i'm and yet entail expense, will find that
e is able to be liberal and benevolent. He
lay enjoy the supreme qualification now
nd then of helping Others. This economy
lerefore which | strongly urge upon you to
1opt as principle of life is but the reten-
on of the power, to do the right thing at
lie right time. 1t is manly virtue. In
ltering for the race do not load yourselves
OWN with burden of bad and wasteful
ibits.
Let me say to you, my young friends, in
Inclusion: You are going out from here
structed and trained, to be the leaders of
ought and action. Take the nobler view
life and the right estimate of your value
the State, and put your hearts and hands
the work of building it up. We are
'peful Of you, and do as in vision see the
spring spectacle Of generation carefully
wing the foundations of structure of
ciety and government, in the multiplica-
IN of industries, in the enlargement Of the :
Vocational system, and in reverence :
and authority; putting on rou
BON round, with steady resolve, until
grees, rising higher and higher, it shall
en- from afar, and admired of all men,