Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-11-24
NApoT,E0N Am wAsHINGroN

= NAPOLEON AND WASHINGTON.
How different has it been with Vi
in France. We have had jealous mon
archieal neighbOrs who have ferment
ed trouble and discord, and we're ready
when republic Of liberty sprang VI
to strange it in its birth. We endured
several centuries Of monarchical rule
which only Terminated with the down
| fall OF Louis XVI. Then followed /
time when Republican France strug
| gled with mOnarehical Europe, ant
eventually our enemies came pouring
past our barriers. After that CANT
Napoleon Bonaparte, whe to US wal
what your Washington was to you
Both men-widely different as werI
their modes of action and the tenor O
their liyes-were firm admirers 0.
Democratic principle.
You will perceive that we have hat
trials to which you have been stran-
gers 1t has not heen enough thai
we should be good eitizens-that vi
should be brave and polite. No; at
times we have beensIrequired to risl
to the supremacy Of effort; we have
been required to produce heroes and
even martyrs. Blame us, therefore, il
you will; pity Us even, if you see st.
butirespest you must; admire us, in
justice you will. The two great
things that France needs to day are q
good government, founded upon gem
eral suffrage and the reign OF liberal
thought guided by religious culture.
For the government should be Of and
for the people. Not that / think TIE
masses are always fit to rule No; but
they should elect those who are to
govern. Like the sovereigns OF cons
stitutional England the masses should
reign but not govern. That liberal
thought should be guided by religious
culture there can be no question. The
great problem OF life, after all, is that
question OF man to God-"Who am II
where am going after passing, amid
doubt and terror, through that mystic
portal which men call death?p The
greatest danger to Democracy is inf.
delity-that infdelity which questions
mans allegiance to God and refuses to
recognize the differences between sin
and virtue.
TEE CURSES OF FRANCE.
Ihave nothing to say against Catho
licity. | profess it as truly 10. day as
| did when | preached from the pull.
pit Of Notre Dame. 1t is only certain
questions Of dogma which | reject
Catholicism is something standing
apart from Papal rule. Papal misrule
is merely weakening Of Catholicism.
Tainted Catholicism, the dangerous
wiles Of ultra-montanaism and an
aoeuFsed spirit Of demagogism
are enOughAo weigh down any country,
and France to-day is suffering from
these curses. Il is, therefore, that
| ask your sympathy for her. Not
that sheis in her decadence; she is
only near a crisis. He
CIVILIZATIONS ONWARD MARCH.
| love the latin races. 1t is to that
race that | belong. | do not like to
think that any Of them are in their
decadence, but | recognize that civil.
ization, which began with them, is
passing onward. Civilization began
with those latin communities scattered
along The Mediterranean shores. 1t
began in Rome, the cradle Of liberty,
in Judah, the city Of miracles; 10
Athens, the home OF the sciences and
arts. Passing onward it was carried
across the broad Atlantic by Christo-
pher Columbus to the New World,
From you it has passed onward to the
giant West. Thence it is destined to
cross that other broad ocean to cont.
nents which in the future, perehauee,
will turn rival and supplant this one
and Europe Let US hope that with
the march Of civilization broad and
liberal ideas, breathing Of true Demo
cratic principles, will advance, SO that
when civiliE atoms march is ended on
era Of prosperity aud peace will begin
and nations will realize that they
were created not to hate but to love
each other, believe this era will
dawn. | hone and expeel IL