The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-07
MIR. GLApsroNE,s LErrER.


Dear Mr.. Smalley-I was unwilling to answer
your letter hastily, and | therefore postponed
writing for two or three days, but find this
does not IN any degree relieve ME from my di-
lemma.
The first point raised by you is, indeed, one
that can be briefly disposed Of When first
read in detail the Life of Washington, + was
profoundly impressed with the moral elevation
and greatness OF his character, and found my
self at a loss to name among the statesmen Of
any age or country many, or possibly any, who
could be his rival In saying this mean no dis
paragement to the class of politicians, the men
OF my own craft andacloth, whom in my own
land, ard my own experience | have
found no less worthy than other men of love and
OF admiration i could name among them those
who seem to me to come near even to him. But
l will shut out the last half century from the
comparison: will then say that if, among all
the pedestals supplied by history for public char
acters of extraordinary nobility and purity, saw
one higher than all the rest and if l were re-
qured at moments notice to name the ittest
occupant for it, think my choice. at any time
during the last forty-fve years would have
lighted, and it would now light, upon Washing
ton.
The other subject is one on which l hardly
like to touch in few lines, for the prospect it
opens to me is as vast as it is diversified and it
is SO interesting as to be almost overwhelming
Mr.. Barham Zincke, no incompetent calculator
reckons that the English-speaking peoples of the
world an hundred years hence will probably
count a thousand millions Some French author
whose name | unfortunately forget in a recent
estimate, places them somewhat lower; at what
precise figures l do not recolect, but il is like
GOO, O0O, 900 or 500, 000,0 600 A century back I
suppose they were not much, if at all, beyond if
teen millions, also suppose we may now take
them at an hundred.
These calculations are not so visionary as they
may seem to some: they rest upon rather wide
induction while the best they can pretend to is
rough approximation. But, as | recollect it was
either Inlay, or one of those with whom the
name of that creature is associated, that COM
puted q century back the probable population
OF the American Union at this date; and placed
1t very nearly at the point where it now stands.
What prospect is that of very many hundreds
of millions OF people, certainly among the most
manful and energetic in the world, occupying
one great continent may almost say two and
other islands and territories not easy to be
counted, with these islands at their head, the
most historic in the world. In contact, by
vast commerce, with all mankind. and perhaps
still united in kindly political association with
some more hundreds of millions fitted for no
mean sdestiny; united almost absolutelyin blood
and language. and very largely in religion, laws
and institutions.
IF anticipations such as these are to be real
lied IN any considerable degree, the PROJECT is
at once majestic, inspiring and consolatory The
subject is full OF meaning and of power If so
much meaning that the pupil of the eye requires
time to let in such food of light. | shall not
attempt, after thus sketching it to expound it
1t wonld be as absurd as if box keeper at
theater, when letting in party, should attempt
to expound the piece.
hope that some person more competent and
less engaged than myself will give this subject
the study it deserves, taking his stand on the
facts OF the last century and the promise, valeat
quantum, OF the coming one. lcannot but think
as well as hope that good understanding, in tho
future near and far, among English speaking
peoples, though it may not be matter oil GER
tainty, yet is beyond the necessity OF going
a. begging. so to speak, forreconmendationsf from
any individual, earnestly and with my whole
heart as l. for one, should recommend it.
Clearly if the English speaking peoples shall
then be anything like what we have now been
supposing, and if there shall not be good under
standing among them, there will have been a
base desertion of an easy duty gran rifuto.
O remuneration Of the noblest, the most bene-
fetal the most peaceful primacv ever presented
60 the heart and understanding of man.
On the other hand great as it would be- it
would demand no propaganda. no superlative
ingenuity or effort; it ought to be an orderly and
natural growth, requiring only that you should
be reasonably true and loyal to your traditions,
and we to ours. To gain it will need no prefer
human strength or wisdom; to miss 1t VIII re-
ouire some portentous degeneracy. Even were
it daydream it would be an improving onei
lofty and better than that which prompted the
verse:
Super ct Garamantas ct Indos
Proferet irlperum; iacet extra sidera tellus,
Extra ami solisque Was
because il implies no strife or bloodshed, and ia
full only of the moral elements of strength.
Believe me, dear Mr. Smalley,
r. Al p.rf-