The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-25
GREAT ENGLISH THINKERS.
Judge Byron K. Elliotts Lecture Before the
Morton Club Last Night.

Judge Byron K. Elliott addressed the Morton
Club last night, at their headquarters in the
Bates Block. on 1.-THE Great Thinkers of the
described the condition of English politics in the
time OF Milton, and gave an estimate of his great
contemporary, Cromwell. whom he character
lied as eminently man of action, but narrow
in his political and social views. and inflated with
the notion of his own pre- -eminence, yet natural
leader of men, a soldier of great ability, ia
matte in religion. Cromwell was an honest man,
but not thinker. He left no political maxims
that will live, and his political efforts fall far
short of craftsmanship.
The man of thought was Milton. He was
humble, and satisfied with the position
of protectorate in the English government
Great thinkers are not always great men in ac-
ton, but they always govern the world. The
power of great thinkers grows with age. The
power of Milton is greater to-day than two hun
dred years ago. Among scholars Milton is a
power-in fact, he is positive force everywhere
He has justly been called the arst promoter and
approver Of true liberty. AS poet and states
man Milton is the glory of English literature
and the champion of the English people. He
was the instructor of his countrymen. All mod
civil and religious liberty took root from his
teachings. Milton was an accomplished logician,
and it was always invincible argument, not
abuse, that beat down his adversaries He was
in politics. Of invective, bitter and scath-
ing rebuke he was master, but
he never went out of the way of justice and
truth IN his attacks. 1t was always at dema.
gogues and low-bred politicians that he directed
his denunciatory language. The thinkers of the
present day are not more than abreast of Milton
Age does not impair his principles Sentences
from his works hare furnished material for
books and the seeds of thought for libraries
Milton was a political philosopher. While not
an active worker in the politics of his country, he
was the maker of statesmen. Milton gave the
doctrine Of the divine right of kings its death
blow, and upheld the right of the people, saying
that kings were amenable to civil law. The
people, he claimed, possessed the powers of
self government, and not the noblemen. In
matters of religion Milton claimed that there
was but supreme arbiter, the individ-
ual conscience. Little has been added to his
argument in favor of free speech. In his po!it-
ical tracts, Milton held that it was the duty of
every man to take part in public affairs. A
neutral on living, important question, he de-
spised and did not hesitate to express his con-
tempt fer such one. The government. he be-
lieved to be made for the people and not the
people Ior the government. ne neiu IL tue uuty
of all to love their country as their home.
In his prose writings Milton fortified his
arguments largely by Bible quotations, a thing
which should be practiced to a greater extent
nowadays Puritansm did not enter into Mil
toms religion. On the other hand, the criticism
is, perhaps, just, that he was too liberal in his
views. His idea of liberty was that which is
governed by law The liberty of government
Milton argued, must notdegenerate into license
or national decay will ensue. Milton was a
force among forces and leader Of leaders His
principles Of freedom crossed the Atlantic with
Columbus and took root in the new world. For
the ideas and privileges of liberty which we
now enjoy something, at least, must be at
tributed to the peerless thinker of the English
Commonwealth.
In closing his lecture the speaker paid beau
tiful and touching tribute to General Grant, and
after the closing of the address motion was
made and carried that the proposed services to be
held in this city in honor of General Grant
meet with the approval of the Morton Club.