New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-05
THE AMERICAN EVOLUTION.

AMERICAN POLITICAL IDEAS Viewed from the
Mt the ROYAL Institution Of Great Britain in
May, 1850. BY JOHN FsKE. 16mo pp. LOO
Harper * Brothers.
In these acute and interesting lectures Mr. tlske
begins with the proposition that the Government
of the United States is not the result OF speciai
creation, hut of evolution" and that its history can
be properly studied only in connection with the
general course of political events in which it forms
a remarkable but by no means an isolated pheno-
mcnon To carry out his scheme of treatment he
takes rapid survey of the development of certain
potica1 ideas throughout universal history, apply
ing thus to problems of government and society the
comparative method which has yielded such
important results in other branches OF science Ills
manner is simple, his statements are so clear lis
summaries are concise yet so comprehensive, that
the reader will be in danger of overlooking the
difficulties of the task which he.has accomplished.
His book is one of those ine pieces of work which
look easy after they are done, though none but
master can do them
According to Mr.. Fiske, how to insure peaceful
concerted action throughout the Whole, without
infringing upon local and individual freedom in
the Parts-this has ever been the chief aim of
civilization, viewed on its political side; and we
rate the failure or success of nations politically
according to their failure or success IN attaining
this supreme end" This problem, upon which all
civilized peoples have been working ever since
civilization began, we seem TO have solved. Local
self government, practised i'll the typical New
England town meeting, is the subject of the first
of the three lectures; and the author traces it,
through our Teutonic ancestors, to the village
assemblies of the early Aryans. Local self-govern-
ment. in notifications of this FORM cOnfronts us
in the Teutonic mark the Russian mir, the English
parish. court, leet, and vestry meeting; and Mr..
,rta avnla ar of
circumstances which gave the old Aryan liberties
so much more, vitality among the English people
than among any of the other populations of
Europe With them the principle had become so
we'll established at the beginning of the modern
period of history. while with their rivals, the
French and Spaniards, 1t had been so completely
lost that England alone proved equal to the task OF
colonizng the New World. Healthy colonies can
never be- established without local freedom; and
that is why the struggle for the possession of North
America between France and England was so
short and decisive.
But local and individual freedom in the Parts
will not make great nation without peaceful
concert of action in the Whole The Greek cities
tried local independence without central authority;
the Roman Empire built up an immense centralized
power without local independence; and both failed
Here. for the first time a large scale the expert
ment has been tried of uniting the grand aggregate
of communities which the peaceful progress OF
civilization requires, with the freedom and
autonomy of the individual constituents; ard We
may assume without rash bOas ting that our success
has been demonstrated. Mr.. Fiskes statement OF
the philosophy ofour Federal representative system,
what 1t IS what it has done. how 1t has been tried
how it has triumphed and what its.capabilites.
is very striking His conclusion is not less so.
The English race is obviously taking possession Of
= all Vttali alU hot IL,
order to preserve their relative wvish6 among
mankind the different States Of Europe Will iind it
necessary to enter into a Federal Union. Indeed,
the time is coming when the industrial competition
of America will compel the dsbanding Of the huge
armies of Europe and then Europe will have TO
ecure peace "a We have secured it in America,
namely by uniting in sort of Federal relation,
in which the principles Of international law VIII
acquire more definite sanction. and the combined
physical power Of all the States will constitute
permanent threat against any State that dares to
wish for selfish reasons to break the peace.