New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-28

r-ho >rinciples OF the constitution nave never
Neon Nucccssfully invadld, and the spirit OF
innovation is far less 3ct've now than u was
IN the first half of the' century.
Nor has the kindred possibility of encroach-
,,ont by one department, of Government upon
thor hccn realized. The vigorous denunciation
,,ob follows the occasional manifestation of
A.,cv on the part OF the Executive branch
. d;src,ari the expressed will Of the legislative,
- for instance under President Cleveland in
connection with The Fisheries dispute, is not less
.o.,>factorv and less hopeful for the future than
,,,lor acquieSccncc III the failure of the Legis-
,,i,c branch 10 oNcrawe the Executive, rs during
,hc Administration of President Hayes. 1t is
,nccc>sary 60 allude ~ alleged breaches made
IN .le Constitution during the hurricane of civil
,ar further than to say that sclf-prcservation
< -hr f:et law % nations WILL as OF individuals
We often hear the assertion. sometimes flippant
and sometimes rccrctful. that respect for religion
and morality has declined, and 1t is possible that
.,c,, ~. di>ccrnmcnt OF Washington would be at
,a.l; II lrc were suddenly brought face TO face
with modern civilization: but il is the spirit
,haf quickcncth. and not yet compelled
20 admit that the spiritual forces behind
forms Il thought and now modes of expression
arr Ids vital and pcrvasivc than they ever
wcrc Ard certainly institutions for the general
diffusion Of knowledge" which Washington in
clraci with religion and morality among the
jrc>o-ablc conditions Of national existence, have
multiplied 10 an extent which he could never
have imagined.
when Washington cnjOined upon his country
IN the sacred preservation OF the public credit
ne possibility Of such expenditure n the Ma
ton WAS forced 10 make between s6l and 1860
in defence Of It's life simply inconccVablc
hut the duty Of dIScharcing in peace the debts IN
Cured in war has been ria1dly construed as 10
rr,>cri one q the nohlcSt manifestations OF ma
tioral character the world has seen. We
are no longer In DANGER of ungcncrousN throw
Ing upon poScrity the huithcn which We ourselves
ough, 10 bear" hu' rather Of accepting TOO large
a share Of the sacrifices which made not less
for po>tcrity than for ourselves.
No part Of the Farewell Address is more solemn
and insistrnt and none applies "a more ssirchNe
test OF WaShinctons amazing foresight IMAM me
part which discusses our foreign relations. "
corrcs,,., So rcrfccily not only 70 our uncimnec-
able uolisv lt - tie universal sentiment that II
if he'd been thc FIRST article Of the Constitution, in
stead Of lii IadIvilnal'> frrc-wil Offering II conld
no, have lc,., more explicitly adhered TO- Wash
inc1on r,r,d he rroic to friendship with all
na-in IONS and warned them against lnVetcratH
autiiatlic>~ and passionate attachments. II IS
Nh .Ntr.orlInIy thing. when human tralItlcS ana
the ,icl>~.tudc> Of - century are conNd'rcd that
there should he today no country lH the world
for W. cl IS political entity. or for whose cltl-
zcns - social units. tie Government and people OF
tle United States have either paramount alice
non or rooted dislike Until one has made
mental crcuIt If the globe in search OF an nNccp-
zion lc fails realize the fact and itS sngulari1y
II costs u> no ciIort to hoh the scales even, be
cause there j. mo- temptation 20 ZIP them. We
have r1or,. IN common with our KIN beyond the
y. .lrts
ton j. ineligible and con NAL 10 our own, and
a thousand individual ties unite us, but the com
munitv of laws Of language and Of race, 50 far
from, kjudlinc u passionate attachment has
no, even INSPIRED a universal preference. Still
more. Fortunate If not more remarkable l. II that
no foreign nation j. widely separated from rs in
instincts and understanding as 70 have becomethc
object Of IN inVctnratc antlpathy. There an
nations whose ways are not our ways, whose
thoughts are not our thou -tS. and Whose systems
of government are the very apupodcs OF freedom,
INIT all Tint We are able to find in hearts
against them is a lack OF sympathy. This state
/ of feeling has become q second nature, but If
There were no other evidence of the fact, Wash
fnrtnn', earnest longing that we might attain
INTO II IS conclusive evidence that it IS not native
hut acqu.rcl How wonderful, again, the rcla-
tion between prophetic cn,rcaty and practical
fulhlmc.t.
THIS i,yi,f ANALYSIS Will not he ValuclcsS If 1t
suggests t. even few Of The Tribune readers an
attentive Study Of tho Farewell Address. That
outflow e - lofty spirit furnished 10 the con
teyn,oriric> Of Washington an impcricctiy rccOe-
niz,,i measure. # bis >.racity and Devotion /"
Ingenious minds in every generation uh'l 'h'
end Of time. II must api-.ar almost Miraculous
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