The Press., 1892-12-15
The Elementary Principles of our Ameri 1 can Institutions.
BY REV. c. E. HARRIS, D. D..

forests, and on the bosom of our mighty waters, were nurtured by every breath of strong, free air, the hardy pioneer inhaled, as he pressed onward, into the illimitable wilderness, there to make for himself free home, and to found new territory, strengthened and grew with amazing rap- idity. King of the boundless forest or unbroken prairie, conqueror of the wild animals that invaded his domain, a law unto himself, with fealty to God and his own conscience only, the soul of the set tier swelled with the gradually awaken ing consciousness of the in-born dignity of man and his sovereignty over him. self and he resented any attempt on the part of others to exercise such sovereign ty over him.
 | Compelled to recognize the same sov- ereignty in others, the doctrine of equal rights was speedily evolved.
 The vast distances, and sparse popula- tion, strengthened the social ties; and neighborhood feeling, and brotherhood, were added to the list of fundamental propositions.
 r. Interpreting these three grand princi- ples of christian civilization in the light thrown on them by the teachings of The Christ, a christian nation was formed which was the first, to enunciate and en- phasize the glorious truths, Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood.
 This is the basis on which rests this latest-born, transcendent, American civ I ilization. This is what has made it sta- ble and enduring, while the statesmen of Europe, have looked upon it as utopian dream, and predicted its speedy down. fall. It is because, here at last, men have burst the shackles that confined them, and stand forth as their Maker meant they should, on their manhood dignified by their relation to God as their Creator and Father, and person. ally responsible to Him as their Moral Governor. That is, it is no longer man as | the mass, but man as the individual, who | is to be considered, and whose rights and privileges are to be guaranteed.
 It was for this, the inalienable rights of every man, that the fathers suffered, fought, bled and died. It was the price, less legacy bestowed by them upon their children. It is the sacred treasure, prized and hoarded by those children's children dear to us as the air we breathe, and as necessary to our political exist ence, as is the air to our physical being.
 Indissolubly connected with this idea of universal freedom, and indispensable to it's operation, is universal enlightenment. The advancement of civilization in its le- gitimate sense, that is, the true progress of mankind toward higher, more har- monious development, whether as regards the individual or society, is intimately CO., related to the spread and advancement of tion, class civilization, what one might call veneer civilization, may exist without popular education, and has done so. But the cause of the superiority of the favored classes will be found to be primarily, in their superiority of education and intelli- gence.
 Ignorance has ever been the efficient ! tool of despots. An ignorant nation is one easily enslaved, and easily kept in subiection. For an illustration of this political axiom, we need go no farther than to the legislation of the southern states in Gnte-be11atns times. The severe penalties, the long imprisonment, and heavy fines, and, worse, the danger to life even by excited mobs, which threat ened any one who should teach slave to read, were but the expression of their masters knowledge of this fact, and of I their never-ceasing dread, and conscious ness of insecurity. They knew that that was all that was needed. Let the slaves but learn to read, the rest would follow.
 It is the lesson of history. Keep na- tion ignorant, and it is nation of slaves. Knowing nothing better, conceiving noth- ing higher, they are content, with the un- reasoning content of the brutes. Educate them a little, discontent with their situ- ation springs up, coupled with 8 sense of helplessness. Educate them more, let them learn to think, give them the op- portunity to compare themselves with others, and the discontent deepens until it results in action, and they set about hettering their condition. Continue the process, enlighten their understandings, expand their minds, in word educate them thoroughly, and they will throw off their letters and be free. They must be free. And they only will be, can be, per- manently free.
 Sung to desperation by some peculiar l ly atrocious mis-government, or act of brutal tyranny on the part of their rulers, an ignorant people may be aroused to successful resistance against their cruel masters, and to their overthrow. But it l is only to see new masters take the place of the old, and if from their own ranks, their condition is more pitiable than be- fore: witness the French revolution and the reign of terror.
 Revolution is not always, may safely | say, not often, progress. 1t is never so, unless it has behind it, thinking, edu- cated body of citizens patriotic and pub lic-spirited; imbued with the principles of liberty, understanding the laws which govern it, and self-disciplined enough to abide by them; not tossed to and fro by blind impulse and uncontrolled passions. | It is one of the most important lessons of history, taught by so many and so sad examples, the inability of an illiterate, undiseiplined people, to retain, for any length of time, the blessings of liberty which they have so hardly won, and at so great cost
 | It has been demonstrated over and over again, that he only, is truly free, who has an enlightened understanding he only, can he trusted to govern himsolf who hac