,,speeches1 ,,addresses1  ,,and         
,,occasional ,,sermons1  ,,by           
,,theodore ,,parker1  ,,minister ,,of   
,,the ,,twenty-,,eighth ,,congregational
 ,,church ,,in ,,boston4  ,,in ,,three  
,,volumes4  ,,vol4 ,,ii4  ,,boston3     
,,horace ,b4 ,,fuller1 7,,successor ,,to
 ,,walker1 ,,fuller1 ,,and ,,company17  
#bde1 ,,washington ,,street4  #ahfg4    
,entered according to ,act of ,congress1
 in the year #ahee1 by ,,theodore       
,,parker1 ,in the ,clerk's ,office of   
the ,district ,court of the ,district of
 ,massachusetts4     ,,contents ,,of    
,,volume ,,ii4   ,i4  ,a ,,sermon ,,of  
,,the ,,spiritual ,,condition ,,of      
,,boston4--,preached at the ,melodeon1  
on ,sunday1 ,february #ah1 #ahdi        
,,page #a  ,,ii4  ,,some ,,thoughts ,,on
 ,,the ,,most ,,christian ,,use ,,of    
,,the ,,sunday4--,a ,sermon preached at 
the ,melodeon1 on ,sunday1 ,january #cj1
 #ahdh                                  
#ef  ,,iii4  ,a ,,sermon ,,of ,,immortal
 ,,life4--,preached at the ,melodeon on 

,sunday1 ,september #bj1 #ahdf          
#aje  ,,iv4  ,,the ,,public ,,education 
,,of ,,the ,,people4--,an ,address      
delivered before the ,onondaga          
,teachers' ,institute at ,syracuse1 ,new
 ,york1 ,october #d1 #ahdi              
#aci  ,v4  ,,the ,,political            
,,destination ,,of ,,america1 ,,and     
,,the ,,signs ,,of ,,the ,,times4--,an  
,address delivered before several       
literary ,societies in #ahdh            
#aih  ,,vi4  ,a ,,discourse ,,occasioned
 ,,by ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,john ,,quincy
 ,,adams4--,delivered at the ,melodeon1 
on ,sunday1 ,march #e1 #ahdh            
#beb  ,,vii4  ,a ,,speech ,,at ,a       
,,meeting ,,of ,,the ,,american         
,,anti-,,slavery ,,society1 ,,to        
,,celebrate ,,the ,,abolition ,,of      
,,slavery ,,by ,,the ,,french           
,,republic1 ,april #f1 #ahdh            
#cca  ,,viii4  ,a ,,speech ,,at         
,,faneuil ,,hall1 ,,before ,,the ,,new  
,,england ,,anti-,,slavery ,,convention1
 ,may #ca1 #ahdh                        

#cdd  ,,ix4  ,,some ,,thoughts ,,on     
,,the ,,free ,,soil ,,party1 ,,and ,,the
 ,,election ,,of ,,general ,,taylor1    
,december1 #ahdh                        
#cfj     ,a ,,sermon ,,of ,,the         
,,spiritual ,,condition ,,of            
,,boston4--,,preached ,,at ,,the        
,,melodeon1 ,,on ,,sunday1 ,,february   
#ah1 #ahdi4  ,,matthew ,,viii4 #bj4     
,by their fruits ye shall know them4    
,last ,sunday ,i said something of the  
moral condition of ,boston2 to-day ,i   
ask your attention to a ,sermon of the  
,spiritual ,condition of ,boston4 ,i use
 the word spiritual in its narrower     
sense1 and speak of the condition of    
this town in respect to piety4 ,a little
 while since1 in a sermon of piety1 ,i  
tried to show that love of ,god lay at  
the foundation of all manly excellence1 
and was the condition of all noble1     
manly development2 that love of truth1  
love of justice1 love of love1 were     
respectively the condition of           
intellectual1 moral1 and affectional    

development1 and that they were also    
respectively the intellectual1 moral1   
and affectional forms of piety2 that the
 love of ,god as the ,infinite ,father1 
the totality of truth1 justice1 and love
 was the general condition of the total 
development of man's spiritual powers4  
,but ,i showed1 that sometimes this     
piety1 intellectual1 moral1 affectional 
or total1 did not arrive at             
self-consciousness2 the man only        
unconsciously loving the ,infinite in   
one or all these modes1 and in such     
cases the man was a loser by frustrating
 his piety1 and allowing it to stop in  
the truncated form of unconsciousness4  
,now what is in you will appear out of  
you2 if piety be there in any of these  
forms1 in either mode1 it will come out2
 if not there1 its fruits cannot appear4
 ,you may reason forward or backward3 if
 you know piety exists1 you may foretell
 its appearance2 if you find fruits     
thereof1 you may reason back and be sure
 of its existence4 ,piety is love of    

,god as ,god1 and as we only love what  
we are like1 and in that degree1 so it  
is also a likeness to ,god4 ,now it is a
 general doctrine in ,christendom that  
divinity must manifest itself2 and1 in  
assuming the highest form of            
manifestation known to us1 divinity     
becomes humanity4 ,however1 that        
doctrine is commonly taught in the      
specific and not generic form1 and is   
enforced by an historical and concrete  
example1 but not by way of a universal  
thesis4 ,it appears thus3 ,the ,christ  
was ,god2 as such ,he must manifest     
himself2 the form of manifestation was  
that of a complete and perfect man4 ,i  
reject the concrete example1 but accept 
the universal doctrine on which the     
special dogma of the ,trinity is        
erected4 ,from that ,i deduce this as a 
general rule3 ,if you follow the law of 
your nature1 and are simple and true to 
that1 as much of godhead as there is in 
you1 so much of manhood will come out of
 you1 and1 as much of manhood comes out 

of you1 so much of godhead was there    
within you2 as much subjective divinity1
 so much objective humanity4  ,such     
being the case1 the demands you can make
 on a man for manliness must depend for 
their answer on the amount of piety on  
deposit in his character2 so it becomes 
important to know the condition of this 
town in respect of piety1 for if this be
 not right in the above sense1 nothing  
else is right2 or1 to speak more        
clerically1 ,unless the ,lord keep the  
city1 the watchman waketh but in vain1  
and unless piety be developed or        
a-developing in men1 it is vain for the 
minister to sit up late of a ,saturday  
night to concoct his sermon1 and to rise
 up early of a ,sunday morning to preach
 the same2 he fights but as one that    
beateth the air1 and spends his strength
 for that which is nought4 ,they are in 
the right1 therefore1 who first of all  
things demand piety3 so let us see what 
signs or proof we have1 and of what     
amount of piety in ,boston4  ,to        

determine this1 we must have some test  
by which to judge of the quality1       
distinguishing piety from impiety1 and  
some standard whereby to measure the    
quantity thereof2 for though you may    
know what piety is in you1 ,i what is in
 me1 and ,god what is in both and in all
 the rest of us1 it is plain that we can
 only judge of the existence of piety in
 other men1 and measure its quantity by 
an outward manifestation thereof1 in    
some form which shall serve at once as a
 trial test and a standard measure4     
,now1 then1 as ,i mentioned in that     
former sermon1 it is on various sides   
alleged that there are two outward      
manifestations of piety1 a good deal    
unlike3 each is claimed by some men as  
the exclusive trial test and standard   
measure4 ,let me say a word of each4    
,i4 ,some contend for what ,i call the  
conventional standard2 that is1 the     
manifestation of piety by means of      
certain prescribed forms4 ,of these     
forms there are three modes or degrees3 

namely1 first1 the form of bodily       
attendance on public worship2 second1   
the belief in certain doctrines1 not    
barely because they are proven true1 or 
known without proof1 but because they   
are taught with authority2 and third1 a 
passive acquiescence in certain forms   
and ceremonies1 or an active performance
 thereof4  ,,ii4 ,the other ,i call the 
natural standard2 that is1 the          
manifestation of piety in the natural   
form of morality in its various degrees 
and modes of action4         99       99
       99       99       99  ,it is     
plain1 that the amount of piety in a man
 or a town1 will appear very different  
when tested by one or the other of these
 standards4 ,it may be that very little 
water runs through the wooden trough    
which feeds the saw-mill at ,niagara1   
and yet a good deal1 blue and bounding1 
may leap over the rock1 adown its       
natural channel4 ,in a matter of this   
importance1 when taking account of a    
stock so precious as piety1 it is but   

fair to try it by both standards4       
99       99       99       99       99  
,let us begin with the conventional     
standard1 and examine piety by its      
manifestation in the ecclesiastical     
forms4 ,here is a difficulty at the     
outset1 in determining upon the measure1
 for there is no one and general        
ecclesiastical standard1 common to all  
parties of ,christians1 from the        
,catholic to the ,quaker2 each measures 
by its own standard1 but denies the     
correctness of all the others4 ,it is as
 if a foot were declared the unit of    
long measure1 and then the actual foot  
of the chief justice of a ,state1 were  
taken as the rule by which to correct   
all measurements2 then the foot would   
vary as you went from ,north ,carolina  
to ,south1 and1 in any one ,state1 would
 vary with the health of the judge4     
,however1 to do what can be done with a 
measure thus uncertain1 it is plain1    
that1 estimated by any ecclesiastical   
standard1 the amount of piety is small4 

,there is1 as men often say1 ,a general 
decline of piety2 that is a common      
complaint1 recorded and registered4 ,but
 what makes the matter worse to the     
ecclesiastical philosopher1 and more    
appalling to the complainers1 is this3  
it is a decline of long standing4 ,the  
disease which is thus lamented is said  
to be acute1 but is proved to be chronic
 also2 only it would seem1 from the     
lamentations of some modern ,jeremiahs1 
that the decline went on with           
accelerated velocity1 and1 the more     
chronic the disease was1 the acuter it  
also became4  ,tried by this standard1  
things seem discouraging4 ,to get a     
clearer view1 let us look a little      
beyond our own borders1 at first1 and   
then come nearer home4 ,the ,catholic   
church complains of a general defection4
 ,the majority of the ,christian church 
confesses that the ,protestant          
,reformation was not a revival of       
religion1 not a ,great awakening1 but a 
great falling to sleep2 the faith of    

,luther and ,calvin was a great decline 
of religion--a decline of piety in the  
ecclesiastical form2 that modern        
philosophy1 the physics of ,galileo and 
,newton1 the metaphysics of ,descartes  
and of ,kant1 mark another decline of   
religion--a decline of piety in the     
philosophical form2 that all the modern 
democracy of the eighteenth and         
nineteenth centuries1 marks a yet       
further decline of religion--a decline  
of piety in the political form2 that all
 the modern secular societies1 for      
removing the evils of men and their     
sins1 mark a yet fourth decline of      
religion--a decline of piety in the     
philanthropic form4 ,certainly1 when    
measured by the mediaeval standard of   
,catholicism1 these mark four great     
declensions of piety1 for1 in all four1 
the old principle of subordination to an
 external and personal authority is set 
aside4  ,all over ,europe this decline  
is still going on2 ecclesiastical       
establishments are breaking down2 other 

establishments are a-building up4 ,pius 
the ,ninth seems likely to fulfil his   
own prophecy1 and be the last of the    
,popes2 ,i mean the last with temporal  
power4 ,there is a great schism in the  
north of ,europe2 the ,germans will be  
,catholics1 but no longer ,roman4 ,the  
old forms of piety1 such as service in  
,latin1 the withholding of the ,bible   
from the people1 compulsory confession1 
the ungrateful celibacy of a reluctant  
priesthood--all these are protested     
against4 ,it is of no avail that the    
holy coat of ,jesus1 at ,treves1 works  
greater miracles than the apostolical   
napkins and aprons2 of no avail that the
 ,virgin ,mary appeared on the          
nineteenth of ,september1 #ahdf1 to two 
shepherd-children1 at ,la ,salette1 in  
,france4 ,what are such things to ,ronge
 and ,wessenberg8 ,neither the          
miraculous coat1 nor the miraculous     
mother1 avails aught against this       
untoward generation1 charm they never so
 wisely4 ,the decline of piety goes on4 

,by the new ,constitution of ,france1   
all forms of religion are equal2 the    
,catholic and the ,protestant1 the      
,mahometan and the ,jew1 are equally    
sheltered under the broad shield of the 
law4 ,even ,spain1 the fortress walled  
and moated about1 whither the spirit of 
the middle ages retired and shut herself
 up long since1 womanning her walls with
 unmanly priests and kings1 with        
unfeminine queens and nuns--even ,spain 
fails with the general failure4 ,british
 capitalists buy up her convents and    
nunneries1 to turn them into woollen    
mills4 ,monks and nuns forget their     
beads in some new handicraft2 sister    
,mary1 who sat still in the house1 is   
now also busy with serving1 careful1    
indeed1 about more things than formerly1
 but not cumbered nor troubled as       
before4 ,meditative ,rachels1 and       
,hannahs1 long unblest1 who sat in      
solitude1 have now become like practical
 ,dorcas1 making garments for the poor2 
the ,bank is become more important than 

the ,inquisition4 ,the order of ,st4    
,francis d',assisi1 of ,st4 ,benedict1  
even of ,st4 ,dominic himself1 is giving
 way before the new order of ,arkwright1
 ,watt1 and ,fulton1--the order of the  
spinning jenny and the power-loom4 ,it  
is no longer books on the miraculous    
conception1 or meditations on the five  
wounds of the ,saviour1 or commentaries 
on the song of songs which is           
,solomon's1 that get printed there3 but 
fiery novels of ,eugene ,sue1 and       
,george ,sand2 and so extremes meet4    
,protestant establishments share the    
same peril4 ,a new sect of ,protestants 
rises up in ,germany1 who dissent as    
much from the letter and spirit of      
,protestantism1 as the ,protestants from
 ,catholicism2 men that will not believe
 the infallibility of the ,bible1 the   
doctrine of the ,trinity1 the depravity 
of man1 the eternity of future          
punishment1 nor justification by        
faith--a justification before ,god1 for 
mere belief before men4 ,the new spirit 

gets possession of new men1 who cannot  
be written down1 nor even howled down4  
,excommunication or abuse does no good  
on such men as ,bauer1 ,strauss1 and    
,schwegler2 and it answers none of their
 questions4 ,it seems pretty clear1 that
 in all the north of ,germany1 within   
twenty years1 there will be entire      
freedom of worship1 for all sects1      
,protestant and ,catholic4  ,in         
,england1 ,protestantism has done its   
work less faithfully than in ,germany4  
,the ,protestant spirit of ,england came
 here two hundred years ago1 so that new
 and ,protestant ,england is on the west
 of the ocean2 in ,england1 an          
established church lies there still1 an 
iceberg in the national garden4 ,but    
even there1 the decline of the          
ecclesiastical form of piety is         
apparent3 the new bishops must not sit  
in the ,house of ,lords1 till the old   
ones die out1 for the number of lords   
spiritual must not increase1 though the 
temporal may2 the new attempt1 at       

,oxford and elsewhere1 to restore the   
,middle ,ages1 will not prosper4 ,bring 
back all the old rites and forms into   
,leeds and ,manchester2 teach men the   
theology of ,thomas ,aquinas1 or of ,st4
 ,bernard2 bid them adore the uplifted  
wafer1 as the very ,god1 men who toil   
all day with iron mills1 who ride in    
steam-drawn coaches1 and talk by        
lightning in a whisper1 from the ,irk to
 the ,thames1--they will not consent to 
the philosophy or the theology of the   
,middle ,ages1 nor be satisfied with the
 old forms of piety1 which1 though too  
elevated for their fathers in the time  
of ,elizabeth1 are yet too low for them1
 at least too antiquated4 ,dissenters   
have got into the ,house of ,commons2   
the test-act is repealed1 and a man can 
be a captain in the army1 or a          
postmaster in a village1 without first  
taking the ,lord's ,supper1 after the   
fashion of the ,church of ,england4     
,some men demand the abandonment of     
tithes1 the entire separation of ,church

 and ,state1 the return to ,the         
voluntary principle in religion4 ,the   
battering ram which levelled old ,sarum1
 and other boroughs as corrupt1 now     
beats on the church1 and the ,church is 
in danger4 ,men complain of the decline 
of piety in ,england4 ,an intelligent   
and very serious writer1 not long ago1  
lamenting this decline1 in proof        
thereof1 relates1 that formerly men     
began their last wills1 ,in the name of 
,god1 ,amen2 and headed bills of lading 
with1 ,shipped in good order1 by the    
grace of ,god2 that indictments for     
capital crimes charged the culprit with 
committing felony1 ,at the instigation  
of the devil1 and now1 he complains1    
these forms have gone out of use4  ,in  
,america1 in ,new ,england1 in ,boston1 
when measured by that standard1 the same
 decline of piety is apparent4 ,it is   
often said that our material condition  
is better than our moral2 that in       
advance of our spiritual condition4     
,there is a common clerical complaint of

 a certain thinness in the churches2 men
 do not give their bodily attendance1 as
 once they did2 they are ready enough to
 attend lectures1 two or three in a     
week1 no matter how scientific and      
abstract1 or how little connected with  
their daily work1 yet they cannot come  
to the church without teasing           
beforehand1 nor keep awake while there4 
,it is said the minister is not         
respected as formerly4 ,true1 a man of  
power is respected1 heard1 sought1 and  
followed1 but it is for his power1 for  
his words of grace and truth1 not for   
his place in a pulpit2 he may have more 
influence as a man1 but less as a       
clergyman4 ,ministers lament a prevalent
 disbelief of their venerable doctrines2
 that there is a concealed skepticism in
 regard to them1 often not concealed4   
,this1 also1 is a well-founded          
complaint2 the well-known dogmas of     
theology were never in worse repute2    
there was never so large a portion of   
the community in ,new ,england who were 

doubtful of the ,trinity1 of eternal    
damnation1 of total depravity1 of the   
atonement1 of the ,godhead of ,jesus1 of
 the miracles of the ,new ,testament1   
and of the truth of every word of the   
,bible4 ,a complaint is made1 that the  
rites and forms which are sometimes     
called the ordinances of religion1 are  
neglected2 that few men join the church1
 and though the old hedge is broken down
 before the altar1 yet the number of    
communicants diminishes1 and it is no   
longer able-headed men1 the leaders of  
society1 who come2 that the ordinances  
seem haggard and ghastly to young men1  
who cannot feed their hungry souls on   
such a thin pittance of spiritual       
aliment as these afford2 that the       
children are not baptized4 ,these things
 are so2 so in ,europe1 ,catholic and   
,protestant2 so in ,america1 so in      
,boston4 ,notwithstanding the           
well-founded complaint that our modern  
churches are too costly for the times1  
we do not build temples which bear so   

high a proportion to our wealth as the  
early churches of ,boston2 the          
attendance at meeting does not increase 
as the population2 the ministers are not
 prominent1 as in the days of ,wilson1  
of ,cotton1 and of ,norton2 their       
education is not now in the same        
proportion to the general culture of the
 times4 ,harvard ,college1 dedicated to 
,christ and the ,church1 designed at    
first chiefly for the education of the  
clergy1 graduates few ministers2        
theological literature no longer        
overawes all other4 ,the number of      
church members was never so small in    
proportion to the voters as now2 the    
number of ,protestant births never so   
much exceeded the number of ,protestant 
baptisms4 ,young men of superior ability
 and superior education have little     
affection for the ministry2 take little 
interest in the welfare of the church4  
,nay1 youths descended from a wealthy   
family seldom look that way4 ,it is poor
 men's sons1 men of obscure family1 who 

fill the pulpits2 often1 likewise1 men  
of slender ability1 eked out with an    
education proportionately scant4 ,the   
most active members of the churches are 
similar in position1 ability1 and       
culture4 ,these are undeniable facts4   
,they are not peculiar to ,new ,england4
 ,you find them wherever the voluntary  
principle is resorted to4 ,in ,england1 
in ,catholic countries1 you find the old
 historic names in the ,established     
,church2 there is no lack of            
aristocratic blood in clerical veins2   
but there and everywhere the church     
seems falling astern of all other craft 
which can keep the sea4  ,since these   
things are so1 men who have only the    
conventional standard wherewith to      
measure the amount of piety1 only that  
test to prove its existence by1 think we
 are rapidly going to decay2 that the   
tabernacle is fallen down1 and no man   
rises to set it up4 ,they complain that 
,zion is in distress2 theological       
newspapers lament that there are no     

revivals to report2 that ,the ,lord has 
withheld ,his arm1 and does not pour out
 ,his ,spirit upon the churches4        
,ghastly meetings are held by men with  
sincere and noble heart1 but saddened   
face2 speeches are made which seem a    
groan of linked wailings long drawn out4
 ,men mourn at the infidelity of the    
times1 at the coldness of some1 at the  
deadness of others4 ,all the sects      
complain of this1 yet each loves to     
attribute the deadness of the rival     
sects to their special theology2 it is  
,unitarianism which is choking the      
,unitarians1 say their foes1 and the    
,unitarians know how to retort after the
 same fashion4 ,the less enlightened put
 the blame of this misfortune on the    
good ,god who has somehow withheld ,his 
hand1 or omitted to pour out ,his       
,spirit1--the people perishing for want 
of the open vision4 ,others put the     
blame on mankind2 some on poor human    
nature1 which is not what might have    
been expected1 not perceiving that if   

the fault be there it is not for us to  
remedy1 and if ,god made man a          
bramble-bush1 that no wailing will make 
him bear figs4 ,yet others refer this   
condition to the use made of human      
nature1 which certainly is a more       
philosophical way of looking at the     
matter4  ,now there is one sect which   
has done great service in former days1  
which is1 ,i think1 still doing         
something to enlighten and liberalize   
the land1 and1 ,i trust1 will yet do    
more1 more even than it consciously     
intends4 ,the name of ,unitarian is     
deservedly dear to many of us1 who yet  
will not be shackled by any             
denominational fetters4 ,this sect has  
always been remarkable for a certain    
gentlemanly reserve about all that      
pertained to the inward part of         
religion2 other faults it might have1   
but it did not incur the reproach of    
excessive enthusiasm1 or a spirituality 
too sublimated and transcendental for   
daily use4 ,this sect has long been a   

speckled bird among the denominations1  
each of which has pecked at her1 or at  
least cawed with most unmelodious croak 
against this new-fledged sect4 ,it was  
said the ,unitarians had denied the     
,lord that bought them2 that theirs was 
the church of unbelief--not the church  
of ,christ1 but of ,no-,christ2 that    
they had a ,bible of their own1 and a   
thin1 poor ,bible1 too2 that their ways 
were ways of destruction2 ,touch not1   
taste not1 handle not1 was to be written
 on their doctrines2 that they had not  
even the grace of lukewarmness1 but were
 moral and stone-cold2 that they looked 
fair on the side turned towards man1 but
 on the ,godward side it was a blank    
wall with no gate1 nor window1 nor      
loop-hole1 nor eyelet for the ,holy     
,ghost to come through2 that their      
prayers were only a show of devotion to 
cover up the hard rock of the flinty    
heart1 or the frozen ground of morality4
 ,their faith1 it was said1 was only a  
conviction after the case was proven by 

unimpeachable evidence1 and good for    
nothing2 while belief without evidence1 
or against proof1 seems to be the right 
ecclesiastical talisman4  ,for a long   
time the ,unitarian sect did not grumble
 unduly1 but set itself to promote the  
cultivation of reason and apply that to 
religion2 to cultivate morality and     
apply it to life2 and to demand the most
 entire personal freedom for all men in 
all matters pertaining to religion4     
,hence came its merits2 they were very  
great merits1 too1 and not at all the   
merits of the times1 held in common with
 the other sects4 ,i need not dwell on  
this1 and the good works of             
,unitarianism1 in this the most         
,unitarian city in the world2 but as a  
general thing the ,unitarians1 it seems 
to me1 did neglect the culture of piety2
 and of course their morality1 while it 
lasted1 would be unsatisfactory1 and in 
time would wither and dry up because it 
had no deepness of earth to grow out of4
 ,the ,unitarians1 as a general thing1  

began outside1 and sought to work       
inward1 proceeding from the special to  
the general1 by what might be called the
 inductive mode of religious culture2   
that was the form adopted in pulpits1   
and in families so far as there was any 
religious education attempted in        
private4 ,that is not the method of     
nature1 where all growth is the         
development of a living germ1 which by  
an inward power appropriates the outward
 things it needs1 and grows thereby4    
,hence came the defects of              
,unitarianism1 and they were certainly  
very great defects2 but they came almost
 unavoidably from the circumstances of  
the times4 ,the sensational philosophy  
was the only philosophy that prevailed2 
the ,orthodox sects had always rejected 
a part of that philosophy1 not in the   
name of science1 but of piety1 and they 
supplied its place not with a better    
philosophy1 but with tradition1 speaking
 with an authority which claimed to be  
above human nature4 ,it was not in the  

name of reason that they rejected a     
false philosophy1 but in the name of    
religion often denounced all philosophy 
and the reason which demanded it4 ,the  
,unitarians rejected that portion of    
,orthodoxy1 became more consistent      
sensationalists1 and arrived at results 
which we know4 ,now it is easy to see   
their error2 not difficult to avoid it2 
but forty or fifty years ago it was     
almost impossible not to fall into this 
mistake4 ,sometimes it seems as if the  
,unitarians were half conscious of this 
defect1 and so dared not be original1   
but borrowed ,orthodox weapons1 or      
continued to use ,trinitarian phrases   
long after they had blunted those       
weapons of their point1 and emptied the 
phrases of their former sense4 ,in the  
controversy between the ,orthodox and   
,unitarians1 neither party was wholly   
right3 the ,unitarians had reason to    
charge the ,orthodox with debasing man's
 nature1 and representing ,god as not   
only unworthy1 but unjust1 and somewhat 

odious2 the ,trinitarians were mainly   
right in charging us with want of       
conscious piety1 with beginning to work 
at the wrong end2 but at the same time  
it must be remembered1 that1 in         
proportion to their numbers1 the        
,unitarians have furnished far more     
philanthropists and reformers than any  
of the other sects4 ,it is time to      
confess this on both sides4  ,for a long
 time the ,unitarian sect did not       
complain much of the decline of piety2  
it did not care to have an organization1
 loving personal freedom too well for   
that1 and it had not much denominational
 feeling2 indeed1 its members were kept 
together1 not so much by an agreement   
and unity of opinion among themselves1  
as by a unity of opposition from        
without2 it was not the hooks on their  
shields that held the legion together   
with even front1 but the pressure of    
hostile shields crowded upon them from  
all sides4 ,they did not believe in     
spasmodic action2 if a body was dead1   

they gave it burial1 without trying to  
galvanize it into momentary life1 not   
worth the spark it cost2 they knew that 
a small cloud may make a good many      
flashes in the dark1 but that many      
lightnings cannot make light4 ,they     
stood apart from the violent efforts of 
other churches to get converts4 ,the    
converts they got commonly adhered to   
their faith1 and in this respect        
differed a good deal from those whom    
,revivals brought into other churches2  
with whom ,christianity sprung up in a  
night1 and in a night also perished4    
,some years ago1 when this city was     
visited and ravaged by ,revivals1 the   
,unitarians kept within doors1 gave     
warning of the danger1 and suffered less
 harm and loss from that tornado than   
any of the sects4 ,unitarianism seems1  
in this city1 to have done its original 
work2 so the company is breaking up by  
degrees1 and the men are going off1 to  
engage in other business1 to weed other 
old fields1 or to break up new land1    

each man following his own sense of     
duty1 and for himself determining       
whether to go or stay4 ,but at the same 
time1 an attempt is made to keep the    
company together2 to cultivate a        
denominational feeling2 to put hooks and
 staples on the shields which no longer 
offer that formidable and even front2 to
 teach all trumpets to give the same    
sectarian bray1 all voices to utter the 
same war-cry4 ,the attempt does not     
succeed2 the ranks are disordered1 the  
trumpets give an uncertain sound1 and   
the soldiers do not prepare themselves  
for denominational battle2 nay1 it often
 happens that the camp lacks the two    
sinews of war--both money1 and men4     
,hence the denominational view of       
religious affairs has undergone a       
change2 ,i make no doubt a real and     
sincere change1 though ,i know this has 
been denied1 and the change thought only
 official4 ,the men ,i refer to are     
sincere and devout men2 some of them    
quite above the suspicion of mere       

official conduct4 ,this sect is now the 
loudest in its wailing2 these ,christian
 ,jeremiahs tell us that we do not      
realize spiritual things1 that we are   
all dead men1 that there is no health in
 us4 ,these cold ,unitarian ,thomases   
crowd unwontedly together in public to  
bewail the spiritual weather1 the dearth
 of piety in ,boston1 the ,general      
decline of religion in ,new ,england4   
,church unto church raises the          
,macedonian cry1 ,come over and help us6
 ,the opinion seems general that piety  
is in a poor way1 and must have         
watchers1 the strongest medicine1 and   
nursing quite unusual1 or it will soon  
be all over1 and ,unitarianism will give
 up the ghost4 ,various causes have ,i  
heard assigned for the malady2 some     
think that there has been over-much     
preaching of philosophy1 though perhaps 
there is not evidence to convict any one
 man in particular of the offence2 that 
philosophy is the dog in the manger1 who
 keeps the hungry ,unitarian flock from 

their spiritual hay1 and cut-straw1     
which are yet of not the smallest use to
 him4 ,but look never so sharp1 and you 
do not find this dangerous beast in the 
neighborhood of the fold4 ,others think 
that there has been also an excess of   
moral preaching1 against the prevalent  
sins of the nation1 ,i suppose--but few 
individuals seem liable to conviction on
 that charge4 ,yet others think this    
decline comes from the fact that the    
terrors have not been duly and          
sufficiently administered from the      
pulpit2 that while ,catholics and       
,methodists thrive under such           
influences1 the ,unitarian widows are   
neglected in the weekly ministration of 
terror and of threat2 that there has not
 been so much an excess of lightning in 
the form of philosophy or morality1 but 
only a lack of thunder4  ,this temporary
 movement among the ,unitarians of      
,boston is natural2 in some respects it 
is what our fathers would have called   
judicial4 ,the ,unitarians have been    

cold1 have looked more at the outward   
manifestations of goodness than at the  
inward spirit of piety which was to make
 the manifestations2 they have not had  
an excess of philosophy1 or of morality1
 but a defect of piety4 ,they have been 
more respectable than pious4 ,they have 
not always quite rightly appreciated the
 enthusiasm of sterner and more austere 
sects2 not always done justice to the   
inwardness of religion those sects      
sought to promote4 ,when their churches 
get a little thin1 and their            
denominational affairs a little         
disturbed1 it is quite natural these    
,unitarians should look after the cause 
and pass over to lamentations at the    
present state of things2 while looking  
at the community from the new point of  
view1 it is quite natural that they     
should suppose piety on the decline1 and
 religion dying out4 ,yes1 in general it
 is plain that1 if men have no eyes but 
conventional eyes1 no spirit but that of
 the ecclesiastical order they serve in1

 and of the denomination they belong to1
 it is natural for them to think that   
because piety does not flow in the old  
ecclesiastical channel1 it does not flow
 anywhere1 and there is none at all to  
run4 ,thus it is easy to explain the    
complaint of the ,catholics at the great
 defection of the most enlightened      
nations of ,europe2 the lamentation of  
the ,protestants at the heresy of the   
most enlightened portion of their sect2 
and the ,unitarian wail over the general
 decline of piety in the city of        
,boston4 ,some men can only judge the   
present age by the conventional standard
 of the past1 and as the old form of    
piety does not appear1 they must        
conclude there is no piety4         99  
99       99       99       99  ,let us  
now recur to the other or natural       
standard1 and look at the manifestation 
of piety in the form of morality4 ,last 
,sunday ,i spoke of our moral condition2
 and it appeared that morals were in a  
low state here when compared with the   

ideal morals of ,christianity4 ,now as  
the outward deed is but the             
manifestation of the inward life1 and   
objective humanity the index of         
subjective divinity1 so the low state of
 morals proves a low state of piety2 if 
the heart of this town was right towards
 ,god1 then would its hand also be right
 towards man4 ,i am one of those who for
 long years have lamented the want of   
vital piety in this people4 ,we not only
 do not realize spiritual things1 but we
 do not make them our ideals4 ,i see    
proofs of this want of piety in the low 
morals of trade1 of the public press2 in
 poverty1 intemperance1 and crime2 in   
the vices and social wrongs touched on  
the last ,sunday4 ,i judge the tree by  
its fruit4 ,but it is not on this ground
 that the ecclesiastical complaint is   
based4 ,men who make so much ado about  
the absence of piety1 do not appeal for 
proof thereof to the great vices and    
prominent sins of the times2 they see no
 sign of that in our trade and our      

politics2 in the misery that festers in 
putrid lanes1 one day to breed a        
pestilence1 which it were even cheaper  
to hinder now1 than cure at a later     
time2 nobody mentions as proof the      
,mexican ,war1 the political dishonesty 
of officers1 the rapacity of            
office-seekers1 the servility of men who
 will tamely suffer the most sacred     
rights of three millions of men to be   
trodden into the dust4 ,matters which   
concern millions of men came up before  
your ,congress2 the great ,senator of   
,massachusetts loitered away the time of
 the session here in ,boston1 managing a
 lawsuit for a few thousand dollars1 and
 no fault was publicly found with such  
neglect of public duty2 but men see no  
lack of piety indicated by this fact1   
and others like it2 they find signs of  
that lack in empty pews1 in a deserted  
communion-table1 in the fact that       
children1 though brought up to reverence
 truth and justice1 to love man and to  
love ,god1 are not baptized with water2 

or in the fact that ,unitarianism or    
,trinitarianism is on the decline6 ,how 
many wailings have we all heard or read1
 because the ,puritan churches of       
,boston have not kept the faith of their
 grim founders2 what lamentations at the
 rising up of a sect which refuses the  
doctrine of the ,trinity1 or at the     
appearance of a few men who1 neglecting 
the common props of ,christianity1 rest 
it1 for its basis1 on the nature of man 
and the nature of ,god3 though almost   
all the eminent philanthropy of the day 
is connected with these men1 yet they   
are still called ,infidel1 and reviled  
on all hands6  ,the state of things     
mentioned in the last sermon does       
indicate a want of piety1 a deep and a  
great want4 ,i do not see signs of that 
in the debt and decay of churches1 in   
absence from meetings1 in doubt of      
theological dogmas1 in neglect of forms 
and ceremonies which once were of great 
value2 but ,i do see it in the low      
morals of trade1 of the press2 in the   

popular vices4 ,on a national scale ,i  
see it in the depravity of political    
parties1 in the wicked war we have just 
fought1 in the slavery we still tolerate
 and support4 ,yes1 as ,i look on the   
churches of this city1 ,i see a want of 
piety in the midst of us4 ,if eminent   
piety were in them1 and allowed to      
follow its natural bent1 it would come  
out of them in the form of eminent      
humanity2 they would lead in the        
philanthropies of this day1 where they  
hardly follow4 ,in this condition of the
 churches ,i see a most signal proof of 
the low estate of piety2 they do not    
manifest a love of truth1 which is the  
piety of the intellect2 nor a love of   
justice1 which is the piety of the moral
 sense2 nor a love of love1 which is the
 piety of the affections2 nor a love of 
,god as the ,infinite ,father of all    
men1 which is the total piety of the    
whole soul4 ,for lack of this internal  
divinity there is a lack of external    
humanity4 ,who can bring a clean thing  

out of an unclean8 ,this is what ,i     
complain of1 what ,i mourn over4  ,the  
clergymen of this city are most of them 
sincere men1 ,i doubt not2 some of them 
men of a superior culture2 many of them 
laborious men2 most1 perhaps all of     
them1 deeply interested in the welfare  
of the churches1 and the promotion of   
piety4 ,but how many of them are marked 
and known for their philanthropy1       
distinguished for their zeal in putting 
down any of the major sins of our day1  
zealous in any work of reform8 ,i fear  
,i can count them all on the fingers of 
a single hand2 yet there are enough to  
bewail the departure of monastic forms1 
and of the theology which led men in the
 dimness of a darker age1 but cannot    
shine in the rising light of this4 ,i   
find no fault with these men2 ,i blame  
them not2 it is their profession which  
so blinds their eyes4 ,they are as wise 
and as valiant as the churches let them 
be4 ,what sect in all this land ever    
cared about temperance1 education1 peace

 betwixt nations1 or even the freedom of
 all men in our own1 so much as this    
sect cares for the baptizing of children
 with water1 and that for the baptizing 
of men2 this for the doctrine of the    
,trinity1 and all for the infallibility 
of the ,bible8 ,do you ask the sects to 
engage in the work of extirpating       
concrete wrong8 ,it is in vain2 each    
reformer tries it--the mild sects       
answer1 ,i pray thee have me excused2   
the sterner sects reply with awful      
speech4 ,a distinguished theological    
journal of another city thinks the      
philanthropies of this day are hostile  
to piety1 and declares that true        
spiritual ,christianity never prevails  
where men think slavery is a sin4 ,a    
distinguished minister of a highly      
respectable sect declares the temperance
 societies unchristian1 and even        
atheistical4 ,he reasons thus3 ,the     
church is an instrument appointed by    
,god and ,christ1 to overcome all forms 
of wrong1 intemperance among the rest2  

to neglect this instrument and devise   
another1 a temperance society1 to wit1  
is to abandon the institutions of ,god  
and ,christ1 and so it is unchristian   
and atheistical4 ,in other words1 here  
is intemperance1 a stone of stumbling1  
and a rock of offence1 in our way2 there
 is an old wooden beetle1 which has done
 great service of old time1 and is said 
to have been made by ,god's own hand2   
men smite therewith the stone or smite  
it not2 still it lies there a stone of  
stumbling and a stone of shame2 other   
men approach1 and with a sledge-hammer  
of well-tempered steel smite the rock1  
and break off piece after piece1        
smoothing the rough impracticable way2  
they call on men to come to their aid1  
with such weapons as they will4 ,but our
 minister bids them beware2 the beetle  
is of the ,lord1 the iron which breaks  
the rock in pieces is an unchristian and
 atheistical instrument4 ,yet was this  
minister an earnest1 a pious1 and a     
self-denying man1 who sincerely sought  

the good of men4 ,he had been taught to 
know no piety but in the church's form4 
,i would not do dishonor to the         
churches2 they have done great service1 
they still do much2 ,i would only ask   
them to be worthy of their ,christian   
name4 ,they educate men a little1 and   
allow them to approach emancipation1 but
 never to be free and go alone4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,i see much to complain of in the       
condition of piety2 yet nothing to be   
alarmed at4 ,when ,i look back1 it seems
 worse still1 far worse4 ,there has not 
been ,a decline of piety in ,boston of  
late years4 ,religion is not sick4 ,last
 ,sunday1 ,i spoke of the great progress
 made in morality within fifty years2 ,i
 said it was an immense progress within 
two hundred years4 ,now1 there cannot be
 such a progress in the outward         
manifestation without a corresponding   
and previous development of the inward  
principle4 ,morality cannot grow without
 piety more than an oak without water1  

earth1 sun1 and air4 ,let me go back one
 hundred years2 see what a difference   
between the religious aspect of things  
then and now6 certainly there has been a
 great growth in spirituality since that
 day4 ,i am not to judge men's hearts2  
,i may take their outward lives as the  
test and measure of their inward piety4 
,will you say the outward life never    
completely comes up to that8 ,it does so
 as completely now as then4 ,compare the
 toleration of these times with those2  
compare the intelligence of the         
community2 the temperance1 sobriety1    
chastity1 virtue in general4 ,look at   
what is now done in a municipal way by  
towns and ,states for mankind2 see the  
better provision made for the poor1 for 
the deaf1 the dumb1 the blind1 for the  
insane1 even for the idiot2 see what is 
done for the education of the people--in
 schools1 academies1 colleges1 and by   
public lectures2 what is done for the   
criminal to prevent the growth of crime4
 ,see what an amelioration of the penal 

laws2 how men are saved and restored to 
society1 who had once been wholly lost4 
,see what is done by philanthropy still 
more eminent1 which the town and ,state 
have not yet overtaken and enacted into 
law2 by the various societies for       
reform--those for temperance1 for peace1
 for the discipline of prisons1 for the 
discharged convicts1 for freeing the    
slave4 ,see this ,anti-slavery party1   
which1 in twenty years1 has become so   
powerful throughout all the ,northern   
,states1 so strong that it cannot be    
howled down1 and men begin to find it   
hardly safe to howl over it2 a party    
which only waits the time to lift up its
 million arms1 and hurl the hateful     
institution of slavery out of the land6 
,all these humane movements come from a 
divine piety in the soul of man4 ,a tree
 which bears such fruits is not a dead  
tree2 is not wholly to be despaired of2 
is not yet in a decline1 and past all   
hope of recovery4 ,is the age wanting in
 piety1 which makes such efforts as     

these8 ,yes1 you will say1 because it   
does no more4 ,i agree to this1 but it  
is rich in piety compared to other      
times4 ,ours is an age of faith2 not of 
mere belief in the commandments of men1 
but of faith in the nature of man and   
the commandments of ,god4  ,this        
prevailing and contagious complaint     
about the decline of religion is not one
 of the new things of our time4 ,in the 
beginning of the last century1 ,dr4     
,colman1 first minister of the church in
 ,brattle street1 lamented in small     
capitals over the general decline of    
piety3--,the venerable name of religion 
and of the church is made a sham        
pretence for the worst of villanies1 for
 uncharitableness and unnatural         
oppression of the pious and the         
peaceable2 the perilous times are come1 
wherein men are lovers only of their own
 selves4 ,ah1 calamitous day1 says he1  
into which we are fallen1 and into which
 the sins of our infatuated age have    
brought us6 ,he looks back to the       

founders of ,new ,england2 they were    
rich in faith1 and heirs of a better    
world1 men of whom the world was not    
worthy2 they laid in a stock of prayers 
for us which have brought down many     
blessings on us already4 ,samuel        
,willard bewailed the checkered state of
 the gospel church2 it was in every     
respect a gloomy day1 and covered with  
thick clouds4  ,we retire yet further   
back1 to the end of the seventeenth     
century2 a hundred and sixty or seventy 
years ago1 ,dr4 ,increase ,mather1 not  
only in his own pulpit1 but also at the 
great and ,thursday lecture1 lamented   
over the degeneracy and departing glory 
of ,new ,england4 ,he complained that   
there was a neglect of the ,sabbath1 of 
the ordinances1 and of family worship2  
he groaned at the lax discipline of the 
churches1 and looked1 says another1 as  
fearfully on the growing charity as on  
the growing vices of the age4 ,he called
 the existing generation an unconverted 
generation4 ,atheism and profaneness1   

says he1 have come to a prodigious      
height2 ,god will visit for these       
things2 ,god is about to open the       
windows of heaven1 and pour down the    
cataracts of ,his wrath ere this        
generation 444 is passed away4 ,if a    
comet appeared in the sky1 it was to    
admonish men of the visitation1 and make
 the haughty daughters of ,zion reform  
their pride of apparel4 ,the world is   
full of unbelief 7that is1 in the       
malignant aspect and disastrous         
influence of comets71 but there is an   
awful ,scripture for them that do       
profanely condemn such signal works6    
,one of the present and well-known      
indications of the decline of piety1    
that is often thought a modern luxury1  
and ridiculously denounced in the       
pulpit1 which has done its part in      
fostering the enjoyment1 was practised  
to an extent that alarmed the prim      
shepherds of the ,new ,england flock in 
earlier days4 ,the same ,dr4 ,mather    
preached a series of sermons tending to 

promote the power of godliness1 and     
concludes the whole with a discourse ,of
 sleeping at sermons1 and says3 ,to     
sleep in the public worship of ,god is a
 thing too frequently and easily        
practised2 it is a great and a dangerous
 evil4 ,sleeping at a sermon is a       
greater sin than speaking an idle word4 
,therefore1 if men must be called to    
account for idle words1 much more for   
this6 ,gospel sermons are among the most
 precious talents which any in this     
world have conferred upon them4 ,but    
what a sad account will be given        
concerning those sermons which have been
 slept away6 ,as light as thou makest of
 it now1 it may be conscience will roar 
for it upon a death-bed6 ,verily1 there 
is many a soul that will find this to be
 a dismal thought at the day of         
judgment1 when he shall remember so many
 sermons ,i might have heard for my     
everlasting benefit1 but ,i slighted and
 slept them all away4 ,therefore        
consider1 if men allow themselves in    

this evil their souls are in danger to  
perish4 ,it is true that a godly man may
 be subject unto this as well as unto   
other infirmities2 but he doth not allow
 himself therein4 ,the name of the      
glorious ,god is greatly prophaned by   
this inadvertency4 ,the support of the  
evangelical ministry is 444 discouraged4
 ,he thought the character of the pulpit
 was not sufficient explanation of this 
phenomenon1 and adds1 in his            
supernatural way1 ,satan is the external
 cause of this evil2 he had rather have 
men wakeful at any time than at sermon  
time4 ,the good man mentions1 by way of 
example1 a man who had not slept a wink 
at a sermon for more than twenty years  
together1 and also1 but by way of       
warning1 the unlucky youth in the ,acts 
who slept at ,paul's long sermon1 and   
fell out of the window1 and was taken up
 dead4 ,sleeping was adding something of
 our own to the worship of ,god2 when   
,nadab and ,abihu did so1 there went out
 fire from the ,lord and consumed them  

to death4 ,the holy ,god hath not been a
 little displeased for this sin4 ,it is 
not punished by men1 but therefore the  
,lord himself will visit for it4 ,tears 
of blood will trickle down thy dry and  
damned cheeks forever and ever1 because 
thou mayest not be so happy as to hear  
one sermon1 or to have one offer of     
grace more throughout the never-ending  
dayes of eternity4 ,other men denounced 
their ,wo to sleepy sinners1 and issued 
their ,proposals for the revival of     
dying religion4  ,dr4 ,mather thought   
there was ,a deluge of prophaneness1 and
 bid men be much in mourning and        
humiliation that ,god's bottle may be   
filled with tears4 ,he thought piety was
 going out because surplices were coming
 in2 it was wicked to consecrate a      
church2 keeping ,christmas was like the 
idolatry of the calf4 ,the              
common-prayer1 an organ1 a musical      
instrument in a church1 was not of ,god4
 ,such things were to our worthy fathers
 in the ministry what temperance and    

anti-slavery societies are to many of   
their sons--an abomination1 unchristian 
and atheistic6 ,the introduction of     
regular singing was an indication to    
some that all religion is to cease2 we  
might as well go over to ,popery at     
once4 ,inoculation for the smallpox was 
as vehemently and ably opposed as the   
modern attempt to abolish the gallows2  
it was a trusting more to the           
machinations of men than to the all-wise
 providence of ,god4  ,when the         
enchantments of this world1 says the    
ecclesiastical historian1 caused the    
rising generation more sensibly to      
neglect the primitive designs and       
interests of religion propounded by     
their fathers2 a change in the tenor of 
the divine dispensation towards this    
country was quickly the matter of every 
one's observation4 ,our wheat and our   
pease fell under an unaccountable blast4
 ,we were visited with multiplied       
shipwrecks2 pestilential sicknesses did 
sometimes become epidemic among us4     

,indians cruelly butchered many hundreds
 of our inhabitants1 and scattered whole
 towns with miserable ruins4 ,the       
serious people throughout the land were 
awakened by these intimations of divine 
displeasure to inquire into the causes  
and matters of the controversie4        
,accordingly1 #afgi1 a synod was        
convened at ,boston1 to inquire into the
 causes of the ,lord's controversie with
 his ,new ,england people1 who          
determined the matter4#a  ,a little     
later1 in #afij1 the ,general ,court    
considered the subject anew1 and        
declared1 that ,a corruption of manners1
 attended with inexcusable degeneracies 
and apostacies 444 is the cause of the  
controversie4 ,we are now arriving at   
such an extremity1 that the axe is laid 
to the root of the trees1 and we are in 
eminent danger of perishing1 if a speedy
 reformation of our provoking evils     
prevent it not4 ,in #agjb1 ,cotton      
,mather complains that ,our manifold    
indispositions to recover the dying     

power of ,godliness1 were successive    
calamities1 under all of which1 our     
apostacies from that ,godliness1 have   
rather proceeded than abated4 ,the old  
spirit of ,new ,england has been        
sensibly going out of the world1 as the 
old saints in whom it was have gone2    
and1 instead thereof1 the spirit of the 
world1 with a lamentable neglect of     
strict piety1 has crept in upon the     
rising generation4  ,you go back to the 
time of the founders and fathers of the 
colony1 and it is no better4 ,in #affg1 
,mr4 ,wilson1 who had ,a singular gift  
in the practice of discipline1 on his   
death-bed declared1 that ,god would     
judge the people for their rebellion and
 self-willed spirit1 for their contempt 
of civil and ecclesiastical rulers1 and 
for their luxury and sloth1 and before  
that he said1 ,people rise up as ,corah1
 against their ministers4 ,and for our  
neglect of baptizing the children of the
 church1444 ,i think ,god is provoked by
 it4 ,another sin ,i take to be the     

making light 444 of the authority of the
 ,synods4 ,john ,norton1 whose piety was
 said to be ,grace1 grafted on a        
crab-stock1 in #affj1 growled1 after his
 wont1 on account of the ,heart of ,new 
,england1 rent with the blasphemies of  
this generation4 ,john ,cotton1 the     
ablest man in ,new ,england1 who ,liked 
to sweeten his mouth with a piece of    
,calvin1 before he went to sleep1 and   
was so pious that another could not     
swear while he was under the roof1      
mourned at ,the condition of the        
churches2 and1 in #afeb1 on his         
death-bed1 after bestowing his blessing 
on the ,president of ,harvard ,college1 
who had begged it of him1 exhorted the  
elders to ,increase their watch against 
those declensions1 which he saw the     
professors of religion falling into4#b  
,in #afda1 such was the condition of    
piety in ,boston1 that it was thought   
necessary to banish a man1 because he   
did not believe in original sin4 ,in    
#afci1 a fast was appointed1 ,to deplore

 the prevalence of the small-pox1 the   
want of zeal in the professors of       
religion1 and the general decay of      
piety4 ,the church of ,god had not been 
long in this wilderness1 thus complains 
a minister1 one hundred and fifty years 
ago1 before the dragon cast forth       
several floods to devour it2 but not the
 least of these floods was one of the   
,antinomian and familistical heresies4  
,it is incredible what alienations of   
mind1 and what a very calenture the     
devil raised in the country upon this   
odd occasion4 ,the sectaries began      
usually to seduce women into their      
notions1 and by these women1 like their 
first mother1 they soon hooked in the   
husbands also4 ,so1 in #afcg1 the ,synod
 of ,cambridge was convened1 to despatch
 ,the apostate serpent3 one woman was   
duly convicted of holding ,about thirty 
monstrous opinions1 and subsequently1 by
 the civil authorities1 banished from   
the colony4 ,the synod1 after much time 
was spent in ventilation and emptying of

 private passions1 condemned eighty-two 
opinions1 then prevalent in the colony1 
as erroneous1 and decided to ,refer     
doubts to be resolved by the great ,god4
 ,even in #afcf1 ,john ,wilson lamented 
,the dark and distracted condition of   
the churches of ,new ,england4  ,the    
good old times1 when piety was in a     
thriving state1 and the churches        
successful and contented1 lay as far    
behind the ,famous ,johns1 as it now    
does behind their successors in office  
and lamentation4 ,then1 as now1 the     
complaint had the same foundation3      
ministers and other good men could not  
see that new piety will not be put into 
the old forms1 neither the old forms of 
thought1 nor the old forms of action4   
,in the days of ,wilson1 ,cotton1 and   
,norton1 there was a gradual growth of  
piety2 in the days of the ,mathers1 of  
,colman1 and ,willard1 and from that    
time to this1 there has been a steady   
improvement of the community1 in        
intellectual1 moral1 and religious      

culture4 ,some men could not see the    
progress two hundred years ago1 because 
they believed in no piety1 except as it 
was manifested in their conventional    
forms4 ,it is so now4 ,mankind advances 
by the irresistible law of ,god1 under  
the guidance of a few men of large      
discourse1 who look before and after1   
but amid the wailing of many who think  
each advance is a retreat1 and every    
stride a stumble4  ,now-a-days nobody   
complains at ,the ungodly custom of     
wearing long hair2 no dandy is dealt    
with by the church1 for his dress2 the  
weakest brother is not offended by      
,regular singing1--so it be regular1--by
 organs and the like2 nobody laments at 
,the reading of ,scripture lessons1 or  
,the use of the ,lord's ,prayer in      
public religious services1 or is        
offended1 because a clergyman makes a   
prayer at a funeral1 and solemnizes a   
marriage1--though these are prelatical  
customs1 and were detested by our       
fathers4 ,yet1 other things1 now as much

 dreaded1 and thought of a bad and      
dangerous tendency1 will one day prove  
themselves as innocent1 though now as   
much mourned over4 ,many an old doctrine
 will fade out1 and though some think a 
star has fallen out of heaven1 a new    
truth will rise up and take its place4  
,it is to be expected that ministers    
will often complain of ,the general     
decay of religion4 ,the position of a   
clergyman1 fortunate in many things1 is 
unhappy in this3 he seldom sees the     
result of his labors1 except in the     
conventional form mentioned above4 ,the 
lawyer1 the doctor1 the merchant and    
mechanic1 the statesman and the farmer1 
all have visible and palpable results of
 their work1 while the minister can only
 see that he has baptized men1 and      
admitted them to his church2 the visible
 and quotable tokens of his success1 are
 a large audience1 respectable and      
attentive1 a thriving ,sunday school1 or
 a considerable body of communicants4   
,if these signs fail1 or become less    

than formerly1 he thinks he has labored 
in vain2 that piety is on the decline1  
for it is only by this form that he     
commonly tests and measures piety       
itself4 ,hence1 a sincere and earnest   
minister1 with the limitations which he 
so easily gets from his profession and  
social position1 is always prone to     
think ill of the times1 to undervalue   
the new wine which refuses to be kept in
 the old bottles1 but rends them        
asunder2 hence he bewails the decline of
 religion1 and looks longingly back to  
the days of his fathers4  ,but you will 
ask1 ,why does not a minister demand    
piety in its natural form8 ,blame him   
not2 unconsciously he fulfils his       
contract1 and does what he is taught1   
ordained1 and paid for doing4 ,it is    
safe for a minister to demand piety of  
his parish1 in the conventional form2   
not safe to demand it in the form of    
morality--eminent piety1 in the form of 
philanthropy3 it would be an innovation2
 it would ,hurt men's feelings2 it might

 disturb some branches of business2 at  
the ,north1 it would interfere with the 
liquor-trade2 at the ,south1 with the   
slave-trade2 everywhere it would demand 
what many men do not like to give4 ,if a
 man asks piety in the form of bodily   
attendance at church1 on the only idle  
day in the week1 when business and      
amusement must be refrained from2 in the
 form of belief in doctrines which are  
commonly accepted by the denomination1  
and compliance with its forms1--that is 
customary2 it hurts nobody's feelings2  
it does not disturb the liquor-trade1   
nor the slave-trade2 it interferes with 
nothing1 not even with respectable sleep
 in a comfortable pew4 ,a minister1 like
 others loves to be surrounded by able  
and respectable men2 he seeks1          
therefore1 a congregation of such4 ,if  
he is himself an able man1 it is well2  
but there are few in any calling1 whom  
we designate as able4 ,our weak man     
cannot instruct his parishioners2 he    
soon learns this1 and ceases to give    

them counsel on matters of importance4  
,they would not suffer it1 for the      
larger includes the less1 not the less  
the larger4 ,he is not strong by nature2
 their position overlooks and commands  
his4 ,he must speak and give some       
counsel2 he wisely limits himself to    
things of but little practical interest1
 and his parishioners are not offended3 
,that is my sentiment exactly1 says the 
most worldly man in the church1         
,religion is too pure to be mixed up    
with the practical business of the      
street4 ,the original and effectual     
preaching in such cases1 is not from the
 pulpit down upon the pews1 but from the
 pews up to the pulpit1 which only      
echoes1 consciously or otherwise1 but   
does not speak4  ,in a solar system1 the
 central sun1 not barely powerful from  
its position1 is the most weighty body2 
heavier than all the rest put together2 
so with even swing they all revolve     
about it4 ,our little ministerial sun   
was ambitious of being amongst large    

satellites2 he is there1 but the law of 
gravitation amongst men is as certain as
 in matter2 he cannot poise and swing   
the system2 he is not the sun thereof1  
not even a primary planet1 only a little
 satellite revolving with many nutations
 round some primary1 in an orbit that is
 oblique1 complicated1 and difficult to 
calculate2 now waxing in a ,revival1 now
 waning in a ,decline of piety1 now     
totally eclipsed by his primary that    
comes between him and the light which   
lighteth every man4 ,put one of the cold
 thin moons of ,saturn into the centre  
of the solar system1--would the universe
 revolve about that little dot8 ,loyal  
matter with irresistible fealty         
gravitates towards the sun1 and wheels  
around the balance-point of the world's 
weight1 be it where it may1 called by   
whatever name4  ,while ministers insist 
unduly on the conventional manifestation
 of piety1 it is not a thing unheard of 
for a layman to resolve to go to heaven 
by the ecclesiastical road1 yet omit    

resolving to be a good man before he    
gets there4 ,such a man finds the       
ordinary forms of piety very convenient1
 and not at all burdensome2 they do not 
interfere with his daily practice of    
injustice and meanness of soul2 they    
seem a substitute for real and manly    
goodness2 they offer a royal road to    
saintship here and heaven hereafter4 ,is
 the man in arrears with virtue1 having 
long practised wickedness and become    
insolvent8 ,this form is a new bankrupt 
law of the spirit1 he pays off his old  
debts in the ecclesiastical currency--a 
pennyworth of form for a pound of       
substantial goodness4 ,this bankrupt    
sinner1 cleared by the ecclesiastical   
chancery1 is a solvent saint2 he exhorts
 at meetings1 strains at every gnat1 and
 mourns over ,the general decay of      
piety1 and teaches other men the way in 
which they should go--to the same end4  
,so morning insects that in muck begun1 
,shine1 buzz1 and fly-blow in the       
evening sun4  ,i honor the founders of  

,new ,england2 they were pious          
men--their lives proved it2 but         
domineered over by false opinions in    
theology1 they put their piety into very
 unnatural and perverted forms4 ,they   
had ideas which transcended their age2  
they came here to make those ideas into 
institutions4 ,that they had great      
faults1 bigotry1 intolerance1 and       
superstition1 is now generally conceded4
 ,they were picked men1 wheat sifted out
 of three kingdoms1 to plant a new world
 withal4 ,they have left their mark very
 deep and very distinct in this town1   
which was their prayer and their pride4 
,it may seem unjust to ourselves to     
compare a whole community like our own  
with such a company as filled ,boston in
 the first half century of its          
existence1--men selected for their      
spiritual hardihood2 but here and now1  
in the midst of ,boston1 are men quite  
as eminent for piety who as far         
transcend this age1 as the ,puritans and
 the pilgrims surpassed their time4 ,the

 ,puritan put his religion into the     
ecclesiastical form2 not into the form  
of the ,roman or the ,english ,church1  
but into a new one of his own4 ,his     
descendant1 inheriting his father's     
faith in ,god1 and stern self-denial1   
but sometimes without his bigotry1      
intolerance1 and superstition1 with     
little fear but with more love of ,god1 
and consequently with more love of man1 
puts his piety into a new form4 ,it is  
not the form of the old ,church2 the    
,church of the ,puritans is to him often
 what the ,church of the ,pope and the  
prelates was to his ungentle sire4 ,he  
puts his piety into the form of         
goodness2 eminent piety becomes         
philanthropy1 and takes the shape of    
reform4 ,in such men1 in many of their  
followers1 ,i see the same trust in     
,god1 the same scorn of compromising    
right and truth1 the same unfaltering   
allegiance to the eternal ,father1 which
 shone in the pilgrims who founded this 
new world1 which fired the reformers of 

the ,church2 yes1 which burned in the   
hearts of ,paul and ,john4 ,piety has   
not failed and gone out2 each age has   
its own forms thereof2 the old and      
passing can never understand the new1   
nor can they consent to decrease with   
the increase of the new4 ,once1 men put 
their piety into a church1 ,catholic or 
,protestant2 they made creeds and       
believed them2 they devised rites and   
symbols1 which helped their faith4 ,it  
was well2 but we cannot believe those   
creeds1 nor be aided by such symbols and
 such rites4 ,why pretend to drag a     
weighty crutch about because it helped  
your father once1 wandering alone and in
 the dark1 sounding on his dim and      
perilous way8 ,once earthen roads were  
the best we knew1 and horses' feet had  
shoes of swiftness2 now we need not1 out
 of reverence1 refuse the iron road1 the
 chariot and the steed of flame2 nor out
 of irreverence need we spurn the path  
our fathers trod2 sorely bested and     
hunted after1 tear-bedewed and          

travel-stained1 they journeyed there1   
passing on to their ,god4 ,if the mother
 that bore us were never so rude1 and to
 our eyes might seem never so graceless 
now1 still she was our mother1 and      
without her we should not have been     
born4 ,wives and children may men have1 
and manifold2 each has but one mother4  
,the great institution we call the      
,christian ,church has been the mother  
of us all2 and though in her own dotage 
she deny our piety1 and call us infidel1
 far be it from me to withhold the      
richly earned respect4 ,behind a decent 
veil1 then1 let us hide our mother's    
weakness1 and ourselves pass on4 ,once  
piety built up a theocracy1 and men say 
it was divine2 now piety1 everywhere in 
,christendom1 builds up democracies2 it 
is a diviner work4         99       99  
99       99       99  ,the piety of this
 age must manifest itself in ,morality1 
and appear in a church where the priests
 are men of active mind and active hand2
 men of ideas1 who commune with ,god and

 man through faith and works1 finding no
 truth is hostile to their creed1 no    
goodness foreign to their litany1 no    
piety discordant with their psalm4 ,the 
man who once would have built a convent 
and been its rigorous chief1 now founds 
a temperance society1 contends against  
war1 toils for the pauper1 the criminal1
 the madman1 and the slave1 for men     
bereft of senses and of sense4 ,the     
synod of ,dort and of ,cambridge1 the   
assembly of divines at ,westminster1 did
 what they could with what piety they   
had2 they put it into decrees and       
platforms1 into catechisms and creeds4  
,but the various conventions for reform 
put their piety into resolves and then  
into philanthropic works4 ,i do not     
believe there has ever been an age when 
piety bore so large a place in the whole
 being of ,new ,england as at this day1 
or attendance on church-forms so small a
 part4 ,the attempts made and making for
 a better education of the people1 the  
lectures on science and literature      

abundantly attended in this town1 the   
increased fondness for reading1 the     
better class of books which are         
read--all these indicate an increased   
love of truth1 the intellectual part of 
piety2 societies for reform and for     
charity show an increase of the moral   
and affectional parts of piety2 the     
better1 the lovelier idea of ,god which 
all sects are embracing1 is a sign of   
increased love of ,god4 ,thus all parts 
of piety are proving their existence by 
their work4 ,the very absence from the  
churches1 the disbelief of the old sour 
theologies1 the very neglect of outward 
forms and ceremonies of religion1 the   
decline of the ministry itself1 under   
the present circumstances1 shows an     
increase of piety4 ,the baby-clothes    
were well and wide for the baby2 now1   
the fact that he cannot get them on1    
shows plainly that he has outgrown them1
 is a boy and no longer a baby4  ,once  
,piety fled to the ,church as the only  
sanctuary in the waste wide world1 and  

was fondly welcomed there1 fed and      
fostered4 ,when power fled off from the 
,church--,wilt thou also go away8 said  
she2 ,lord1 said ,piety1 to whom shall  
we go8 ,thou only hast the words of     
everlasting life4 ,once convents and    
cathedrals were what the world needed as
 shelter for this fair child of ,god2   
then she dwelt in the grim edifice that 
our fathers built1 and for a time       
counted herself lodged in a lodging     
where good things are4 ,now is she grown
 able to wander forth fearless and free1
 lodging where the night overtakes her1 
and doing what her hands find to do1 not
 unattended by the ,providence which    
hitherto has watched over and blessed   
her4 ,i respect piety in the ,hebrew    
saints1 prophets1 and bards1 who spoke  
the fiery speech1 or sung their sweet   
and soul-inspiring psalm3      ,out from
 the heart of ,nature rolled     ,the   
burdens of the ,bible old4  ,i honor    
piety among the saints of ,greece1 clad 
in the form of philanthropy and art1    

speaking still in dramas1 in            
philosophies1 and song1 and in the      
temple and the statue too3      ,not    
from a vain and shallow thought     ,his
 awful ,jove young ,phidias brought4  ,i
 admire at the piety of the ,middle     
,ages1 which founded the monastic tribes
 of men1 which wrote the theologies1    
scholastic and mystic both1 still       
speaking to the mind of men1 or in      
poetic legends insinuated truth2 which  
built that heroic architecture1         
overmastering therewith the sense and   
soul of man3      ,the passive master   
lent his hand     ,to the vast ,soul    
that o'er him planned3     ,and the same
 ,power that reared the shrine1         
,bestrode the tribes that knelt therein4
  ,but the piety which ,i find now1 in  
this age1 here in our own land1 ,i      
respect1 honor1 and admire yet more2 ,i 
find it in the form of moral life2 that 
is the piety ,i love1 piety in her own  
loveliness4 ,would ,i could find poetic 
strains as fit to sing of her--but yet  

such      ,loveliness needs not the     
foreign aid of ornament1     ,but is1   
when unadorned1 adorned the most4  ,let 
me do no dishonor to other days1 to     
,hebrew or to ,grecian saints4 ,unlike  
and hostile though they were1 they      
jointly fed my soul in earliest days4 ,i
 would not underrate the mediaeval      
saints1 whose words and works have been 
my study in a manlier age2 yet ,i love  
best the fair and vigorous piety of our 
own day4 ,it is beautiful1 amid the     
strong1 rank life of the nineteenth     
century1 amid the steam-mills and the   
telegraphs which talk by lightning1 amid
 the far-reaching enterprises of our    
time1 and 'mid the fierce democracies1  
it is beautiful to find this fragrant   
piety growing up in unwonted forms1 in  
places where men say no seed of heaven  
can lodge and germinate4 ,so in a ,june 
meadow1 when a boy1 and looking for the 
cranberries of another year1 faded and  
tasteless1 amid the pale but coarse rank
 grass1 and discontented that ,i found  

them not1 so ,i have seen the crimson   
arethusa or the cymbidium shedding an   
unexpected loveliness o'er all the      
watery soil and all the pale and coarse 
rank grass1 a prophecy of summer near at
 hand4 ,so in ,october1 when the fields 
are brown with frost1 the blue and      
fringed gentian meets your eye1 filling 
with thankful tears4  ,there is no      
decline of piety1 but an increase of it2
 a good deal has been done in two       
hundred years1 in one hundred years1    
yes1 in fifty years4 ,let us admit1 with
 thankfulness of heart1 that piety is in
 greater proportion to all our activity 
now than ever before3 but then compare  
ourselves with the ideal of human       
nature1 our piety with the ideal piety1 
and we must confess that we are little  
and very low4 ,boston is the most active
 city in the world1 the most            
enterprising4 ,in no place is it so easy
 to obtain men's ears and their purses  
for any good word and work4 ,but think  
of the evils we know of and tolerate2   

think of an ideal ,christian city1 then 
think of ,boston2 of a ,christian man1  
aye of ,christ himself1 and then think  
of you and me1 and we are filled with   
shame4 ,if there were a true1 manly     
piety in this town1 in due proportion to
 our numbers1 wealth1 and enterprise1   
how long would the vices of this city   
last8 ,how long would men complain of a 
dead body of divinity and a dead church1
 and a ministry that was dead8 ,how long
 would intemperance continue1 and       
pauperism1 in ,boston2 how long slavery 
in this land8         99       99       
99       99       99  ,last ,sunday1 in 
the name of the poor1 ,i asked you for  
your charity4 ,to-day ,i ask for dearer 
alms3 ,i ask you to contribute your     
piety4 ,it will help the town more than 
the little money all of us can give4    
,your money will soon be spent2 it feeds
 one man once2 we cannot give it twice1 
though the blessing thereof may linger  
long in the hand which gave4 ,few of us 
can give much money to the poor2 some of

 us none at all4 ,this we can all give3 
the inspiration of a man with a man's   
piety in his heart1 living it out in a  
man's life4 ,your money may be ill      
spent1 your charity misapplied1 but your
 piety never4 ,after all1 there is      
nothing you can give which men will so  
readily take and so long remember as    
this4 ,mothers can give it to their     
daughters and their sons2 men1 after    
spending thereof profusely at home1 can 
coin their inexhausted store into       
industry1 patience1 integrity1          
temperance1 justice1 humanity1 a        
practical love of man4 ,a thousand years
 ago1 it was easy to excuse men if they 
chiefly showed religion in the          
conventional pattern of the church4     
,forms then were helps1 and the nun has 
been mother to much of the charity of   
our times4 ,it is easy to excuse our    
fathers for their superstitious         
reverence for rites and forms4 ,but now1
 in an age which has its eyes a little  
open1 a practical and a handy age1 we   

are without excuse if our piety appears 
not in a manly life1 our faith in works4
 ,to give this piety to cheer and bless 
mankind1 you must have it first1 be     
cheered and blessed thereby yourself4   
,have it1 then1 in your own way2 put it 
into your own form4 ,do men tell you1   
,this is a degenerate age1 and ,religion
 is dying out8 tell them that when those
 stars have faded out of the sky from   
very age1 when other stars have come up 
to take their place1 and they too have  
grown dim and hollow-eyed and old1 that 
religion will still live in man's heart1
 the primal1 everlasting light of all   
our being4 ,do they tell you that you   
must put piety into their forms2 put it 
there if it be your place2 if not1 in   
your place4 ,let men see the divinity   
that is in you by the humanity that     
comes out from you4 ,if they will not   
see it1 cannot1 ,god can and will4 ,take
 courage from the past1 not its counsel2
 fear not now to be a man4 ,you may find
 a new ,eden where you go1 a river of   

,god in it1 and a tree of life1 an angel
 to guard it2 not the warning angel to  
repel1 but the guiding angel to welcome 
and to bless4         99       99       
99       99       99  ,it was four years
 yesterday since ,i first came here to  
speak to you2 ,i came hesitatingly1     
reluctant1 with much diffidence as to my
 power to do what it seemed to me was   
demanded4 ,i did not come merely to pull
 down1 but to build up1 though it is    
plain much theological error must be    
demolished before any great reform of   
man's condition can be brought about4 ,i
 came not to contend against any man1 or
 sect1 or party1 but to speak a word for
 truth and religion in the name of man  
and ,god4 ,i was in bondage to no sect2 
you in bondage to none4 ,when a boy ,i  
learned that there is but one religion  
though many theologies4 ,i have found it
 in ,christians and in ,jews1 in        
,quakers and in ,catholics4 ,i hope we  
are all ready to honor what is good in  
each sect1 and in rejecting its evil not

 to forget our love and wisdom in our   
zeal4  ,when ,i came ,i certainly did   
not expect to become a popular man1 or  
acceptable to many4 ,i had done much    
which in all countries brings odium on a
 man1 though perhaps less in ,boston    
than in any other part of the world4 ,i 
had rejected the popular theology of    
,christendom4 ,i had exposed the low    
morals of society1 had complained of the
 want of piety in its natural form4 ,i  
had fatally offended the sect1 small in 
numbers1 but respectable for            
intelligence and goodness1 in which ,i  
was brought up4 ,i came to look at the  
signs of the times from an independent  
point of view1 and to speak on the most 
important of all themes4 ,i thought a   
house much smaller than this would be   
much too large for us4 ,i knew there    
would be fit audience2 ,i thought it    
would be few1 and the few would soon    
have heard enough and go their ways4  ,i
 know ,i have some advantages above most
 clergymen3 ,i am responsible to no     

sect2 no sect feels responsible for me2 
,i have rejoiced at good things which ,i
 have seen in all sects2 the doctrines  
which ,i try to teach do not rest on    
tradition1 on miracles1 or on any man's 
authority2 only on the nature of man4 ,i
 seek to preach the natural laws of man4
 ,i appeal to history for illustration1 
not for authority4 ,i have no fear of   
philosophy4 ,i am willing to look a     
doubt fairly in the face1 and think     
reason is sacred as conscience1         
affection1 or the religious faculty in  
man4 ,i see a profound piety in modern  
science4 ,i have aimed to set forth     
absolute religion1 the ideal religion of
 human nature1 free piety1 free         
goodness1 free thought4 ,i call that    
,christianity1 after the greatest man of
 the world1 one who himself taught it2  
but ,i know that this was never the     
,christianity of the churches1 in any   
age4 ,i have endeavored to teach this   
religion and apply it to the needs of   
this time4 ,these things certainly give 

me some advantages over most other      
ministers4 ,of the disadvantages which  
are personal to myself1 ,i need not     
speak in public1 but some which come    
from my position1 ought to be noticed   
with a word4 ,the walls of this house1  
the associations connected with it1     
furnish little help to devotion2 we must
 rely on ourselves wholly for that4     
,other clergymen1 by their occasional   
exchanges1 can present their hearers    
with an agreeable variety in substance  
and in form4 ,a single man1 often heard1
 becomes wearisome and unprofitable1 for
 ,no man can feed us always4 ,this ,i   
feel to be a great disadvantage which ,i
 labor under4 ,your kindness and        
affectionate indulgence make me feel it 
all the more4 ,but one man cannot be    
twenty men4  ,when ,i came here ,i knew 
,i should hurt men's feelings4 ,my      
theology would prove more offensive and 
radical than men thought2 the freedom of
 speech which men liked at a distance   
would not be pleasing when near at hand2

 my doctrines of morality ,i knew could 
not be pleasing to all men2 not to all  
good men4 ,i saw by your looks that in  
my abstractions ,i did not go too far   
for your sympathy1 or too fast for your 
following4 ,i soon found that my highest
 thought and most pious sentiment were  
most warmly welcomed as such2 but when  
,i came to put abstract thought and     
mystical piety into concrete goodness1  
and translate what you had accepted as  
,christian faith into daily life2 when  
,i came to apply piety to trade1        
politics1 life in general1 ,i knew that 
,i should hurt men's feelings4 ,it could
 not be otherwise4 ,yet ,i have had a   
most patient and faithful hearing4 ,one 
thing ,i must do in my preaching3 ,i    
must be in earnest4 ,i cannot stand here
 before you and before ,god1 attempting 
to teach piety and goodness1 and not    
feel the fire and show the fire4 ,the   
greater the wrong1 the more popular1 the
 more must ,i oppose it1 and with the   
clearer1 abler speech4 ,it is not       

necessary for me to be popular1 to be   
acceptable1 even to be loved4 ,it is    
necessary that ,i should tell the truth4
 ,but let that pass4 ,you come hither   
week after week1 it is now year after   
year that you come1 to listen to one    
humble man4 ,do you get poor in your    
souls8 ,does your religion become poor  
and low8 ,are you getting less in the   
qualities of a man8 ,if so1 then leave  
me1 to empty seats1 to cold and         
voiceless walls2 go elsewhere1 and feed 
your souls with a wise passiveness1 or  
an activity wiser yet4 ,such is your    
duty2 let no affection for me hinder you
 from performing it4 ,the same theology1
 the same form suits not all men4 ,but  
if it is not so1 if ,i do you good1 if  
you grow in mind and conscience1 heart  
and soul1 then ,i ask one thing--,let   
your piety become natural life1 your    
divinity become humanity4  ,,footnotes3 
#a ,the ,synod declared3 ,that ,god hath
 a controversie with his ,new ,england  
people is undeniable4 ,there are visible

 manifest evils1 which without doubt the
 ,lord is provoked by4 #a4 ,a great and 
visible decay of the power of ,godliness
 amongst many professors in these       
churches4 #b4 ,pride doth abound in ,new
 ,england4 ,many have offended ,god by  
strange apparel4 #c4 ,church fellowship 
and other divine institutions are       
grossly neglected4 ,quakers are false   
worshippers1 and ,anabaptists 444 do no 
better than set up an ,altar against the
 ,lord's ,altar4 #d4 ,the holy and      
glorious name of ,god hath been         
polluted2 because of swearing the land  
mourns4 ,it is a frequent thing for men 
to sit in prayer-time 444 and to give   
way to their own sloth and sleepiness4  
,we read of but one man in ,scripture   
that slept at a sermon1 and that sin had
 like to have cost him his life4 #e4    
,there is much ,sabbath-breaking2 since 
there are multitudes that do profanely  
absent themselves from the public       
worship of ,god1444 walking abroad and  
travelling 444 being a common practice  

on the ,sabbath ,day4 ,worldly          
unsuitable discourses are very common   
upon the ,lord's ,day4 ,this brings     
wrath1 fires1 and other judgments upon a
 professing people4 #f4 ,as to what     
concerns families and ,government       
thereof1 there is much amiss4 ,children 
and servants 444 are not kept in due    
subjection4 ,this is a sin which brings 
great judgments1 as we see in ,eli's and
 ,david's family4 #g4 ,inordinate       
passions1 sinful heats and hatreds1 and 
that amongst church members4 #h4 ,there 
is much intemperance3 it is a common    
practice for town-dwellers1 yea1 and    
church members1 to frequent public      
houses1 and there to misspend precious  
time4 #i4 ,there is much want of truth  
amongst men4 ,the ,lord is not wont to  
suffer such an iniquity to pass         
unpunished4 #aj4 ,inordinate affection  
unto the world4 ,there hath been in many
 professors an insatiable desire after  
land and worldly accommodations2 yea1 so
 as to forsake churches and ordinances1 

and to live like heathen1 only so that  
they might have elbow-room in the world4
 ,farms and merchandisings have been    
preferred before the things of ,god4    
,such iniquity causeth war to be in the 
gate1 and cities to be burned up4 ,when 
,lot did forsake the land of ,canaan and
 the church which was in ,abraham's     
family1 that so he might have better    
worldly accommodations in ,sodom1 ,god  
fired him out of all4 ,there are some   
traders that sell their goods at        
excessive rates2 day-laborers and       
mechanics are unreasonable in their     
demands4 #aa4 ,there hath been          
opposition to the work of reformation4  
#ab4 ,a public spirit is greatly wanting
 in the most of men4 #ac4 ,there are    
sins against the gospel1 whereby the    
,lord has been provoked4 ,christ is not 
prized and embraced in all his offices  
and ordinances as ought to be4  #b ,in  
#afdf1 ,mr4 ,samuel ,symonds wrote to   
,governor ,winthrop1 as follows3 ,i will
 also mention the text preached upon at 

our last fast1 and the propositions     
raised thereupon1 because it was so     
seasonable to ,new ,england's condition4
 ,jeremiah #cj3ag2 ,for ,i will restore 
health to thee1 and heal thee of thy    
wounds1 saith the ,lord2 because they   
called thee an outcast1 saying1 ,this is
 ,zion1 whom noe man careth for4  #a4   
,prop4 ,that sick tymes doe passe over  
,zion4  #b4 ,that sad and bitter neglect
 is the portion1 aggravation and        
affliction of ,zion in the tyme of his  
sicknesse and wounds1 but especially in 
the neglect of those that doe neglect   
it1 and yet1 notwithstanding1 doe       
acknowledge it to be ,zion4  #c4 ,that  
the season of penitent ,zion's passion1 
is the season of ,god's compassion4     
,this sermon tended much to the settling
 of ,godly minds here in ,god's way1 and
 to raise their spirits1 and1 as ,i     
conceive1 hath suitable effects4        
,,ii4  ,,some ,,thoughts ,,on ,,the     
,,most ,,christian ,,use ,,of ,,the     
,,sunday4--,a ,,sermon ,,preached ,,at  

,,the ,,melodeon1 ,,on ,,sunday1        
,,january #cj1 #ahdh4  ,,mark ,,ii4 #bg4
      ,the ,sabbath was made for man1   
and not man for the ,sabbath4   ,from   
past ages we have received many valuable
 institutions1 that have grown out of   
the transient wants or the permanent    
nature of man4 ,amongst these are two   
which have done a great service in      
promoting the civilization of mankind1  
which still continue amongst us4 ,i     
speak now of the institution of ,sunday1
 and that of preaching4 ,by the one1 a  
seventh part of the time is separated   
from the common pursuits of life1 in    
order that it may be devoted to bodily  
relaxation1 and to the culture of the   
spiritual powers of man2 by the other1 a
 large body of men1 in most countries   
the best educated class1 are devoted to 
the cultivation of these spiritual      
powers4 ,such at least is the theory of 
those two institutions1 be their effect 
in practice what it may4 ,this morning1 
let us look at one of them1 and so ,i   

invite your attention to some thoughts  
relative to the ,sunday--to the most    
,christian and profitable use of that   
day4  ,there is a stricter party of     
,christians amongst us1 who speak out   
their opinions concerning the ,sunday2  
this comprises what are commonly called 
the more evangelical sects4 ,there is a 
party less strict in many particulars1  
comprising what are commonly called the 
more liberal sects4 ,they have hitherto 
been comparatively silent on this theme4
 ,their opinions about the ,sunday have 
not usually been so plainly spoken out1 
but have been made apparent by their    
actions1 by occasional and passing      
words1 rather than by full1 distinct1   
and emphatic declarations4 ,the stricter
 party1 of late years1 have been growing
 a little more strict2 the party less   
strict likewise advance in the opposite 
direction4 ,recently1 a call has been   
published by a few men1 for a convention
 to consult and take some steps towards 
the less rigid course1 for the purpose1 

as ,i understand it1 of making the      
,sunday even more valuable than it is   
now4 ,i take it for granted that both   
parties desire to make the best possible
 use of the ,sunday--the use most       
conducive to the highest interests of   
mankind2 that they desire this equally4 
,there are good men on both sides1 the  
more and the less strict2 pious men1 in 
the best sense of that word1 may be     
found on both sides4 ,there is no need  
of imputing bad motives to either party 
in order to explain the difference      
between the two4  ,such is the aspect of
 the two parties in the field1 looking  
opposite ways1 but at one another4 ,it  
seems likely that there will be a       
quarrel1 and1 as is usual in such cases1
 hard words on each side1 hard thoughts 
and unkind feelings on both sides4      
,before the quarrel begins1 and our eyes
 are blinded by the dust of controversy2
 before our blood is fired1 and we      
become wholly incapable of judgment--let
 us look coolly at the matter1 and ask1 

,do we need any change in respect to the
 observance of the ,sunday8 ,are the    
present opinions respecting the origin1 
nature1 and original design of that     
institution just and true8 ,is the      
present mode of observing it the most   
profitable that can be devised8 ,the    
inquiry is one of great importance4  ,to
 answer these questions1 it is necessary
 to go back a little into the history of
 the ,hebrew ,sabbath and the ,christian
 ,sunday4 ,however1 it is not needful to
 go much into detail1 or consume this   
precious hour in a learned discussion on
 antiquarian matters which concern none 
but scholars4  ,with the ,hebrews the   
actual observance of ,saturday--the     
,sabbath--as a day rest1 seems to be of 
pretty late origin4 ,the first mention  
of it in authentic ,hebrew history1 as  
actually observed1 occurs about two     
hundred years after ,samuel1 and about  
six hundred after ,moses--a little less 
than nine hundred before ,christ4 ,the  
passage is found in #b ,kings #d3 #bc2 a

 child had died1 as the narrative       
relates--the mother wished to send for  
,elisha1 the man of ,god4 ,her husband  
objects1 saying1 ,wherefore wilt thou go
 to him to-day8 it is neither new moon  
nor ,sabbath4 ,this connection with the 
new moon is significant4 ,in the earlier
 historical books of ,joshua1 ,judges1  
the two books of ,samuel1 and the first 
of ,kings1 there is no mention of the   
,sabbath1 not the least allusion to it4 
,this seems to have been the origin of  
its observance3--,the worship of one    
,god1 with the distinctive name         
,jehovah1 gradually got established in  
the ,hebrew nation2 for this they seem  
largely indebted to ,moses4 ,gradually  
this worship of ,jehovah became         
connected with a body of priests1 who   
were regularly organized at length1 and 
claimed descent from ,levi--some of them
 from ,aaron1 his celebrated descendant1
 the elder brother of ,moses4 ,the rise 
of the ,levitical priesthood is         
remarkable1 and easily traced in the    

,old ,testament4 ,some books are        
entirely destitute of a ,levitical      
spirit1 such as ,genesis and ,judges2   
others are filled with it1 as           
,leviticus1 ,deuteronomy1 and the books 
of ,chronicles4 ,with the priesthood it 
seems there came the observance of      
certain days for religious or festal    
purposes--,new ,moon days1 ,full ,moon  
days1 and the like4 ,these seem to have 
been derived from the nations about     
them1 with whom the moon--deified as    
,astarte1 the ,queen and ,mother of     
,heaven1 and under other names--was long
 an object of worship4 ,the observance  
of those days points back to the period 
when ,fetichism1 the worship of ,nature1
 was the prominent form of religion4    
,with the other days of religious       
observance came the seventh day1 called 
the ,sabbath4 ,no one knows its true    
historical origin4 ,the statement       
respecting its origin1 in the fourth    
commandment1 and elsewhere in the ,old  
,testament1 can hardly be accepted as   

literally true by any one in this       
century4 ,no scientific man1 in the     
present stage of philosophic inquiry1   
will believe that ,god created the      
universe in six days1 and then rested on
 the seventh4 ,did other nations observe
 this day before the ,hebrews2 was it   
also connected with some ,fetichistic   
form of worship2 what was the historical
 event which led to the selection of    
that day in special8 ,this it is easy to
 ask1 but perhaps not possible to       
answer4 ,these are curious questions2   
they are of little practical importance 
to us at this moment4  ,after the       
,hebrew institutions of religion got    
fixed--the worship of ,jehovah1 the     
,levitical priesthood1 and the peculiar 
forms of sacrifice--it became common to 
refer their origin back to the time of  
,moses1 who lived fourteen or fifteen   
hundred years before ,christ4 ,since few
 memorials from his age have come down  
to us1 it is plain we can know little of
 him4 ,but from the impression which his

 character left on his nation1 and      
through them on the whole world2 from   
the myths so early connected with his   
name1 it seems pretty clear that he was 
one of the greatest and most            
extraordinary men that ever lived4      
,mankind seldom tell great things of    
little men4 ,it is difficult to say what
 share he had in making the laws of the 
,hebrew nation which are commonly       
referred to him1--and1 as it is         
popularly taught1 revealed to him       
directly by ,jehovah4 ,perhaps we are   
not safe in referring to him even the   
whole of the ten commandments2 surely   
not in any one of their present forms4#c
 ,was the ,sabbath observed as a day of 
rest before ,moses8 ,was its observance 
enforced by him8 ,was it even known to  
him8 ,these questions are not easily    
answered4 ,this is only certain3 from   
the time of ,moses to that of ,jehoram1 
a period of about six hundred years1    
there is no historical mention of its   
observance1 not the least allusion to   

it4 ,yet we have documents which treat  
of that period1--the books of ,joshua1  
,judges1 ,samuel1 and the ,kings1--some 
of them historical documents1 which go  
into the minute detail of the national  
peculiarities1 and were evidently       
written with a good deal of concern for 
strict integrity and truth2 they refer  
to the national rite of circumcision4   
,now1 if the ,sabbath had been observed 
during that period1 it is difficult to  
believe it would have received no       
passing notice in those historical      
books4 ,but not only is there no mention
 of it therein1 none even in the times  
of ,david and ,solomon1 who favored the 
priesthood so strongly2 but in the book 
of ,chronicles1 the most ,levitical book
 in the ,bible1 at a date more than two 
hundred years later than the time of    
,jehoram1 it is distinctly declared that
 the ,sabbath had not been kept for     
nearly five hundred years4#d ,but even  
if this statement is true1 which is     
scarcely probable1 it is plain from the 

frequent mention of the ,sabbath in the 
writings of the latter part of that     
period--,isaiah1 ,jeremiah1 and         
others--that the institution was one    
well known and highly regarded by       
religious men4 ,after the return from   
the ,babylonian exile1 it seems to have 
been kept with considerable rigor2 this 
we learn from the book of ,nehemiah4    
,the ,hebrew law1 as it is contained in 
the ,pentateuch1 is a singular mixture  
of conflicting statutes1 evidently      
belonging to different ages1 many of    
them wholly unsuitable to the condition 
of the people when the laws are alleged 
to have been given4 ,however1 they are  
all referred back to the time of ,moses 
in the ,pentateuch itself1 and by the   
popular theology at the present day4 ,in
 the law the command is given to keep   
the seventh day as a day of rest1 and   
that command is referred distinctly to  
,jehovah himself4 ,the reason is given  
for choosing that day3--,for in six days
 the ,lord made heaven and earth1 and on

 the seventh day he rested and was      
refreshed2 the ,sabbath1 therefore1 was 
to be kept in commemoration of the fact1
 that after ,jehovah had spent the week 
in creating the world1 he rested and was
 refreshed4 ,it was to be a day of rest 
for master and slave1 for man and beast4
 ,a special sacrifice was offered on    
that day1 in addition to the usual      
ceremonies1 but no provision was made   
for the religious instruction of the    
people4 ,the ,sabbath was what its      
,hebrew name implies1 a rest from all   
labor4 ,the law1 in general terms1      
forbade all work2 but1 not content with 
that1 it descends to minute details1    
specifically prohibiting by statute the 
gathering or preparation of food on the 
,sabbath1 even of food to be consumed on
 that day itself2 the lighting of a     
fire1 or the removal from one's place2  
and1 by a decision where the statute did
 not apply1 forbade the gathering of    
sticks of wood4 ,the punishment for     
violating the ,sabbath in general1 or in

 any one of these particulars1 was      
death3 ,whosoever doeth work therein    
shall be put to death4 ,however1        
amusement was not prohibited1 nor eating
 and drinking1 only work4 ,the command1 
,let no man go out of his place on the  
seventh day1 at a later period1 was     
liberally interpreted1 and a man was    
allowed to go two thousand cubits1 a    
,sabbath-day's journey4  ,long after the
 time of ,moses1 some of the ,hebrews   
returned from exile amongst a more      
civilized and refined people4 ,it seems 
probable that only the stricter portion 
returned and established themselves in  
the land of their fathers4 ,nehemiah1   
their leader1 enforced the observance of
 the ,sabbath with a strictness and     
rigor of which earlier times afford no  
evidence4 ,but the nation was not       
content with making it a day of         
idleness4 ,they established synagogues1 
where the people freely assembled on the
 ,sabbath and other public days1 for    
religious instruction1 and thus founded 

an excellent institution which has shown
 itself fruitful of good results4 ,so   
far as ,i know1 that is the earliest    
instance on record of provision being   
made for the regular religious          
instruction of the whole people4        
,experience has shown its value1 and now
 all the most highly civilized nations  
of the earth have established similar   
institutions4 ,however1 in the          
synagogues the business of religious    
instruction was not at all in the hands 
of the priests1 but in those of the     
people1 acting in their primary         
character without regard to ,levitical  
establishments4 ,a priest1 as such1 is  
never an instructor of the people2 he is
 to go through his ritual1 not beyond   
it4  ,it is easy to learn from the ,new 
,testament what were the current        
opinions about the ,sabbath in the time 
of ,christ4 ,it was unlawful to gather a
 head of wheat on the ,sabbath1 as a man
 walked through the fields2 it was      
unlawful to cure a sick man1 though that

 cure could be effected by a touch or a 
word2 unlawful for a man to walk home   
and carry the light cushion on which he 
had lain4 ,what was unlawful was        
reckoned wicked also2 for what is a     
crime in the eyes of the priest1 he     
commonly pretends is likewise a sin     
before the eyes of ,god4 ,yet it was not
 unlawful to eat1 drink1 and be merry on
 the ,sabbath2 nor to lift a sheep out  
of the ditch2 nor to quarrel with a man 
who came to deliver mankind from their  
worst enemies4 ,it was lawful to perform
 the rite of circumcision on the        
,sabbath1 but unlawful to cure a man of 
any sickness4 ,jesus once placed these  
two1 the allowing of that ritual        
mutilation and the prohibition of the   
humane act of curing the sick on the    
,sabbath1 in ridiculous contrast4 ,in   
the fourth gospel he goes further1 and  
actually denies the alleged ground for  
the original institution of the         
,sabbath2 he denies that ,god had ever  
ceased from his work1 or rested3 ,my    

father worketh hitherto4#e ,however1 in 
effecting these cures he committed a    
capital offence2 the ,pharisees so      
regarded it1 and took measures to insure
 his punishment4 ,it does not appear    
that they were illegal measures4 ,it is 
probable they took regular and legal    
means to bring him to condign punishment
 as a ,sabbath-breaker4 ,he escaped by  
flight4  ,such was the ,sabbath with the
 ,hebrews1 such the recorded opinion of 
,jesus concerning it4 ,there were also  
other days in which labor was forbidden1
 but with them we have nothing to do at 
present4 ,jesus taught piety and        
goodness without the ,hebrew            
limitations2 of course1 then1 the new   
wine of ,christianity could not be put  
into the old bottles of the ,jews4      
,their fast days and ,sabbath days1     
their rites and forms1 were not for him4
         99       99       99       99  
99  ,now1 not long after the death of   
,christ1 his followers became gradually 
divided into two parties4 ,first1 there 

were the ,jewish ,christians2 that was  
the oldest portion1 the old school of   
,christians4 ,they are mentioned in     
ecclesiastical history as the           
,ebionites1 ,nazarines1 and under yet   
other names4 ,peter and ,james were the 
great men in that division of the early 
,christians4 ,matthew1 and the author of
 the ,gospel according to the ,hebrews1 
were their evangelists4 ,the church at  
,jerusalem was their strong-hold4 ,they 
kept the whole ,hebrew law2 all its     
burdensome ritual1 its circumcision and 
its sacrifices1 its new-moon days and   
its full-moon days1 ,sabbath1 fasts1 and
 feasts2 the first fifteen bishops of   
the church at ,jerusalem were           
circumcised ,jews4 ,it seems to me they 
misunderstood ,jesus fatally2 counting  
him nothing but the ,messiah of the ,old
 ,testament1 and ,christianity1         
therefore1 nothing but ,judaism         
brightened up and restored to its       
original purity4  ,i have often         
mentioned how strongly ,matthew1 taking 

him for the author of the first gospel1 
favors this way of thinking4 ,he        
represents ,jesus as commanding his     
disciples to observe all the ,mosaic    
law1 as the ,pharisees interpreted that 
law1#f though such a command is utterly 
inconsistent with the general spirit of 
,christ's teachings1 and even with his  
plain declaration1 as preserved in other
 parts of the same gospel4 ,it is worthy
 of note1 that this command is peculiar 
to ,matthew4 ,but there is another      
instance of the same ,jewish tendency1  
though not so obvious at first sight4   
,matthew represents ,jesus as saying1   
,the ,son of man1 that is1 the ,messiah1
 is ,lord even of the ,sabbath day4     
,accordingly1 he is competent to expound
 the law correctly1 and determine what  
is lawful to do on that day4 ,in        
,matthew1 therefore1 ,jesus1 in his     
character of ,messiah1 is represented as
 giving a judicial opinion1 and ruling  
that it is lawful to do well on the     
,sabbath days4 ,now1 ,mark and ,luke    

represent it a little different4 ,in    
,mark1 ,jesus himself declares that ,the
 ,sabbath was made for man1 and not man 
for the ,sabbath4 ,matthew entirely     
omits that remarkable saying4 ,according
 to ,mark1 ,jesus declares in general   
terms1 that man is of more consequence  
than the observance of the ,sabbath1    
while ,matthew only considers that the  
,messiah is ,lord of the ,sabbath day4  
,the cause of this diversity is quite   
plain4 ,matthew was a ,jewish           
,christian1 and thought ,christianity   
was nothing but restored ,judaism4      
99       99       99       99       99  
,the other party may be called liberal  
,christians1 though they must not be    
confounded with the party which now     
bears that name4 ,they were the new     
school of the early ,christians4 ,they  
rejected the ,hebrew law1 so far as it  
did not rest on human nature1 and       
considered that ,christianity was a new 
thing2 ,christ1 not a mere ,jew1 but a  
universal man1 who had thrown down the  

wall of partition between ,jews and     
,gentiles4 ,all the old1 artificial     
distinctions1 therefore1 were done away 
with at once4 ,paul was the head of the 
liberal party among the primitive       
,christians4 ,he was considered a       
heretic2 and though he was more         
efficient than any of the other early   
preachers of ,christianity1 yet the     
author of the ,apocalypse thought him   
not worthy of a place in the foundation 
of the new ,jerusalem1 which rests on   
the twelve apostles4#g ,the fourth      
gospel with peculiarities of its own1 is
 written wholly in the interest of this 
party2 ,james is not mentioned in it at 
all1 and ,peter plays but quite a       
subordinate part1 and is thrown into the
 shade by ,john4 ,the disciples are     
spoken of as often misunderstanding     
their great ,teacher4 ,these            
peculiarities cannot be considered as   
accidental2 they are monuments of the   
controversy then going on between the   
two parties4 ,paul stood in direct      

opposition to the ,jewish ,christians4  
,this is plain from the epistle to the  
,galatians1 in which the heads of the   
rival sects appear very unlike the      
description given of them in the book of
 ,acts4 ,the observance of ,jewish      
sacred days was one of the subjects of  
controversy4 ,let us look only at the   
matter of the ,sabbath1 as it came in   
question between the two parties4 ,paul 
exalts ,christ far above the ,messianic 
predictions of the ,old ,testament1     
calling him an image of the invisible   
,god1 and declaring that all the fulness
 of divinity dwells in him1 and adds1   
that he had annulled the old ,hebrew    
law4 ,therefore1 says ,paul1 let no man 
judge you in meat or in drink1 or in    
respect of a holy day1 or of the new    
moon1 or of the ,sabbath4#h ,here he    
distinctly states the issue between the 
two ,christian sects4 ,elsewhere he     
speaks of the ,jewish party1 as men that
 would pervert the gospel of ,christ1 by
 teaching that a man was justified by   

the works of the law2 that is1 by a     
minute observance of the ,hebrew        
ritual4#i ,paul rejects the authority of
 the ,old ,testament4 ,the law of ,moses
 was but a schoolmaster's servant1 to   
bring us to ,christ2 man had come to    
,christ1 and needed that servant no     
longer2 the law was a taskmaster and    
guardian set over man in his minority1  
now he had come of age1 and was free2   
the law was a shadow of good things1 and
 they had come2 it was a law of sin and 
death1 which no man could bear1 and now 
the law of the spirit of life1 as       
revealed by ,jesus ,christ1 had made men
 free from the law of sin and death4    
,such was the work of the glorious      
gospel of the blessed ,god4 ,thus       
sweeping off the authority of the old   
law in general1 he proceeds to          
particulars3 he rejects circumcision1   
and the offering of sacrifices2 rejects 
the distinction of nations as ,jew and  
,gentile2 the distinction of meats as   
clean and unclean1 and all distinction  

of days1 as holy and not holy4 ,if one  
man thought one day holier than another 
day2 if another man thought all days    
equally holy1 he would have each man    
true to his conviction1 but not seek to 
impose that conviction on his brothers4 
,such was ,paul's opinion of ,the law of
 ,moses2 such1 of the ,sabbath2 the     
,christians were not subject to         
ordinances4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,let us come now to 
the common practice of the early        
,christians4 ,the apostles went about   
and preached ,christianity1 as they     
severally understood it4 ,they spoke as 
they found opportunity2 on the ,sabbath 
to the ,jews in the synagogues1 and on  
other days1 as they found time and      
hearers4 ,it does not appear from the   
,new ,testament1 that they limited      
themselves to any particular day2 they  
were missionaries1 some of them remained
 but a little while in a place1 making  
the most of their time4 ,it seems that  
the early ,christians1 who lived in     

large towns1 met every day for religious
 purposes4 ,but as that would be found  
inconvenient1 one day came to be        
regarded as the regular time of their   
meetings4 ,the ,jewish ,christians      
observed the ,sabbath with pharisaic    
rigor1 while the liberal ,christians    
neglected it4 ,but both parties of      
,christians observed1 at length1 the    
first day of the week as a peculiar day4
 ,no one knows when this observance of  
the ,sunday began2 it is difficult to   
find proof in the ,new ,testament1 that 
the apostles regarded it as a peculiar  
day2 it seems plain that ,paul did not4 
,but it is certain that in the second   
century after ,jesus1 the ,christians in
 general did so regard it1 and perhaps  
all of them4  ,why was the ,sunday      
chosen as the regular day for religious 
meeting8 ,it was regarded as the day on 
which ,jesus rose from the dead2 and1   
following the mythical account in       
,genesis1 it was the day on which ,god  
began the creation1 and actually created

 the light4 ,here there were two reasons
 for the selection of that day2 both are
 frequently mentioned by the early      
,christian writers4 ,sunday1 therefore1 
was to them a symbol of the new         
creation1 and of the light that had come
 into the world4 ,the liberal           
,christians1 in separating from the     
,jewish ,sabbath1 would naturally exalt 
the new religious day4 ,athanasius1 ,i  
think1 is the first who ascribes a      
divine origin to the institution of     
,sunday4 ,he says1 ,the ,lord changed   
this day from the ,sabbath to the       
,sunday2 but ,athanasius lived three    
centuries after ,christ1 and seems to   
have known little about the matter4     
,the officers and the order of services 
in the churches on the ,sunday seem     
derived from the usages of the ,jewish  
synagogues4 ,the ,sunday was thus       
observed3 the people came together in   
the morning2 the exercises consisted of 
readings from the ,old ,testament and   
such writings of the ,christians as the 

assembly saw fit to have read to them4  
,in respect to these writings there was 
a wide difference in the different      
churches1 some accepting more and others
 less4 ,the overseer1 or bishop1 made an
 address1 perhaps an exposition of the  
passage of ,scripture4 ,prayers were    
said and hymns chanted2 the ,lord's     
supper was celebrated4 ,the form no     
doubt differed1 and widely1 too1 in     
different places4 ,it was not the form  
of servitude but the spirit of freedom1 
they observed4 ,but all these things    
were done1 likewise1 on other days2 the 
,lord's supper could be celebrated on   
any day1 and is on every day by the     
,catholic church1 even now2 for the     
,catholics have been true to the early  
practices in more points than the       
,protestants are willing to admit4 ,in  
some places it is certain there was a   
communion every day4 ,sunday was        
regarded holy by the early ,christians1 
just as certain festivals are regarded  
holy by the ,catholics1 the             

,episcopalians1 and the ,lutherans1 at  
this day2 as the ,new ,englanders regard
 ,thanksgiving day as holy4 ,other days1
 likewise1 were regarded as holy2 were  
used in the same manner as the ,sunday4 
,such days were observed in honor of    
particular events in the life of ,jesus1
 or in honor of saints and martyrs1 or  
they were days consecrated by older     
festivals belonging to the more ancient 
forms of religion4 ,in the ,catholic    
church such days are still numerous4 ,it
 is only the ,puritans who have         
completely rejected them1 and they have 
been obliged to substitute new ones in  
their place4 ,however1 there was one    
peculiarity of the ,sunday which        
distinguished it from most or all other 
days4 ,it was a day of religious        
rejoicing4 ,on other days the           
,christians knelt in prayer2 on the     
,sunday they stood up on joyful feet1   
for light had come into the world4      
,sunday was a day of gladness and       
rejoicing4 ,the early ,christians had   

many fasts2 they were commonly held on  
,wednesdays and ,fridays1 often on      
,saturday also1 the more completely to  
get rid of the ,jewish superstition     
which consecrated that day2 but on      
,sunday there must be no fast4 ,he would
 be a heretic who should fast on        
,sunday4 ,it is strictly forbidden in   
the canons of the apostles2 a clergyman 
must be degraded and a layman           
excommunicated1 for the offence4 ,says  
,st4 ,ignatius1 in the second century1  
if the epistle be genuine1 ,every lover 
of ,christ feasts on the ,lord's day4   
,we deem it wicked1 says ,tertullian in 
the third century1 to fast on the       
,sunday1 or to pray on our knees4 ,oh1  
says ,st4 ,jerome1 that we could fast on
 the ,sunday1 as ,paul did and they that
 were with him4 ,st4 ,ambrose says1 the 
,manichees were damned for fasting on   
the ,lord's day4 ,at this day the       
,catholic church allows no fast on      
,sunday1 save the ,sunday before the    
crucifixion2 even ,lent ceases on that  

day4  ,it does not appear that labor    
ceased on ,sunday1 in the earliest age  
of ,christianity4 ,but when ,sunday     
became the regular and most important   
day for holding religious meetings1 less
 labor must of course be performed on   
that day4 ,at length it became common in
 some places to abstain from ordinary   
work on the ,sunday4 ,it is not easy to 
say how early this was brought about4   
,but after ,christianity had become     
respectable1 and found its way to the   
ranks of the wealthy1 cultivated and    
powerful1 laws got enacted in its favor4
 ,now1 the ,romans1 like all other      
ancient nations1 had certain festal days
 in which it was not thought proper to  
labor unless work was pressing4 ,it was 
disreputable to continue common labor on
 such days without an urgent reason2    
they were pretty numerous in the ,roman 
calendar4 ,courts did not sit on those  
days2 no public business was transacted4
 ,they were observed as ,christmas and  
the more important saints' days in      

,catholic countries2 as ,thanksgiving   
day and the ,fourth of ,july with us4   
,in the year three hundred and          
twenty-one1 ,constantine1 the first     
,christian emperor of ,rome1 placed     
,sunday among their ferial days4 ,this  
was perhaps the first legislative action
 concerning the day4 ,the statute       
forbids labor in towns1 but expressly   
excludes all prohibition of field-labor 
in the country4#aj ,about three hundred 
and sixty-six or seven1 the ,council of 
,laodicea decreed that ,christians ought
 not to ,judaize and be idle on the     
,sabbath1 but to work on that day2      
especially observing the ,lord's day1   
and if it is possible1 as ,christians1  
resting from labor4 ,afterwards the     
,emperor ,theodosius forbade certain    
public games on ,sunday1 ,christmas1    
,epiphany1 and the whole time from      
,easter to ,pentecost4 ,justinian       
likewise forbade theatrical exhibitions1
 races in the circus1 and the fights of 
wild beasts1 on ,sunday1 under severe   

penalties4 ,this was done in order that 
the religious services of the           
,christians might not be disturbed4 ,by 
his laws the ,sunday continued to be a  
day in which public business was not to 
be transacted4 ,but the ,christmas days1
 the fifteen days of ,easter1 and       
numerous other days previously observed 
by ,christians or pagans1 were put in   
the same class by the law4 ,all this it 
seems was done from no superstitious    
notions respecting those days1 but for  
the sake of public utility and          
convenience4 ,however1 the rigor of the 
,jewish ,sabbatical laws was by no means
 followed4 ,labors of love1 opera       
caritatis1 were considered as suitable  
business for those days4 ,the very      
statute of ,theodosius recommended the  
emancipation of slaves on ,sunday4 ,all 
impediments to their liberation were    
removed on that day1 and though judicial
 proceedings in all other matters were  
forbidden on ,sunday1 an exception was  
expressly made in favor of emancipating 

slaves4 ,this statute was preserved in  
the code of ,justinian4#aa ,all these   
laws go to show that there were similar 
customs previously established among the
 ,christians1 without the aid of        
legislation4  ,about the middle of the  
sixth century the ,council of ,orleans  
forbade labor in the fields1 though it  
did not forbid travelling with cattle   
and oxen1 the preparation of food1 or   
any work necessary to the cleanliness of
 the house or the person--declaring that
 rigors of that sort belong more to a   
,jewish than to a ,christian observance 
of the day4 ,that1 ,i think1 is the     
earliest ecclesiastical decree which has
 come down to us forbidding field-labor 
in the country2 a decree unknown till   
five hundred and thirty-eight years     
after ,christ4 ,but before that1 in the 
year three hundred and thirteen1 the    
,council of ,elvira in ,spain decreed1  
that if any one in a city absented      
himself three ,sundays consecutively    
from the church1 he should be suspended 

from communion for a short time4 ,such a
 regulation1 however1 was founded purely
 on considerations of public utility4   
,many church establishments have thought
 it necessary to protect themselves from
 desertion by similar penal laws4  ,in  
,catholic countries1 at the present day1
 the morning of ,sunday is appropriated 
to public worship1 the people flocking  
to church4 ,but the afternoon and       
evening are devoted to society1 to      
amusement of various kinds4 ,nothing    
appears sombre1 but every thing has a   
festive air2 even the theatres are open4
 ,sunday is like ,christmas1 or a       
,thanksgiving day in ,boston1 only the  
festive demonstrations are more public4 
,it is so in the ,protestant countries  
on the continent of ,europe4 ,work is   
suspended1 public and private1 except   
what is necessary for the observance of 
the day2 public lectures are suspended2 
public libraries closed2 but galleries  
of paintings and statues are thrown open
 and crowded2 the public walks are      

thronged4 ,in ,southern ,germany1 and1  
doubtless1 elsewhere1 young men and     
women have ,i seen in summer1 of a      
,sunday afternoon1 dancing on the green1
 the clergyman1 ,protestant or          
,catholic1 looking on and enjoying the  
cheerfulness of the young people4       
,americans think their mode of keeping  
,sunday is unholy2 they1 that ours is   
,jewish and pharisaical4 ,in ,paris1    
sometimes1 courses of scientific        
lectures are delivered after the hours  
of religious services1 to men who are   
busy during the week with other cares1  
and who gladly take the hours of their  
only leisure day to gain a little       
intellectual instruction4  ,when        
,england was a ,catholic country1       
,catholic notions of ,sunday of course  
prevailed4 ,labor was suspended2 there  
was service in the churches1 and        
afterwards there were sports for the    
people1 but they were attended with     
quarrelling1 noise1 uproar1 and         
continual drunkenness4 ,it was so after 

the ,reformation4 ,in the time of       
,elizabeth1 the laws forbade labor      
except in time of harvest1 when it was  
thought right to work1 if need were1 and
 save the thing that ,god hath sent4    
,some of the ,protestants wished to     
reform those disorders1 and convert the 
,sunday to a higher use4 ,the           
government1 and sometimes the superior  
clergy1 for a long time interfered to   
prevent the reform1 often to protect the
 abuse4 ,the ,book of ,sports1 appointed
 to be read in churches1 is well known  
to us from the just indignation with    
which it filled our fathers4  ,now1 it  
is plain1 that in ,england1 before the  
,reformation1 the ,sunday was not       
appropriated to its highest use2 not to 
the highest interests of mankind2 no1   
not to the highest concerns1 which the  
people1 at that time1 were capable of   
appreciating4 ,the attempts1 made then  
and subsequently1 by government1 to     
enforce the observance of the day1 for  
purposes not the highest1 led to a      

fearful reaction2 that to other and     
counter reactions4 ,the ill consequences
 of those movements have not yet ceased 
on either side of the ocean4  ,the      
,puritans represented the spirit of     
reaction against ecclesiastical and     
other abuses of their time1 and the age 
before them4 ,let me do these men no    
injustice4 ,i honor the heroic virtues  
of our fathers not less because ,i see  
their faults2 see the cause of their    
faults1 and the occasion which demanded 
such masculine and terrible virtues as  
the ,puritans unquestionably possessed4 
,i speak only of their doctrine of the  
,sunday4 ,they were driven from one     
extreme to the other1 for oppression    
makes wise men mad4 ,they took mainly   
the notions of the ,sabbath1 which      
belong to the later portions of the ,old
 ,testament2 they interpreted them with 
the most pharisaical rigor1 and then    
applied them to the ,sunday4 ,did they  
find no warrant for that rigor in the   
,new ,testament8 they found enough in   

the ,old2 enough in their own character1
 and their consequent notions of ,god4  
,they thus introduced a set of ideas    
respecting the ,sunday1 which the       
,christian church had never known       
before1 and rigidly enforced an         
observance thereof utterly foreign both 
to the letter and spirit of the ,new    
,testament4 ,they made ,sunday a        
terrible day2 a day of fear1 and of     
fasting1 and of trembling under the     
terrors of the ,lord4 ,they even called 
it by the ,hebrew name--the ,sabbath4   
,the ,catholics had said it was not safe
 to trust the ,scriptures in the hands  
of the people1 for an inspired ,word    
needed an expositor also inspired4 ,the 
abuse which the ,puritans made of the   
,bible by their notions of the ,sunday1 
seemed a fulfilment of the ,catholic    
prophecy4 ,but the ,catholics did not   
see what is plain to all men now--that  
this very abuse of ,sunday and          
,scripture was only the reaction against
 other abuses1 ancient1 venerated1 and  

enforced by the ,catholic church itself4
  ,every sect has some institution which
 is the symbol of its religious         
consciousness1 though not devised for   
that purpose4 ,with the early           
,christians1 it was their love-feasts   
and communion2 with the ,catholics1 it  
is their gorgeous ritual with its       
ancient date and divine pretensions--a  
ritual so imposing to many2 with the    
,quakers1 who scorn all that is         
symbolic1 the symbol equally appears in 
the plain dress and the plain speech1   
the broad brim1 and thee and thou4 ,with
 the ,puritans1 this symbol was the     
,sabbath1 not the ,sunday4 ,their       
,sabbath was like themselves1 austere1  
inflexible as their divine decrees2 not 
human and of man1 but ,hebrew and of the
 ,jews1 stern1 cold1 and sad4  ,the     
,puritans were possessed with the       
sentiment of fear before ,god2 they had 
ideas analogous to that sentiment1 and  
wrought out actions akin to those ideas4
 ,they brought to ,america their ideas  

and sentiments4 ,behold the effect of   
their actions4 ,let us walk reverently  
backward1 with averted eyes to cover up 
their folly1 their shame1 and their sin1
 as they could not walk to conceal the  
folly of their progenitors4 ,the        
,puritans are the fathers of ,new       
,england and her descendant ,states2 the
 fathers of the ,american idea2 of most 
things in ,america that are good2       
surely1 of most that is best4 ,they seem
 made on purpose for their work of      
conquering a wilderness and founding a  
,state4 ,it is not with gentle hands1   
not with the dalliance of effeminate    
fingers1 that such a task is done4 ,the 
work required energy the most masculine1
 in heart1 head1 and hands4 ,none but   
the ,puritans could have done such a    
work4 ,they could fast as no men2 none  
could work like them2 none preach2 none 
pray2 none could fight as they fought4  
,they have left a most precious         
inheritance to men who have the same    
greatness of soul1 but have fallen on   

happier times4 ,yet this inheritance is 
fatal to mere imitators1 who will go on 
planting of vineyards1 where the first  
planter fell intoxicated with the fruit 
of his own toil4 ,this inheritance is   
dangerous to men who will be no wiser   
than their ancestors4 ,let us honor the 
good deeds of our fathers2 and not eat1 
but reverently bury their honored bones4
  ,the ,puritans represented the natural
 reaction of mankind against old        
institutions that were absurd or        
tyrannical4 ,the ,catholic church had   
multiplied feast days to an extreme1 and
 taken unnecessary pains to promote fun 
and frolic4 ,the ,puritans would have   
none of the saints' days in their       
calendar2 thought sport was wicked2 cut 
down ,maypoles1 and punished a man who  
kept ,christmas after the old fashion4  
,the ,catholic church had neglected her 
golden opportunities for giving the     
people moral and religious instruction2 
had quite too much neglected public     
prayer and preaching1 but relied mainly 

on sensuous instruments--architecture1  
painting1 music4 ,in revenge1 the       
,puritan had a meeting-house as plain as
 boards could make it2 tore the pictures
 to pieces2 thought an organ was not of 
,god1 and had sermons long and numerous1
 and prayers full of earnestness1 zeal1 
piety1 and faith1 in short1 possessed of
 all desirable things except an end4    
,did the ,catholics forbid the people   
the ,bible1 emphatically the book of the
 people--the ,puritan would read no     
other book2 called his children ,hebrew 
names1 and reenacted the laws of ,god in
 the ,old ,testament1 until we can make 
better4 ,did ,henry and ,elizabeth      
underrate the people and overvalue the  
monarchy1 nature had her vengeance for  
that abuse1 and the ,puritan taught the 
world that kings1 also1 had a joint in  
their necks4  ,the ,puritans went to the
 extreme in many things3 in their       
contempt for amusements1 for what was   
graceful in man or beautiful in woman2  
in their scorn of art1 of elegant       

literature1 even of music2 in their     
general condemnation of the past1 from  
which they would preserve little        
excepting what was ,hebrew1 which1 of   
course1 they over-honored as much as    
they undervalued all the rest4 ,in their
 notions respecting the ,sunday they    
went to the same extreme4 ,the general  
reason is obvious4 ,they wished to avoid
 old abuses1 and thought they were not  
out of the water till they were in the  
fire4 ,but there was a special reason1  
also3 the ,english are the most         
empirical of all nations4 ,they love a  
fact more than an idea1 and often cling 
to an historical precedent rather than  
obey a great truth which transcends all 
precedents4 ,the national tendency to   
external things1 perhaps1 helped lead   
them to these peculiar notions of the   
,sabbath4 ,the precedent they found in  
,the chosen people1 and established1 as 
they thought1 by ,god himself4          
99       99       99       99       99  
,the ideas of the ,puritans respecting  

the ,sunday are still cherished in the  
popular theology of ,new ,england4      
,there is one party in our churches     
possessed of many excellences1 which has
 always had the merit of speaking out   
fully what it thinks and feels4 ,at this
 day that party still represents the    
,puritanic opinions about the ,sunday1  
though a little modified4 ,they teach   
that ,god created the world in six days1
 and rested the seventh2 that he        
commanded mankind1 also1 to rest on that
 day2 commanded a man to be stoned to   
death for picking up sticks of a        
,saturday2 that by divine authority the 
first day of the week was substituted   
for the seventh1 and therefore that it  
is the religious duty of all men to rest
 from work on that day1 for the ,hebrew 
law of the ,sabbath is binding on       
,christians for ever4 ,it is maintained 
that abstinence from work on ,sunday is 
as much a religious duty as abstinence  
from theft or hatred2 that the day must 
be exclusively devoted to religion1 in  

the technical sense of that word1 to    
public or private worship1 to religious 
reading1 thought1 or conversation4 ,to  
attend church on that day is thought to 
be a good in itself1 though it should   
lead to no further good1 and therefore a
 duty as imperative as the duty of      
loving man and ,god4 ,the preacher may  
not edify1 still the duty of attending  
to his ministration of the word remains 
the same2 for the attendance is a good  
in itself4 ,it is taught that work1 that
 amusement1 common conversation1 the    
reading of a book not technically       
religious1 is a sin1 just as clearly a  
sin as theft or hatred1 though perhaps  
not so great4 ,writing a letter1 even1  
is denounced as a sin1 though the letter
 be written for the purpose of arresting
 the progress of a war1 and securing    
life and freedom to millions of men4    
,now1 it is very plain that such ideas  
are not consistent with the truth4 ,in  
the language of the church1 they are a  
heresy4 ,as we learn the facts of the   

case we must give up such ideas         
concerning the ,sunday4 ,it is like any 
other day4 ,christianity knows no       
classes of days1 as holy or profane2 all
 days are the ,lord's days1 all time    
holy time4         99       99       99 
99       99  ,but then comes the other  
question1 ,what is the best use to be   
made of the day2 the use most conducive 
to the highest interests of mankind8    
,will it be most profitable to give up  
the ,sunday1 to use it as the ,catholics
 do1 as the ,puritans did1 or to adopt  
some other method8 ,to answer these     
questions fairly1 let us look and see   
the effects of the present notions about
 the ,sunday1 and the stricter mode of  
observing it here in ,new ,england4 ,the
 experience of two hundred years is     
worth looking at4 ,let us look at the   
good effects first4  ,the good and evil 
of any age are commonly bound so closely
 together1 that in plucking up the      
tares1 there is danger lest the wheat   
also be uprooted1 at least trodden down4

 ,in ,america1 especially in ,new       
,england1 every thing is intense1 with  
of course a tendency to extravagance1 to
 fanaticism4 ,look at some of the most  
obvious signs of that intensity4 ,no    
conservatism in the world is so bigoted 
as ,american conservatism2 no democracy 
so intense4 ,nowhere else can you find  
such thorough-going defenders of the    
existing state of things1 social1       
ecclesiastical1 civil2 such defenders of
 drunkenness1 ignorance1 superstition1  
slavery1 and war2 nowhere such radical  
enemies to the existing state of things2
 such foes of drunkenness1 ignorance1   
superstition1 slavery1 and war4 ,no     
,revivals of religion are like the      
,american2 none of old were like these4 
,see how the ,american soldiers fight2  
how the ,american men will work4        
,puritanism was intense enough in       
,england2 in the ,new ,world it was yet 
more so4 ,our fathers were intense      
,calvinists2 more ,calvinistic than     
,calvin--they became ,hopkinsian4 ,they 

hated the ,pope2 kings and bishops were 
their aversion4 ,they feared ,god4 ,did 
they love him--love him as much8 ,they  
had an intense religious activity1 but  
they had another intensity4 ,it is      
better that we should say it1 rather    
than men who do not honor them4 ,that   
intensity of action1 when turned towards
 material things1 or1 as they called    
them1 carnal things1 needed some        
powerful check4 ,it was found in their  
bigotry and superstition4 ,in such an   
age as theirs1 when the ,reformation    
broke down all the ordinary restraints  
of society1 and rent asunder the golden 
ties which bound man to the past2 when  
the ,anglican church ended in fire1 and 
the ,english monarchy in blood2 when men
 full of piety thanked ,god for the fire
 and the bloodshed1 and felt the wrongs 
of a thousand years driving them almost 
to madness--what was there to keep such 
men within bounds1 and restrain them    
from the wildest license and unbridled  
anarchy8 ,nothing but superstition2     

nothing short of fear of hell4 ,they    
broke down the monarchy2 they trod the  
church under their feet4 ,she who had   
once been counted as the queen and      
mother of society1 was now to be        
regarded only as the ,apocalyptical     
woman in scarlet1 the mother of         
abominations1 bride of the devil1 and   
queen of hell4 ,the ,old ,testament     
wrought on the minds of these men like a
 charm1 to stimulate and to soothe4 ,one
 day1 said they1 is made holy by ,god2  
in it shall no work be done by man or   
beast1 or thing inanimate4 ,on that day 
all must attend church as an act of     
religion4 ,here1 then1 was a bar        
extending across the stream of          
worldliness1 filling one seventh part of
 its channel1 wide and deep1 and        
wonderfully interrupting its whelming   
tide4 ,i admire the divine skill which  
compounds the gases in the air2 which   
balances centripetal and centrifugal    
forces into harmonious                  
proportions1--those fair ellipses in the

 unseen air2 but still more marvellous  
is that same skill1 diviner now1 which  
compounds the folly and the wisdom of   
mankind2 balances centripetal and       
centrifugal forces here1 stilling the   
noise of kings and the tumult of the    
people1 making their wrath to serve him1
 and the remnant thereof restraining    
forever4  ,on ,sunday1 master and man1  
the slave stolen from the wilderness1   
the servant--a ,christian man bought    
from some ,christian conqueror1--must   
cease from their work4 ,did the         
covetous1 the cruel1 the strong1 oppress
 the weak for six days1 the ,sabbath    
said1 ,hitherto shalt thou come1 but no 
further4 ,the servant was free from his 
master1 and the weary was at rest4 ,the 
plough stood still in the furrow2 the   
sheaf lay neglected in the field2 the   
horse and the ox enjoyed their master's 
,sabbath of rest1 all heedless of the   
divine decrees1 of election or          
reprobation1 yet not the less watched   
over by that dear ,providence which     

numbered the hairs of the head1 and     
overruled the falling of a sparrow for  
the sparrow's good4 ,all must attend    
church1 master and man1 rich and poor1  
oppressor and oppressed4 ,good things   
and great things got read out of the    
,bible1 it was the book of the people1  
the ,new ,testament1 written much of it 
in the interest of all mankind1 with    
special emphasis laid on the rights of  
the weak and the duties of the strong4  
,good things got said in sermon and in  
prayer4 ,the speakers must think1 the   
hearers think1 as well as tremble4      
,begin to think in a circle narrow as a 
lady's ring1 or the ,assembly's         
,catechism1 you will think out2 for     
thought1 like all movement1 tends to the
 right line4 ,calvinism has always bred 
thinkers1 and when barbarism was the    
first danger was perhaps the only thing 
which could do it4 ,calvinism1 too1 has 
always shown itself in favor of popular 
liberty to a certain degree1 and though 
it stops far short of the mark1 yet goes

 far beyond the ,catholic or            
,episcopalian4  ,sunday1 thus enforced  
by superstition1 has yet been the       
education-day of ,new ,england2 the     
national school-time for the culture of 
man's highest powers2 therein have the  
clergy been our educators1 and done a   
vast service which mankind will not soon
 forget4 ,it was good seed they sowed on
 this soil of the ,new ,world2 the      
harvest is proof of that4 ,they builded 
wiser than they knew4 ,their unconscious
 hands constructed the thought of ,god4 
,even their superstition and bigotry did
 much to preserve church and clergy to  
us2 much also to educate and develop the
 highest powers of man4 ,but for that   
superstition we might have seen the same
 anarchy1 the same unbridled license in 
the seventeenth century1 which we saw in
 the eighteenth1 as a consequence of a  
similar revolution1 a similar reaction2 
only it would have been carried out with
 the intensity of that most masculine   
and earnest race of men4 ,how much      

further ,english atrocities would have  
gone than the ,french did go2 how long  
it would have taken mankind1 by their   
proper motion1 to reascend from a fall  
so adverse and so low1 ,i cannot tell4  
,i see what saved them from the plunge4 
,true1 the ,sunday was not what it      
should be1 more than the week2 preaching
 was not what it should be1 more than   
practice4 ,but without that ,sunday1 and
 without that preaching1 ,new ,england  
would have been a quite different land2 
,america another nation altogether2 the 
world by no means so far advanced as    
now4 ,new ,england with her descendants 
has always been the superior portion of 
,america4 ,i flatter no man's prejudice1
 but speak a plain truth4 ,she is       
superior in intelligence1 in            
morality--that is too plain for proof4  
,the prime cause of that superiority    
must be sought in the character of the  
fathers of ,new ,england2 but a         
secondary and most powerful cause is to 
be found also in those two              

institutions--,sunday and preaching4    
,why is it that all great movements1    
from the ,american ,revolution down to  
anti-slavery1 have begun here8 ,why is  
it that education societies1 missionary 
societies1 ,bible societies1 and all the
 movements for the advance of mankind1  
begin here8 ,why1 it is no more an      
accident than the rising of the tide4   
,find much of the cause in the superior 
character1 and therefore in the superior
 aims of the forefathers1 much also will
 be found due to this--,once in the week
 they paused from all work2 they thought
 of their ,god1 who had delivered them  
from the iron house and yoke of bondage2
 they listened to the words of able men1
 exhorting them to justice1 piety1 and a
 heavenly walk with ,god2 they trembled 
at fear of hell2 they rejoiced at hope  
of heaven4 ,the church--no1 the         
meeting-house--was the common property  
of all2 the minister the common friend4 
,the slave looked up to him2 the chief  
magistrate dared not look down on him4  

,for more than a hundred years the      
ablest men of ,new ,england went into   
the pulpit4 ,no talent was thought too  
great1 no learning too rich and         
profound1 no genius too holy and divine1
 for the work of teaching men their     
highest duty1 and helping to their      
highest bliss4 ,he was the minister to  
all4 ,there was not then a church for   
the rich1 and a chapel for the poor2 the
 rich and the poor met together1 for one
 ,god was the maker of them all--their  
,father too2 they had one ,gospel1 one  
,redeemer1--their ,brother not less than
 their ,god2 they journeyed toward the  
same heaven1 which had but one entrance 
for great and little2 they prayed all   
the same prayer4 ,the effect of this    
socialism of religion is seldom noticed2
 so we walk on moist earth1 not thinking
 that we tread on the thunder-cloud and 
the lightning4 ,but it is not in human  
nature for men of intense religious     
activity to meet in the same church1    
sing the same psalm1 pray the same      

prayer1 partake the same elements of    
communion1 and not be touched with      
compassion--each for all1 and all for   
each4 ,the same causes which built up   
religion in ,new ,england1 built up     
democracy along with it4 ,is it not easy
 to see the cause which made the rich   
men of ,new ,england the most benevolent
 of rich men2 gave them their character 
for generosity and public spirit--yes1  
for eminent humanity8 ,the acorn is not 
more obviously the parent of the oak    
than those two institutions of ,new     
,england the parent of such masculine   
virtues as distinguish her sons4        
,regarded merely as a day of rest from  
labor1 the ,sunday has been of great    
value to us4 ,considering the intense   
character of the nation1 our tendency to
 material things1 and our restless love 
of work1 it seems as if a ,moses of the 
nineteenth century1 legislating for us1 
would enact two rest-days in the week1  
rather than one4 ,it is a good thing    
that a man once a week pauses from his  

work1 arrays himself in clean garments1 
and is at rest4  ,regarded in its other 
aspects1 ,sunday has aided the          
intellectual culture of the people to a 
degree not often appreciated4 ,to many a
 man1 yes1 to most men1 it is their only
 reading day1 and they will read secular
 books1 spite of the clerical           
admonition4 ,many a poor boy in ,new    
,england1 who has toiled all the week1  
and would gladly have studied all the   
night1 did not obstinate ,nature forbid1
 has studied stealthily all ,sunday1 not
 ,jeremiah and the prophets1 but ,homer 
and the mathematics1 and risen at length
 to eminence amongst cultivated men2--he
 has to thank the ,sunday for the       
beginnings of that manly growth4  ,the  
moral and religious effect of the day is
 yet more important4 ,one seventh part  
of the time was to be devoted to moral  
and religious culture4 ,the clergy      
watched diligently over ,sunday1 as     
their own day4 ,work was then the       
accident2 religion was the business4    

,every thing with us becomes earnest2   
,sunday as earnest as the week4 ,it must
 not be spent idly4 ,perhaps no body of 
clergymen1 for two hundred years1 on the
 whole1 were ever so wakeful and active 
as the ,american4 ,they also are earnest
 and full of intensity1 especially in   
the more serious sects4 ,i think ,i am  
not very superstitious2 not often       
inclined to lean on my father's staff   
rather than walk on my own feet2 not    
over-much accustomed to take things on  
trust because they have been trusted to 
all along3 but ,i must confess that ,i  
see a vast amount of good achieved by   
the aid of these two institutions1 the  
,sunday and preaching1 which could not  
have been done without them4 ,i know ,i 
have my prejudices2 ,i love the ,sunday2
 a professional bias may warp me aside1 
for ,i am a preacher--the pulpit is my  
joy and my throne4 ,judge you how far my
 profession and my prejudice have led me
 astray in estimating the value of the  
,sunday1 its preaching1 and the good    

they have achieved for us in ,new       
,england4 ,i know what superstition1    
what bigotry1 has been connected with   
both2 ,i know it has kept grim and      
terrible guard about these institutions4
 ,i look upon that superstition and     
bigotry1 as on the old ,new ,england    
guns which were fought with in the      
,indian wars1 the ,french wars1 and the 
,revolution2--things that did service   
when men knew not how to defend what    
they valued most with better tools and  
more ,christian4 ,i look on both with   
the same melancholy veneration1 but     
honor them the more that now they are   
old1 battered1 unfit for use and covered
 with rust2 ,i would respectfully hang  
them up1 superstition and the musket1   
side by side2 honorable1 but harmless1  
with their muzzles down1 and pray ,god  
it might never be my lot to handle such 
ungodly weapons1 though in a cause never
 so humane and holy4         99       99
       99       99       99  ,let us    
look a little at the ill effects of     

these notions of the ,sunday and the    
observance which they led to4 ,it is    
thought an act of religion to attend    
church and give a mere bodily presence  
there4 ,hence the minister often relies 
on this circumstance to bring his       
audience together2 preaches sermons on  
the duty of going to church1 while      
ingenuous boys blush for his weakness1  
and ask1 ,were it not better to rely on 
your goodness1 your piety1 your wisdom2 
on your superior ability to teach men1  
even on your eloquence1 rather than tell
 them it is an act of religion to come  
and hear you1 when both they and you are
 painfully conscious that they are      
thereby made no wiser1 no better1 nor   
more ,christian8 ,this notion is a      
dangerous one for a clergyman4 ,it      
flatters his pride and encourages his   
sloth4 ,it blinds him to his own        
defects1 and leads him to attribute his 
empty benches to the perverseness of    
human nature and the carnal heart1 which
 a few snow-flakes can frighten from his

 church1 while a storm will not keep    
them from a lecture on science or       
literature4 ,no doubt it is a man's duty
 to seek all opportunities of becoming  
wiser and better4 ,so far as            
church-going helps that work1 so far it 
is a duty4 ,but to count it in itself1  
irrespective of its consequences1 an act
 of religion1 is to commit a dangerous  
error1 which has proved fatal to many a 
man's growth in goodness and piety4 ,let
 us look to the end1 not merely at the  
means4  ,this notion has also a bad     
effect on the hearers4 ,it is thought an
 act of religion to attend church1      
whether you are edified or not by       
sermon1 by psalm1 or prayer2 an act of  
religion1 though you could more         
profitably spend the time in your own   
closet at home1 or with your own        
thoughts in the fields4 ,of course1     
then1 he who attends once a day is      
thought a ,christian to a certain       
degree2 if twice1 more so2 if thrice1   
why that denotes an additional amount of

 growth in grace4 ,in this way the day  
is often spent in a continual round of  
meetings4 ,sermon follows sermon2 prayer
 treads upon the footsteps of prayer2   
psalm effaces psalm1 till morning1      
afternoon1 evening1 all are gone4 ,the  
,sunday is ended and over2 the man is   
tired--but has he been profited and made
 better thereby8 ,the sermons and the   
prayers have cancelled one another1 been
 heard and forgot4 ,they were too       
numerous to remember or produce their   
effect4 ,so on a summer's lake1 as the  
winds loiter and then pass by1 ripple   
follows ripple1 and wave succeeds to    
wave1 yet the next day the wind has     
ceased and the unstable water bears no  
trace left there by all the blowings of 
the former day1 but bares its           
incontinent bosom to the frailest and   
most fleeting clouds4  ,another ill     
effect follows from regarding attendance
 at church as an act of religion in     
itself3--,it is forgotten that a man    
cannot teach what he does not know4 ,if 

you have more manhood than ,i1 more     
religion2 if you are the more humane and
 the more divine1 it is idle for me to  
try and teach you divinity and humanity2
 idle in you to make believe you are    
taught4 ,the less must learn of the     
greater1 not the greater directly of the
 less4 ,it is too often forgotten by the
 preacher that his hearers may be       
capable of teaching him2 that he cannot 
fill them out of an emptiness1 but a    
fulness4 ,hence1 it comes to pass that  
no one1 how advanced soever1 is allowed 
to graduate1 so to say1 from the church4
 ,perhaps it may do a great man1 mature 
in ,christianity1 good to sit down with 
his fellows and hear a little man talk  
who knows nothing of religion2 it may   
increase his sympathy with mankind4 ,it 
can hardly be an act of religion to such
 a man so advanced in his goodness and  
piety2 perhaps not the best use he could
 make of the hour4  ,the current opinion
 hinders social tendencies4 ,a man must 
not meet with his friend and neighbor1  

or if he does1 he must talk with bated  
breath1 with ghostly countenance1 and of
 a ghostly theme4 ,from this abuse of   
the ,sunday comes much of the cold and  
unsocial character which strangers      
charge us with4 ,as things now go1 there
 are many who have no opportunity for   
social intercourse except the hours of  
the ,sunday4 ,then it is forbidden them4
 ,so they suffer and lose much of the   
charm of life2 become ungenial1         
unsocial1 stiff1 and hard1 and cold4    
,this notion hinders men1 also1 from    
intellectual culture4 ,they must read no
 book but one professedly religious4    
,such works are commonly poor and dull2 
written mainly by men of little ability1
 of little breadth of view2 not written 
in the interest of mankind1 but only of 
a sect--the ,calvinists or ,unitarians4 
,a good man groans when he looks over   
the immense piles of sectarian books    
written with good motives1 and read with
 the most devout of intentions1 but     
which produce their best effect when    

they lead only to sleep4 ,yet it is     
commonly taught that it is religion to  
spend a part of ,sunday in reading such 
works1 in listening1 or in trying to    
listen1 or in affecting to try and      
listen1 to the most watery sermons1     
while it is wicked to read some secular 
book1 philosophy1 history1 poem1 or     
tale1 which expands the mind and warms  
the heart4 ,our poor but wisdom-seeking 
boy must read his ,homer only by        
stealth4 ,there are many men who have no
 time for intellectual pursuits1 none   
for reading1 except on ,sunday4 ,it is  
cruel to tell them they shall read none 
but sectarian books or listen only to   
sectarian words4  ,but there are other  
evils yet4 ,these notions and the       
corresponding practice tend to make     
religion external1 consisting in        
obedience to form1 in compliance with   
custom2 while religion is and can be    
only piety and goodness1 love to ,god   
and love to man4 ,to keep the ,sunday   
idle1 to attend church1 is not being    

religious4 ,it is easy to do that2 easy 
to stop there1 and then to look at real1
 manly saints1 who live in the odor of  
sanctity1 whose sentiment is a prayer1  
their deeds religion1 and their whole   
life a perpetual communion with ,god1   
and say1 ,infidel6 ,unbeliever4  ,then1 
as one day is devoted to religion1 it is
 thought that is enough2 that religion  
has no more business in the world than  
the world in religion4 ,so division is  
made of the territory of mortal life1 in
 which partition worldliness has six    
days1 while poor religion has only the  
,sunday1 and content with her own       
limits1 feels no salient wish to absorb 
or annex the week6 ,it is painful to see
 this abuse of an institution so noble4 
,no commonness of its occurrence renders
 it less painful4 ,it is painful to be  
told that men of the most scrupulous    
sects on ,sunday1 are in the week the   
least scrupulous of men4  ,but even in  
religious matters it is thought all     
things which pertain directly to the    

religious welfare of men are not proper 
to be discussed on ,sunday4 ,one must   
not preach against intemperance1 against
 slavery1 against war1 on ,sunday4 ,it  
is not evangelical2 not preaching the   
gospel4 ,yet it is thought proper to    
preach on total depravity1 on eternal   
damnation2 to show that ,god will damn  
forever the majority of mankind2 that   
the apostle ,peter was a ,unitarian4    
,the ,sunday is not the time1 the pulpit
 not the place1 preaching not the       
instrument1 wherewith to oppose the     
monstrous sins of our day1 and secure   
education1 temperance1 peace1 freedom1  
for mankind4 ,it is not evangelical1 not
 ,christian1 to do that of a ,sunday6   
,yet wonderful to say1 it is not thought
 very wicked to hold a political caucus 
on ,sunday for the merest party         
purposes2 not wicked at all to work all 
day at the navy-yards in fitting out    
vessels1 if they are only vessels of    
war2 not at all wicked to toil all      
,sunday1 if it is only in aiming to kill

 men in regular battle4 ,theological    
newspapers can expend their cheap       
censure on a member of ,congress for    
writing a letter on ,sunday1 yet have no
 word of fault to find with the order   
which sets hundreds to work on ,sunday  
in preparing armaments of war2 not a    
word against the war which sets men to  
butcher their ,christian brothers on the
 day which ,christians celebrate as the 
anniversary of ,christ's triumph over   
death6 ,these things show that we have  
not yet arrived at the most profitable  
and ,christian mode of using the        
,sunday2 and when ,i consider these     
abuses ,i wonder not that the cry of    
,infidel is met by the unchristian      
taunt1 yet more deserved and biting1    
,thou hypocrite6 ,i wonder not that some
 men say1 ,let us away with the ,sunday 
altogether2 and if we have no place for 
rest1 we will have none for hypocrisy4  
,the efforts honestly made by good and  
honest men1 to ,judaize the day still   
more2 to revive the sterner features of 

ancient worship2 to put a yoke on us    
which neither we nor our fathers could  
bear2 to transform the ,christian       
,sunday into the ,jewish ,sabbath1 must 
lead to a reaction4 ,abuse on one side  
will be met by abuse on the other2      
despotic asceticism by license2 ,judaism
 by heathenism4 ,superstition is the    
mother of denial4 ,men will scorn the   
,sunday2 abuse its timely rest4 ,its    
hours that may be devoted to man's      
highest interests will be prostituted to
 low aims1 and worldliness make an      
unbroken sweep from one end of the month
 to the other2 and then it will take    
years of toil before mankind can get    
back and secure the blessings now placed
 within an easy reach4 ,i put it to you1
 men whose heads time has crowned with  
white1 or sprinkled with a sober gray1  
if you would deem it salutary to enforce
 on your grandchildren the ,sabbath     
austerities which your parents imposed  
on you8 ,in your youth was the ,sunday a
 welcome day2 a genial day2 or only     

wearisome and sour8 ,was religion1      
dressed in her ,sabbath dress1 a welcome
 guest2 was she lovely and to be        
desired8 ,your faces answer4 ,let us    
profit by your experience4         99   
99       99       99       99  ,how can 
we make the ,sunday yet more valuable8  
,if we abandon the superstitious notions
 respecting its origin and original     
design1 the evils that have hitherto    
hindered its use will soon perish of    
themselves4 ,they all grow out of that  
root4 ,if men are not driven into a     
reaction by pretensions for the ,sunday 
which facts will not warrant2 if        
unreasonable austerities are not forced 
upon them in the name of the law1 and   
the name of ,god2 there is no danger in 
our day that men will abandon an        
institution which already has done so   
much service to mankind4 ,let ,sunday   
and preaching stand on their own merits1
 and they will encounter no more        
opposition than the common school and   
the work-days of the week4 ,then men    

will be ready enough to appropriate the 
,sunday to the highest objects they know
 and can appreciate4 ,tell men the      
,sunday is made for man1 and they will  
use it for its highest use4 ,tell them  
man is made for it1 and they will war on
 it as a tyrant4 ,i should be sorry to  
see the ,sunday devoted to common work2 
sorry to hear the clatter of a mill1 or 
the rattle of the wheels of business on 
that day4 ,i look with pain on men      
engaged needlessly in work on that day2 
not with the pain of wounded            
superstition1 but a deeper regret4 ,i   
would not water my garden with perfumes 
when common water was at hand4 ,we shall
 always have work enough in ,america2   
hand-work1 and head-work1 for common    
purposes4 ,there is danger that we shall
 not have enough of rest1 of            
intellectual cultivation1 of refinement1
 of social intercourse2 that our time   
shall be too much devoted to the lower  
interests of life1 to the means of      
living and not the end4  ,i would not   

consider it an act of religion to attend
 church3 only a good thing to go there  
when the way of improvement leads       
through it2 when you are made wiser and 
better by being there4 ,i am pained to  
see a man spend the whole of a ,sunday  
in going to church1--and forgetting     
himself in getting acquainted with the  
words of the preachers4 ,i think most   
intelligent hearers1 and most           
intelligent and ,christian preachers1   
will confess that two sermons are better
 than three1 and one is better than two4
 ,one need only look at the afternoon   
face of a congregation in the city1 to  
be satisfied of this4 ,if one half the  
day were devoted to public worship1 the 
other half might be free for private    
studies of men at home1 for private     
devotion1 for social relaxation1 for    
intercourse with one's own family and   
friends4 ,then ,sunday afternoon and    
evening would afford an excellent       
opportunity for meetings for the        
promotion of the great humane movements 

of the day1 which some would think not  
evangelical enough to be treated of in  
the morning4 ,would it be inconsistent  
with the great purposes of the day1     
inconsistent with ,christianity1 to have
 lectures on science1 literature1 and   
similar subjects delivered then8 ,i do  
not believe the ,catholic custom of     
spending the ,sunday afternoon in       
,england1 before the ,reformation1 was a
 good one4 ,it diverted men from the    
higher end to the lower4 ,i cannot think
 that here and now we need amusement so 
much as society1 instruction1           
refinement1 and devotion4 ,yet it seems 
to me unwise to restrain the innocent   
sports of children of a ,sunday1 to the 
same degree that our fathers did2 to    
make ,sunday to them a day of gloom and 
sadness4 ,thoughtful parents are now    
much troubled in this matter2 they      
cannot enforce the old discipline1 so   
disastrous to themselves2 they fear to  
trust their own sense of what is        
right2--so1 perhaps1 get the ill of both

 schemes1 and the good of neither4      
,there are in ,boston about thirty      
thousand ,catholics1 twenty-five        
thousand of them1 probably1 too ignorant
 to read with pleasure or profit any    
book4 ,at home1 amusement formed a part 
of their ,sunday service2 it was a part 
of their religion to make a festive use 
of ,sunday afternoon4 ,what shall they  
do8 ,is it ,christian in us by statute  
to interdict them from their recreation8
 ,with the exception of children and    
these most ignorant persons1 it does not
 appear that there is any class amongst 
us who need any part of the ,sunday for 
sport4  ,i am not one of those who wish 
to give up the ,sunday2 indeed there are
 few such men amongst us2 ,i would make 
it yet more useful and profitable4 ,i   
would remove from it the superstition   
and the bigotry which have so long been 
connected with it2 ,i would use it      
freely1 as a ,christian not enslaved by 
the letter of ,judaism1 but made free by
 an obedience to the law of the spirit  

of life4 ,i would use the ,sunday for   
religion in the wide sense of that word2
 use it to promote piety and goodness1  
for humanity1 for science1 for letters1 
for society4 ,i would not abuse it by   
impudent license on the one hand1 nor by
 slavish superstition on the other4 ,we 
can easily escape the evils which come  
of the old abuse2 can make the ,sunday  
ten times more valuable than it is even 
now2 can employ it for all the highest  
interests of mankind1 and fear no       
reaction into libertinism4  ,the ,sunday
 is made for man1 as are all other days2
 not man for the ,sunday4 ,let us use   
it1 then1 not consuming its hours in a  
,jewish observance2 not devote it to the
 lower necessities of life1 but the     
higher2 not squander it in idleness1    
sloth1 frivolity1 or sleep2 let us use  
it for the body's rest1 for the mind's  
culture1 for head and heart and soul4   
,men and women1 you have received the   
,sunday from your fathers1 as a day to  
be devoted to the highest interests of  

man4 ,it has done great service for them
 and for you4 ,but it has come down     
accompanied with superstition which robs
 it of half its value4 ,it is easy for  
you to make the day far more profitable 
to yourselves than it ever was to your  
fathers2 easy to divest it of all       
bigotry1 to free it from all oldness of 
the letter2 easy to leave it for your   
children an institution which shall     
bless them for ages yet to come3 or it  
is easy to bind on their necks unnatural
 restraints2 to impose on their         
conscience and understanding absurdities
 which at last they must repel with     
scorn and contempt4 ,it is in your hands
 to make the ,sunday ,jewish or         
,christian4  ,,footnotes3  #c ,these    
celebrated commandments have come down  
to us in three distinct forms2 namely1  
in ,exodus xx41 in ,exodus xxxiv41 and  
in ,deut4 v4 ,the differences between   
these several codes are quite remarkable
 and significant4  #d #b ,chron4 #cf3ba4
  #e ,john #e3a-ah1 and #g3ai-bd4  #f   

,matthew #bc3a-c4  #g ,rev4 #ba3ad4  #h 
,coloss4 #b3af4  #i ,galat4 #a3e4  #aj  
,justinian1 ,cod4 ,lib4 iii4 ,tit4 xii4 
l4 #c4  #aa ,cod41 ,lib4 iii4 ,tit4 xii4
 l4 #b4 ,see also1 l4 #c and #aa4       
,,iii4  ,a ,,sermon ,,of ,,immortal     
,,life4--,,preached ,,at ,,the          
,,melodeon1 ,,on ,,sunday1 ,,september  
#bj1 #ahdf4  ,,wisdom ,,of ,,solomon    
,,iii4 #a1 #d4      ,the souls of the   
righteous are in the hands of ,god3     
their     hope is full of immortality4  
,it is the belief of mankind that we    
shall all live forever4 ,this is not a  
doctrine of ,christianity alone4 ,it    
belongs to the human race4 ,you may find
 nations so rude that they live         
houseless1 in caverns of the earth2     
nations that have no letters1 not       
knowing the use of bows and arrows1 fire
 or even clothes1 but no nation without 
a belief in immortal life4 ,the form of 
that belief is often grotesque and      
absurd2 the mode of proof ridiculous2   
the expectations of what the future life

 is to be are often childish and silly4 
,but notwithstanding all that1 the fact 
still remains1 the belief that the soul 
of a man never dies4  ,how did mankind  
come by this opinion8 ,by a miraculous  
revelation1 says one4 ,but according to 
the common theory of miraculous         
revelations1 the race could not have    
obtained it in this way1 for according  
to that theory the heathen had no such  
revelations2 yet we find this doctrine  
the settled belief of the whole heathen 
world4 ,the ,greeks and ,romans believed
 it long before ,christ2 the ,chaldees1 
with no pretence to miraculous          
inspiration1 taught the idea of         
immortality2 while the ,jews1 spite of  
their alleged revelations1 rested only  
in the dim sentiment thereof4  ,it was  
not arrived at by reasoning4 ,it        
requires a good deal of hard thinking to
 reason out and prove this matter4 ,yet 
you find this belief among nations not  
capable as yet of that art of thinking  
and to that degree1 nations who never   

tried to prove it1 and yet believe it as
 confidently as we4 ,the human race did 
not sit down and think it out2 never    
waited till they could prove it by logic
 and metaphysics2 did not delay their   
belief till a miraculous revelation came
 to confirm it4 ,it came to mankind by  
intuition2 by instinctive belief1 the   
belief which comes unavoidably from the 
nature of man4 ,in this same way came   
the belief in ,god2 the love of man2 the
 sentiment of justice4 ,men could see1  
and knew they could see1 before they    
proved it2 before they had theories of  
vision2 without waiting for a miraculous
 revelation to come and tell them they  
had eyes1 and might see if they would   
look4 ,some faculties of the body act   
spontaneously at first--so others of the
 spirit4  ,immortality is a fact of     
man's nature1 so it is a part of the    
universe1 just as the sun is a fact in  
the heavens and a part of the universe4 
,both are writings from ,god's hand2    
each therefore a revelation from ,him1  

and of ,him2 only not miraculous1 but   
natural1 regular1 normal4 ,yet each is  
just as much a revelation from ,him as  
if the great ,soul of all had spoken in 
,english speech to one of us and said1  
,there is a sun there in the heavens1   
and thou shalt live for ever4 ,yes1 the 
fact is more certain than such speech   
would make it1 for this fact speaks     
always--a perpetual revelation1 and no  
words can make it more certain4  ,as a  
man attains consciousness of himself1 he
 attains consciousness of his           
immortality4 ,at first he asks proof no 
more of his eternal existence than of   
his present life2 instinctively he      
believes both4 ,nay1 he does not        
separate the two2 this life is one link 
in that golden and electric chain of    
immortality2 the next life another and  
more bright1 but in the same chain4     
,immortality is what philosophers call  
an ontological fact2 it belongs         
essentially to the being of man1 just as
 the eye is a physiological fact and    

belongs to the body of man4 ,to my mind 
this is the great proof of immortality3 
the fact that it is written in human    
nature2 written there so plain that the 
rudest nations have not failed to find  
it1 to know it2 written just as much as 
form is written on the circle1 and      
extension on matter in general4 ,it     
comes to our consciousness as naturally 
as the notions of time and space4 ,we   
feel it as a desire2 we feel it as a    
fact4 ,what is thus in man is writ there
 of ,god who writes no lies4 ,to suppose
 that this universal desire has no      
corresponding gratification1 is to      
represent ,him1 not as the father of all
 but as only a deceiver4 ,i feel the    
longing after immortality1 a desire     
essential to my nature1 deep as the     
foundation of my being2 ,i find the same
 desire in all men4 ,i feel conscious of
 immortality2 that ,i am not to die2 no1
 never to die1 though often to change4  
,i cannot believe this desire and       
consciousness are felt only to mislead1 

to beguile1 to deceive me4 ,i know ,god 
is my father1 and the father of the     
nations4 ,can the ,almighty deceive his 
children8 ,for my own part1 ,i can      
conceive of nothing which shall make me 
more certain of my immortality4 ,i ask  
no argument from learned lips4 ,no      
miracle could make me more sure2 no1 not
 if the sheeted dead burst cerement and 
shroud1 and rising forth from their     
honored tombs stood here before me1 the 
disenchanted dust once more enchanted   
with that fiery life2 no1 not if the    
souls of all my sires since time began  
came thronging round1 and with          
miraculous speech told me they lived and
 ,i should also live4 ,i could only say1
 ,i knew all this before1 why waste your
 heavenly speech6 ,i have now           
indubitable certainty of eternal life4  
,death removing me to the next state1   
can give me infallible certainty4  ,but 
there are men who doubt of immortality4 
,they say they are conscious of the     
want1 not of the fact4 ,they need a     

proof4 ,the exception here proves the   
rule4 ,you do not doubt your personal   
and conscious existence now2 you ask no 
proof of that2 you would laugh at me    
should ,i try to convince you that you  
are alive and self-conscious4 ,yet one  
of the leaders of modern philosophy     
wanted a proof of his as a basis for his
 science1 and said1--,i am because ,i   
think4 ,but his thought required proof  
as much as his being2 yes1 logically    
more1 for being is the ground of        
thinking1 not thinking of being4 ,at    
this day there are sound men who deny   
the existence of this outward world1    
declaring it only a dreamworld4 ,this   
ground1 they say1 and yonder sun have   
being but in fancy1 like the sun and    
ground you perchance dreamed of last    
night whose being was only a            
being-dreamed4 ,these are exceptional   
men1 and help prove the common rule1    
that man trusts his senses and believes 
an outward world4 ,yet such are more    
common amongst philosophers than men who

 doubt of their immortal life4 ,you     
cannot easily reason those men out of   
their philosophy and into their senses1 
nor by your own philosophy perhaps      
convince them that there is an outward  
world4  ,i think few of you came to your
 belief in everlasting life through     
reasoning4 ,your belief grew out of your
 general state of mind and heart4 ,you  
could not help it4 ,perhaps few of you  
ever sat down and weighed the arguments 
for and against it1 and so made up your 
mind4 ,perhaps those who have the       
firmest consciousness of the fact are   
least familiar with the arguments which 
confirm that consciousness4 ,if a man   
disbelieves it1 if he denies it1 his    
opinion is not often to be changed      
immediately or directly by argument4    
,his special conviction has grown out of
 his general state of mind and heart1   
and is only to be removed by a change in
 his whole philosophy4 ,i am not        
honoring men for their belief1 nor      
blaming men who doubt or deny4 ,i do not

 believe any one ever willingly doubted 
this2 ever purposely reasoned himself   
into the denial thereof4 ,men doubt     
because they cannot help it2 not because
 they will1 but must4  ,there are a     
great many things true which no man as  
yet can prove true2 some things so true 
that nothing can make them plainer1 or  
more plainly true4 ,i think it is so    
with this doctrine1 and therefore1 for  
myself1 ask no argument4 ,with my views 
of man1 of ,god1 of the relation between
 the two1 ,i want no proof1 satisfied   
with my own consciousness of            
immortality4 ,yet there are arguments   
which are fair1 logical1 just1 which    
satisfy the mind1 and may1 perhaps1 help
 persuade some men who doubt1 if such   
men there are amongst you4 ,i think that
 immortality is a fact of consciousness2
 a fact given in the constitution of    
man3 therefore a matter of sentiment4   
,but it requires thought to pick it out 
from amongst the other facts of         
consciousness4 ,though at first merely a

 feeling1 a matter of sentiment1 on     
examination it becomes an idea--a matter
 of thought4 ,it will bear being looked 
at in the sharpest and dryest light of  
logic4 ,truth never flinches before     
reason4 ,it is so with our consciousness
 of ,god2 that is an ontological fact1 a
 fact given in the nature of man4 ,at   
first it is a feeling1 a matter of      
sentiment4 ,by thought we abstract this 
fact from other facts2 we find an idea  
of ,god4 ,that is a matter of           
philosophy1 and the analyzing mind      
legitimates the idea and at length      
demonstrates the existence of ,god1     
which we first learned without analysis1
 and by intuition4 ,a great deal has    
been written to prove the existence of  
,god1 and that by the ablest men2 yet ,i
 cannot believe that any one was ever   
reasoned directly into a belief in ,god1
 by all those able men1 nor directly out
 of it by all the skeptics and scoffers4
 ,indirectly such works affect men1     
change their philosophy and modes of    

thought1 and so help them to one or the 
other conclusion4  ,the idea of         
immortality1 like the idea of ,god1 in a
 certain sense1 is born in us1 and fast 
as we come to consciousness of ourselves
 we come to consciousness of ,god1 and  
of ourselves as immortal4 ,the higher we
 advance in wisdom1 goodness1 piety1 the
 larger place do ,god and immortality   
hold in our experience and inward life4 
,i think that is the regular and natural
 process of a man's development4 ,doubt 
of either seems to me an exception1 an  
irregularity4 ,causes that remove the   
doubt must be general more than special4
         99       99       99       99  
99  ,however1 in order to have a basis  
of thought and reasoning1 as well as of 
intuition and reason1 let me mention    
some of the arguments for everlasting   
life4  ,i4 ,the first is drawn from the 
general belief of mankind4 ,the greatest
 philosophers and the most profound and 
persuasive religious teachers of the    
whole world have taught this4 ,that is  

an important fact1 for these men        
represent the consciousness of mankind  
in the highest development it has yet   
reached1 and in such points are the     
truest representatives of man4 ,what is 
more1 the human race believes it1 not   
merely as a thing given by miraculous   
revelation1 not as a matter proven by   
science1 not as a thing of tradition    
resting on some man's authority1 but    
believes it instinctively1 not knowing  
and not asking why1 or how2 believes it 
as a fact of consciousness4 ,now in a   
matter of this sort the opinion of the  
human race is worth considering4 ,i do  
not value very much the opinion of a    
priesthood in ,rome or ,judea1 or       
elsewhere on this point1 or any other1  
for they may have designs adverse to the
 truth4 ,but the general sentiment of   
the human race in a matter like this is 
of the greatest importance4 ,this       
general sentiment of mankind is a quite 
different thing from public opinion1    
which favors freedom in one country and 

slavery in another2 this sentiment of   
mankind relates to what is a matter of  
feeling with most men4 ,it is only a few
 thinkers that have made it a matter of 
thought4 ,the opinion of mankind1 so far
 as we know1 has not changed on this    
point for four thousand years4 ,since   
the dawn of history1 man's belief in    
immortality has continually been        
developing and getting deeper fixed4    
,still more1 this belief is very dear to
 mankind4 ,let me prove that4 ,if it    
were true that one human soul was       
immortal and yet was to be eternally    
damned1 getting only more clotted with  
crime and deeper bit by agony as the    
ages went slowly by1 then immortality   
were a curse1 not to that man only1 but 
to all mankind--for no amount of        
happiness1 merited or undeserved1 could 
ever atone or make up for the horrid    
wrong done to that one most miserable   
man4 ,who of you is there that could    
relish ,heaven1 or even bear it for a   
moment1 knowing that a brother was      

doomed to smart with ever greatening    
agony1 while year on year1 and age on   
age1 the endless chain of eternity      
continued to coil round the flying      
wheels of hell8 ,i say the thought of   
one such man would fill even ,heaven    
with misery1 and the best man of men    
would scorn the joys of everlasting     
bliss1 would spurn at ,heaven and say1  
,give me my brother's place2 for me     
there is no ,heaven while he is there6  
,now it has been popularly taught1 that 
not one man alone1 but the vast majority
 of all mankind1 are thus to be         
condemned2 immortal only to be          
everlastingly wretched4 ,that is the    
popular doctrine now in this land4 ,it  
has been so taught in the ,christian    
churches these sixteen centuries and    
more--taught in the name of ,christ6    
,such an immortality would be a curse to
 men1 to every man2 as much so to the   
saved as to the lost2 for who would     
willingly stay in ,heaven1 and on such  
terms8 ,surely not he who wept with     

weeping men6 ,yet in spite of this vile 
doctrine drawn over the world to come1  
mankind religiously believes that each  
shall live for ever4 ,this shows how    
strong is the instinct which can lift up
 such a foul and hateful doctrine and   
still live on4 ,tell me not that        
scoffers and critics shall take away    
man's faith in endless life3 it has     
stood a harder test than can ever come  
again4         99       99       99     
99       99  ,,ii4 ,the next argument is
 drawn from the nature of man4  #a4 ,all
 men desire to be immortal4 ,this desire
 is instinctive1 natural1 universal4 ,in
 ,god's world such a desire implies the 
satisfaction thereof equally natural and
 universal4 ,it cannot be that ,god has 
given man this universal desire of      
immortality1 this belief in it1 and yet 
made it all a mockery4 ,man loves truth2
 tells it2 rests only in it2 how much   
more ,god who is the trueness of truth4 
,bodily senses imply their objects--the 
eye light1 the ear sound2 the touch1 the

 taste1 the smell1 things relative      
thereto4 ,spiritual senses likewise     
foretell their object1--are silent      
prophecies of endless life4 ,the love of
 justice1 beauty1 truth1 of man and     
,god1 points to realities unseen as yet4
 ,we are ever hungering after noblest   
things1 and what we feed on makes us    
hunger more4 ,the senses are satisfied1 
but the soul never4  #b4 ,then1 too1    
while this composite body unavoidably   
decays1 this simple soul which is my    
life decays not4 ,reason1 the           
affections1 all the powers that make the
 man1 decay not4 ,true1 the organs by   
which they act become impaired4 ,but    
there is no cause for thinking that     
love1 conscience1 reason1 will1 ever    
become weaker in man2 but cause for     
thinking that all these continually     
become more strong4 ,was the mind of    
,newton gone when his frame1 long       
over-tasked1 refused its wonted work8   
#c4 ,here on earth1 every thing in its  
place and time matures4 ,the acorn and  

the chestnut1 things natural to this    
climate1 ripen every year4 ,a longer    
season would make them no better nor    
bigger4 ,it is so with our body--that1  
under proper conditions1 becomes mature4
 ,it is so with all the things of earth4
 ,but man is not fully grown as the     
acorn and the chestnut2 never gets      
mature4 ,take the best man and the      
greatest--all his faculties are not     
developed1 fully grown and matured4 ,he 
is not complete in the qualities of a   
man2 nay1 often half his qualities lie  
all unused4 ,shall we conclude these are
 never to obtain development and do     
their work8 ,the analogy of nature tells
 us that man1 the new-born plant1 is but
 removed by death to another soil1 where
 he shall grow complete and become      
mature4  #d4 ,then1 too1 each other     
thing under its proper conditions not   
only ripens but is perfect also after   
its kind4 ,each clover-seed is perfect  
as a star4 ,every lion1 as a general    
rule1 is a common representation of all 

lionhood2 the ideal of his race made    
real in him1 a thousand years of life   
would not make him more4 ,but where is  
the ,adamitic man2 the type and         
representative of his race1 who makes   
actual its idea8 ,even ,jesus bids you  
not call him good2 no man has all the   
manhood of mankind4 ,yes1 there are     
rudiments of greatness in us all1 but   
abortive1 incomplete1 and stopped in    
embryo4 ,now all these elements of      
manhood point as directly to another    
state as the unfinished walls of yonder 
rising church intimate that the work is 
not complete1 that the artist here      
intends a roof1 a window there1 here a  
tower1 and over all a heaven-piercing   
spire4 ,all men are abortions1 our      
failure pointing to the real success4   
,nay1 we are all waiting to be born1 our
 whole nature looking to another world1 
and dimly presaging what that world     
shall be4 ,death1 however we misname    
him1 seasonable or out of time1 is the  
birth-angel1 that alone4  #e4 ,besides1 

the presence of injustice1 of wrong1    
points the same way4 ,the fact that one 
man goes out of this life in childhood1 
in manhood1 at any time before the      
natural measure of his days is full2 the
 fact that any one is by circumstances  
made wretched2 that he is hindered from 
his proper growth and has not here his  
natural due--all intimates to me his    
future life4 ,i know that ,god is just4 
,i know ,his justice too shall make all 
things right1 for ,he must have the     
power1 the wish1 the will therefor1 to  
speak in human speech4 ,i see the       
injustice in this city1 its pauperism1  
suffering1 and crime1 men smarting all  
their life1 and by no fault of theirs4  
,i know there must be another hemisphere
 to balance this2 another life1 wherein 
justice shall come to all and for all4  
,else ,god were unjust2 and an unjust   
,god to me is no ,god at all1 but a     
wretched chimera which my soul rejects  
with scorn4 ,i see the autumn prefigured
 in the spring4 ,the flowers of ,may-day

 foretold the harvest1 its rosy apples  
and its yellow ears of corn4 ,as the bud
 now lying cold and close upon the bark 
of every tree throughout our northern   
clime is a silent prophecy of yet       
another spring and other summers1 and   
harvests too2 so this instinctive love  
of justice scantly budding here and     
nipped by adverse fate1 silently but    
clearly tells of a kingdom of heaven4 ,i
 take some miserable child here in this 
city1 squalid in dress and look1        
ignorant and wicked too as most men     
judge of vagrant vice1 made so by       
circumstances over which that child had 
no control2 ,i turn off with a shudder  
at the public wrong we have done and    
still are doing2 but in that child ,i   
see proof of another world1 yes1 ,heaven
 glittering from behind those saddened  
eyes4 ,i know that child has a man's    
nature in him1 perhaps a ,channing's    
trusting piety2 perhaps a ,newton's     
mind2 has surely rudiments of more than 
these2 for what were ,channing1 ,newton1

 both of them1 but embryo men8 ,i turn  
off with a shudder at the public wrong1 
but a faith in ,god's justice1 in that  
child's eternal life1 which nothing can 
ever shake4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,,iii4 ,a third     
argument is drawn from the nature of    
,god4 ,he1 as the infinite1 the         
unconditioned1 the absolute1 is         
all-powerful1 all-wise1 all-good4       
,therefore he must wish the best of all 
possible things2 must know the best of  
all possible things2 must will the best 
of all possible things1 and so bring it 
to pass4 ,life is a possible thing2     
eternal life is possible4 ,neither      
implies a contradiction2 yes1 to me they
 seem necessary1 more than possible4    
,now1 then1 as life1 serene and happy   
life1 is better than non-existence1 so  
immortality is better than perpetual    
death4 ,god must know that1 wish that1  
will that1 and so bring that about4     
,man1 therefore1 must be immortal4 ,this
 argument is brief indeed1 but ,i see   

not how it can be withstood4  ,i do not 
know that one of you doubts of eternal  
life4 ,if any does1 ,i know not if these
 thoughts will ever affect his doubt4   
,still1 ,i think each argument is       
powerful2 to one that thinks1 reasons1  
balances1 and then decides1 exceeding   
powerful4 ,all put together form a mass 
of argument which1 as it seems to me1 no
 logic can resist4 ,yet ,i beg you to   
understand that ,i do not rest          
immortality on any reasoning of mine1   
but on reason itself2 not on these      
logical arguments1 but on man's         
consciousness1 and the instinctive      
belief which is common to the human     
race4 ,i believed my immortality before 
,i proved it2 believed it just as       
strongly then as now4 ,nay1 could some  
doubter rise1 and1 to my thinking1      
vanquish all these arguments1 ,i should 
still hold fast my native faith1 nor    
fear the doubter's arms4 ,the simple    
consciousness of men is stronger than   
all forms of proof4 ,still1 if men want 

arguments--why1 there they are4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,the belief in immortality is one thing2
 the special form thereof1 the definite 
notion of the future life1 another and  
quite different4 ,the popular doctrine  
in our churches ,i think is this3 ,that 
this body which we lay in the dust shall
 one day be raised again1 the living    
soul joined on anew1 and both together  
live the eternal life4 ,but where is the
 soul all this time1 between our        
death-day and our day of rising8 ,some  
say it sleeps unconscious1 dead all this
 time2 others1 that it is in ,heaven    
now1 or else in hell2 others1 in a      
strange and transient home1 imperfect in
 its joy or woe1 waiting the final day  
and more complete account4 ,it seems to 
me this notion is absurd and impossible3
 absurd in its doctrine relative to the 
present condition of departed souls2    
impossible in what it teaches of the    
resurrection of this body4 ,if my soul  
is to claim the body again1 which shall 

it be1 the body ,i was born into1 or    
that ,i died out of8 ,if ,i live to the 
common age of men1 changing my body as  
,i must1 and dying daily1 then ,i have  
worn some eight or ten bodies4 ,so at   
the last1 which body shall claim my     
soul1 for the ten had her8 ,the soul    
herself may claim them all4 ,but to make
 the matter still more intricate1 there 
is in the earth but a certain portion of
 matter out of which human bodies can be
 made4 ,considering all the millions of 
men now living1 the myriads of millions 
that have been before1 it is plain1 ,i  
think1 that all the matter suitable for 
human bodies has been lived over many   
times4 ,so if the world were to end     
to-day1 instead of each old man having  
ten bodies from which to choose the one 
that fits him best1 there would be ten  
men1 all clamoring for each body6 ,shall
 ,i then have a handful of my former    
dust1 and that alone8 ,that is not the  
resurrection of my former body4 ,this   
whole doctrine of the resurrection of   

the flesh seems to me impossible and    
absurd4  ,i know men refer this1 as many
 other things no better1 to ,jesus4 ,i  
find no satisfactory evidence that he   
taught the resurrection of the body2    
there is some evidence that he did not4 
,i know it was the doctrine of the      
,pharisees of his time1 of ,paul1 the   
early ,christians1 and more or less of  
the ,christian churches to this day4 ,in
 ,christ's time in ,judea1 there were   
the ,sadducees1 who taught the eternal  
death of men2 the ,pharisees who taught 
the resurrection of the flesh and its   
reunion with the soul2 the ,essenes1 who
 taught the immortality of the soul1 but
 rejected the resurrection of the body4 
,paul was a ,pharisee1 and in his       
letters taught the resurrection of the  
dead1 the belief of the ,pharisees4     
,from him it has come down to us1 and in
 the creed of many churches it is still 
written1 ,i believe in the resurrection 
of the flesh4 ,many doubted this in     
early times1 but the council of ,nice   

declared all men accursed who dared to  
doubt the resurrection of the flesh4 ,i 
mention this as absurd and impossible1  
because it is still1 ,i fear1 the       
popular belief1 and lest some should    
confound the doctrine of immortality    
with this tenet of the ,pharisees4 ,let 
it be remembered the immortality of the 
soul is one thing1 the resurrection of  
the body another and quite different4   
99       99       99       99       99  
,what is this future life8 what can we  
know of it besides its existence8 ,some 
men speak as if they knew the way around
 ,heaven as around the wards of their   
native city4 ,what we can know in detail
 is cautiously to be inferred from the  
nature of man and the nature of ,god4 ,i
 will modestly set down what seems to   
me4  ,it must be a conscious state4 ,man
 is by his nature conscious2 yes1       
self-conscious4 ,he is progressive in   
his self-consciousness4 ,i cannot think 
a removal out of the body destroys this 
consciousness2 rather that it enhances  

and intensifies this4 ,yet consciousness
 in the next life must differ as much   
from consciousness here as the ripe     
peach differs from the blossom1 or the  
bud1 or the bark1 or the earthly        
materials out of which it grew4 ,the    
child is no limit to the man1 nor my    
consciousness now to what ,i may be1    
must be hereafter4  ,it must be a social
 state4 ,our nature is social2 our joys 
social4 ,for our progress here1 our     
happiness1 we depend on one another4    
,must it not be so there8 ,it must be an
 advance upon our nature and condition  
here4 ,all the analogy of nature teaches
 that4 ,things advance from small to    
great2 from base to beautiful4 ,the girl
 grows into a woman2 the bud swells into
 the blossom1 that into the fruit4 ,the 
process over1 the work begins anew4 ,how
 much more must it be so in the other   
life4 ,what old powers we shall discover
 now buried in the flesh2 what new      
powers shall come upon us in that new   
state1 no man can know2 it were but     

poetic idleness to talk of them4 ,we see
 in some great man1 what power of       
intellect1 imagination1 justice1        
goodness1 piety1 he reveals1 lying      
latent in us all4 ,how men bungle in    
their works of art6 ,no ,raphael can    
paint a dew-drop or a flake of frost4   
,yet some rude man1 tired with his work1
 lies down beneath a tree1 his head upon
 his swarthy arm1 and sleep shuts1 one  
by one1 these five scant portals of the 
soul1 and what an artist is he made at  
once6 ,how brave a sky he paints above  
him1 with what golden garniture of      
clouds set off2 what flowers and trees1 
what men and women does he not create1  
and moving in celestial scenes6 ,what   
years of history does he condense in one
 short minute1 and when he wakes1 shakes
 off the purple drapery of his dream as 
if it were but worthless dust and girds 
him for his work anew6 ,what other      
powers there are shut up in men less    
known than this artistic phantasy2      
powers of seeing the distant1 recalling 

the past1 predicting the future1 feeling
 at once the character of men--of this  
we know little1 only by rare glimpses at
 the unwonted side of things4 ,but yet  
we know enough to guess there are       
strange wonders there waiting to be     
revealed4  ,what form our conscious1    
social1 and increased activity shall    
take1 we know not4 ,we know of that no  
more than before our birth we knew of   
this world1 of sight1 smell1 hearing1   
taste1 and touch1 or the things which   
they reveal4 ,we are not born into that 
world1 have not its senses yet4 ,this we
 know1 that the same ,god1 all-powerful1
 all-wise1 all-good1 rules there and    
then1 as here and now4 ,who cannot trust
 him to do right and best for all8 ,for 
my own part1 ,i feel no wish to know how
 or where1 or what ,i shall be          
hereafter4 ,i know it will be right for 
my truest welfare2 for the good of all4 
,i am satisfied with this trust4  ,yet  
the next life must be a state of        
retribution4 ,thither we carry nothing  

but ourselves1 our naked selves4 ,our   
fortune we leave behind us2 our honors  
and rank return to such as gave2 even   
our reputation1 the good or ill men     
thought we were1 clings to us no more4  
,we go thither without our staff or     
scrip2 nothing but the man we are4 ,yet 
that man is the result of all life's    
daily work2 it is the one thing which we
 have brought to pass4 ,i cannot believe
 men who have voluntarily lived mean1   
little1 vulgar and selfish lives1 will  
go out of this and into that1 great1    
noble1 generous1 good1 and holy4 ,can   
the practical saint and the practical   
hypocrite enter on the same course of   
being together8 ,i know the sufferings  
of bad men here1 the wrong they do their
 nature1 and what comes of that wrong4  
,i think that suffering is the best part
 of sin1 the medicine to heal it with4  
,what men suffer here from their        
wrong-doing is its natural consequence2 
but all that suffering is a mercy1      
designed to make them better4 ,every    

thing in this world is adapted to       
promote the welfare of ,god's creatures4
 ,must it not be so in the next8 ,how   
many men seem wicked from our point of  
view1 who are not so from their own2 how
 many become infamous through no fault  
of theirs2 the victims of circumstances1
 born into crime1 of low and corrupt    
parents1 whom former circumstances made 
corrupt6 ,such men cannot be sinners    
before ,god4 ,here they suffer from the 
tyranny of appetites they never were    
taught to subdue2 they have not the joy 
of a cultivated mind4 ,the children of  
the wild ,indian are capable of the same
 cultivation as children here2 yet they 
are savages4 ,is it always to be so8 ,is
 ,god to be partial in granting the     
favors of another life8 ,i cannot       
believe it4 ,i doubt not that many a    
soul rises up from the dungeon and the  
gallows1 yes1 from dens of infamy       
amongst men1 clean and beautiful before 
,god4 ,christ1 says the ,gospel1 assured
 the penitent thief of sharing heaven   

with him--and that day4 ,many seem      
inferior to me1 who in ,god's sight must
 be far before me2 men who now seem too 
low to learn of me here1 may be too high
 to teach me there4  ,i cannot think the
 future world is to be feared1 even by  
the worst of men4 ,i had rather die a   
sinner than live one4 ,doubtless justice
 is there to be done2 that may seem     
stern and severe4 ,but remember ,god's  
justice is not like a man's2 it is not  
vengeance1 but mercy2 not poison1 but   
medicine4 ,to me it seems tuition more  
than chastisement4 ,god is not the      
,jailer of the ,universe1 but the       
,shepherd of the people2 not the        
,hangman of mankind1 but their          
,physician2 yes1 our ,father4 ,i cannot 
fear ,him as ,i fear men4 ,i cannot fail
 to love4 ,i abhor sin1 ,i loathe and   
nauseate thereat2 most of all at my own4
 ,i can plead for others and extenuate  
their guilt1 perhaps they for mine2 not 
,i for my own4 ,i know ,god's justice   
will overtake me1 giving me what ,i have

 paid for4 ,but ,i do not1 cannot fear  
it4 ,i know ,his justice is love2 that  
if ,i suffer1 it is for my everlasting  
joy4 ,i think this is a natural state of
 mind4 ,i do not find that men ever     
dread the future life1 or turn pale on  
their death-bed at thought of ,god's    
vengeance1 except when a priesthood has 
frightened them to that4 ,the world's   
literature1 which is the world's        
confession1 proves what ,i say4 ,in     
,greece1 in classic days1 when there was
 no caste of priests1 the belief in     
immortality was current and strong4 ,but
 in all her varied literature ,i do not 
remember a man dying1 yet afraid of     
,god's vengeance4 ,the rude ,indian of  
our native land did not fear to meet the
 ,great ,spirit1 face to face4 ,i have  
sat by the bedside of wicked men1 and   
while death was dealing with my brother1
 ,i have watched the tide slow ebbing   
from the shore1 but ,i have known no one
 afraid to go4 ,say what we will1 there 
is nothing stronger and deeper in men   

than confidence in ,god1 a solemn trust 
that ,he will do us good4 ,even the     
worst man thinks ,god his ,father2 and  
is he not8 ,tell me not of ,god's       
vengeance1 punishing men for his own    
glory6 ,there is no such thing4 ,talk   
not to me of endless hell1 where men    
must suffer for suffering's sake1 be    
damned for an eternity of woe4 ,i tell  
you there is no such thing1 nor can     
there ever be4 ,does not even the       
hireling shepherd1 when a single lamb   
has gone astray1 leave the ninety and   
nine safe in their fold1 go forth some  
stormy night and seek the wanderer1     
rejoicing to bring home the lost one on 
his shoulders8 ,and shall ,god forget   
,his child1 his frailest or most        
stubborn child2 leave him in endless    
misery1 a prey to insatiate ,sin1 that  
grim1 bloodthirsty wolf1 prowling about 
the human fold8 ,i tell you ,no2 not    
,god4 ,why1 this eccentric earth        
forsakes the sun awhile1 careering fast 
and far away1 but that attractive power 

prevails at length1 and the returning   
globe comes rounding home again4 ,does a
 mortal mother desert her son1 wicked1  
corrupt and loathsome though he be8 ,if 
so1 the wiser world cries1 ,shame6 ,but 
she does not4 ,when her child becomes   
loathsome and hateful to the world1     
drunk with wickedness1 and when the     
wicked world puts him away out of its   
sight1 strangling him to death1 that    
mother forgets not her child4 ,she had  
his earliest kiss from lips all innocent
 of coming ill1 and she will have his   
last4 ,yes1 she will press his cold and 
stiffened form to her own bosom2 the    
bosom that bore and fed the innocent    
babe yearns yet with mortal longing for 
the murdered murderer4 ,infamous to the 
world1 his very dust is sacred dust to  
her4 ,she braves the world's reproach1  
buries her son1 piously hoping1 that as 
their lives once mingled1 so their ashes
 shall4 ,the world1 cruel and forgetful 
oft1 honors the mother in its deepest   
heart4 ,do you tell me that culprit's   

mother loves her son more than ,god can 
love him8 ,then go and worship her4 ,i  
know that when father and mother both   
forsake me1 in the extremity of my sin1 
,i know my ,god loves on4 ,oh yes1 ye   
sons of men1 ,indian and ,greek1 ye are 
right to trust your ,god4 ,do priests   
and their churches say ,no6--bid them go
 and be silent forever4 ,no grain of    
dust gets lost from off this dusty      
globe2 and shall ,god lose a man from   
off this sphere of souls8 ,believe it   
not4  ,i know that suffering follows    
sin1 lasting long as the sin4 ,i thank  
,god it is so2 that ,god's own angel    
stands there to warn back the erring    
,balaams1 wandering towards woe4 ,but   
,god1 who sends the rain1 the dew1 the  
sun1 on me as on a better man1 will1 at 
last1 ,i doubt it not1 make us all pure1
 all just1 all good1 and so1 at last1   
all happy4 ,this follows from the nature
 of ,god himself1 for the ,all-good must
 wish the welfare of ,his child2 the    
,all-wise know how to achieve that      

welfare2 the ,all-powerful bring it to  
pass4 ,tell me ,he wishes not the       
eternal welfare of all men1 then ,i say1
 ,that is not the ,god of the universe4 
,i own not that as ,god4 ,nay1 ,i tell  
you it is not ,god you speak of1 but    
some heathen fancy1 smoking up from your
 unhuman heart4 ,i would ask the worst  
of mothers1 ,did you forsake your child 
because he went astray1 and mocked your 
word8 ,oh no1 she says2 he was but a    
child1 he knew no better1 and ,i led him
 right1 corrected him for his good1 not 
mine6 ,are we not all children before   
,god2 the wisest1 oldest1 wickedest1    
,god's child6 ,i am sure ,he will never 
forsake me1 how wicked soever ,i become4
 ,i know that he is love2 love1 too1    
that never fails4 ,i expect to suffer   
for each conscious1 wilful wrong2 ,i    
wish1 ,i hope1 ,i long to suffer for it4
 ,i am wronged if ,i do not2 what ,i do 
not outgrow1 live over and forget here1 
,i hope to expiate there4 ,i fear a sin2
 not to outgrow a sin4         99       

99       99       99       99  ,a man   
who has lived here a manly life1 must   
enter the next under the most favorable 
circumstances4 ,i do not mean a man of  
mere negative goodness1 starting in the 
road of old custom1 with his wheels deep
 in the ruts1 not having life enough to 
go aside1 but a positively good man1 one
 bravely good4 ,he has lived heaven     
here1 and must enter higher up than a   
really wicked man1 or a slothful one1 or
 one but negatively good4 ,he can go    
from earth to heaven1 as from one room  
to another1 pass gradually1 as from     
winter to spring4 ,to such an one1 no   
revolution appears needed4 ,the next    
life1 it seems1 must be a continual     
progress1 the improvement of old powers1
 the disclosure or accession of new     
ones4 ,what nobler reach of thought1    
what profounder insight1 what more      
heavenly imagination1 what greater power
 of conscience1 faith and love1 will    
bless us there and then1 it were vain to
 calculate1 it is far beyond our span4  

,you see men now1 whose souls are one   
with ,god1 and so ,his will works       
through them as the magnetic fire runs  
on along the unimpeding line4 ,what     
happiness they have1 it is they alone   
can say4 ,how much greater must it be   
there2 not even they can tell4 ,here the
 body helps us to some things4 ,through 
these five small loop-holes the world   
looks in4 ,how much more does the body  
hinder us from seeing8 ,through the     
sickly body yet other worlds look in4   
,he who has seen only the daylight1     
knows nothing of that heaven of stars1  
which all night long hang overhead their
 lamps of gold4 ,when death has dusted  
off this body from me1 who will dream   
for me the new powers ,i shall possess8 
,it were vain to try4 ,time shall reveal
 it all4  ,i cannot believe that any    
state in ,heaven is a final state1 only 
a condition of progress4 ,the bud opens 
into the blossom1 the flower matures    
into the fruit4 ,the salvation of to-day
 is not blessedness enough for          

to-morrow4 ,here we are first babes of  
earth1 with a few senses1 and those     
imperfect1 helpless and ignorant2 then  
children of earth2 then youths2 then    
men1 armed with reason1 conscience1     
affection1 piety1 and go on enlarging   
these without end4 ,so methinks it must 
be there1 that we shall be first babes  
of ,heaven1 then children1 next youths1 
and so go on growing1 advancing and     
advancing--our being only a becoming    
more and more1 with no possibility of   
ever reaching the end4 ,if this be true1
 then there must be a continual increase
 of being4 ,so1 in some future age1 the 
time will come1 when each one of us     
shall have more mind1 and heart1 and    
soul1 than ,christ on earth2 more than  
all men now on earth have ever had2 yes1
 more than they and all the souls of men
 now passed to ,heaven2--shall have1    
each one of us1 more being than they all
 have had1 and so more truth1 more soul1
 more faith1 more rest and bliss of     
life4         99       99       99      

99       99  ,do men of the next world  
look in upon this8 ,are they present    
with us1 conscious of our deeds or      
thoughts8 ,who knows8 ,who can say aye  
or no8 ,the unborn know nothing of the  
life on earth2 yet the born of earth    
know somewhat of them1 and make ready   
for their coming4 ,who knows but men    
born to heaven are waiting for your     
birth to come--have gone to prepare a   
place for us8 ,all that is fancy1 and   
not fact2 it is not philosophy1 but     
poetry2 no more4 ,of this we may be     
sure1 that what is best will be2 what   
best for saint or sinner2 what most     
conducive to their real good4 ,that is  
no poetry1 but unavoidable truth1 which 
all mankind may well believe4  ,there   
are many who never attained their true  
stature here1 yet without               
blameworthiness of theirs2 men cheated  
of their growth4 ,many a ,milton walks  
on his silent way1 and goes down at     
last1 not singing and unsung4 ,how many 
a possible ,newton or ,descartes has dug

 the sewers of a city1 and dies1 giving 
no sign of the wealthy soul he bore6    
,chill penury repressed his noble rage1 
,and froze the genial current of the    
soul4  ,what if the best of you had been
 born slaves in ,north ,carolina1 or    
among savages at ,new ,zealand2 nay1 in 
some of the filthy cellars of ,boston1  
and turned friendless into the streets2 
what might you have become8 ,surely not 
what you are2 yet1 before ,god1 you     
might1 perhaps1 be more deserving1 and1 
at death1 go to a far higher place4     
,what is so terribly wrong here1 must be
 righted there4 ,it cannot be that ,god 
will thrust a man out of ,heaven1       
because his mother was a savage1 a      
slave1 a pauper1 or a criminal4 ,it is  
men's impiety which does so here1 not   
,heaven's justice there6 ,how the wrong 
shall be righted ,i know not1 care not  
now to know2 of the fact ,i ask no      
further certainty4 ,many that are last  
shall be first4 ,it may be that the     
pirate1 in heaven1 having outgrown his  

earthly sins1 shall teach justice to the
 judge who hanged him here4 ,they who   
were oppressed and trampled on1 kept    
down1 dwarfed1 stinted and emaciate in  
soul1 must have justice done them there1
 and will doubtless stand higher in     
,heaven than we1 who1 having many       
talents1 used them poorly1 or hid them  
idle in the dirt1 knowing our ,father's 
will1 yet heeding not4 ,it was ,jesus   
that said1 ,many shall come from the    
east and the west1 and sit down in the  
kingdom of ,god1 and men1 calling       
themselves saints1 be thrust out4       
99       99       99       99       99  
,shall we remember the deeds of the     
former life2 this man that he picked    
rags out of the mud in the streets1 and 
another that he ruled nations8 ,who can 
tell2 nay1 who need care to ask8 ,such a
 remembrance seems not needed for       
retribution's sake4 ,the oak remembers  
not each leaf it ever bore1 though each 
helped to form the oak1 its branch and  
bole4 ,how much has gone from our       

bodies6 we know not how it came or went6
 ,how much of our past life is gone from
 our memory1 yet its result lives in our
 character6 ,the saddler remembers not  
every stitch he took while an           
apprentice1 yet each stitch helped form 
the saddle4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,shall we know our  
friends again8 ,for my own part ,i      
cannot doubt it2 least of all when ,i   
drop a tear over their recent dust4     
,death does not separate them from us   
here4 ,can life in heaven do it8 ,they  
live in our remembrance2 memory rakes in
 the ashes of the dead1 and the virtues 
of the departed flame up anew1          
enlightening the dim cold walls of our  
consciousness4 ,much of our joy is      
social here2 we only half enjoy an      
undivided good4 ,god made mankind1 but  
sundered that into men1 that they might 
help one another4 ,must it not be so    
there1 and we be with our real friends8 
,man loves to think it2 yet to trust is 
wiser than to prophesy4 ,but the girl   

who went from us a little one may be as 
parent to her father when he comes1 and 
the man who left us have far outgrown   
our dream of an angel when we meet      
again4 ,i cannot doubt that many a man  
who not long ago left his body here1 now
 far surpasses the radiant manliness    
which ,jesus won and wore2 yes1 is far  
better1 greater1 too1 than many poorly  
conceive of ,god4         99       99   
99       99       99  ,there are times  
when we think little of a future life4  
,in a period of success1 serene and     
healthy life2 the day's good is good    
enough for that day4 ,but there comes a 
time when this day's good is not enough2
 its ill too great to bear4 ,when death 
comes down and wrenches off a friend    
from our side2 wife1 child1 brother1    
father1 a dear one taken2 this life is  
not enough4 ,oh1 no1 not to the coldest1
 coarsest1 and most sensual man4 ,i put 
it to you1 to the most heartless of you 
all1 or the most cold and               
doubting--,when you lay down in the     

earth your mother1 sister1 wife1 or     
child1 remembering that you shall see   
their face no more1 is life enough8 ,do 
you not reach out your arms for heaven1 
for immortality1 and feel you cannot    
die8 ,when ,i see men at a feast1 or    
busy in the street1 ,i do not think of  
their eternal life2 perhaps feel not my 
own4 ,but when the stiffened body goes  
down to the tomb1 sad1 silent1          
remorseless1 ,i feel there is no death  
for the man4 ,that clod which yonder    
dust shall cover is not my brother4 ,the
 dust goes to its place1 the man to his 
own4 ,it is then ,i feel my immortality4
 ,i look through the grave into heaven4 
,i ask no miracle1 no proof1 no         
reasoning for me4 ,i ask no risen dust  
to teach me immortality4 ,i am conscious
 of eternal life4  ,but there are worse 
hours than these3 seasons bitterer than 
death1 sorrows that lie a latent poison 
in the heart1 slowly sapping the        
foundations of our peace4 ,there are    
hours when the best life seems a sheer  

failure to the man who lived it1 his    
wisdom folly1 his genius impotence1 his 
best deed poor and small2 when he       
wonders why he was suffered to be born2 
when all the sorrows of the world seem  
poured upon him2 when he stands in a    
populous loneliness1 and though weak1   
can only lean in upon himself4 ,in such 
hour he feels the insufficiency of this 
life4 ,it is only his cradle-time1 he   
counts himself just born2 all honors1   
wealth and fame are but baubles in his  
baby hand2 his deep philosophy but      
nursery rhymes4 ,yet he feels the       
immortal fire burning in his heart4 ,he 
stretches his hands out from the        
swaddling-clothes of flesh1 reaching    
after the topmost star1 which he sees1  
or dreams he sees1 and longs to go      
alone4 ,still worse1 the consciousness  
of sin comes over him2 he feels that he 
has insulted himself4 ,all about him    
seems little2 himself little1 yet       
clamoring to be great4 ,then we feel our
 immortality2 through the gairish light 

of day we see a star or two beyond4 ,the
 soul within us feels her wings1        
contending to be born1 impatient for the
 sky1 and wrestles with the earthly worm
 that folds us in4      ,mysterious     
,night6 when our first ,parent knew     
,thee from report divine1 and heard thy 
name1     ,did he not tremble for this  
lovely frame1       ,this glorious      
canopy of light and blue8     ,yet      
'neath a curtain of translucent dew1    
,bathed in the rays of the great setting
 flame1     ,hesperus with the host of  
heaven came2       ,and lo1 ,creation   
widened in man's view4     ,who could   
have thought such darkness lay concealed
       ,within thy beams1 ,o ,sun8 or   
who could find1     ,whilst fly and leaf
 and insect stood revealed1       ,that 
to such countless orbs thou mad'st us   
blind8     ,why do we then shun ,death  
with anxious strife8       ,if ,light   
can thus deceive1 wherefore not ,life8  
,i would not slight this wondrous world4
 ,i love its day and night4 ,its flowers

 and its fruits are dear to me4 ,i would
 not wilfully lose sight of a departing 
cloud4 ,every year opens new beauty in a
 star2 or in a purple gentian fringed   
with loveliness4 ,the laws too of matter
 seem more wonderful the more ,i study  
them1 in the whirling eddies of the     
dust1 in the curious shells of former   
life buried by thousands in a grain of  
chalk1 or in the shining diagrams of    
light above my head4 ,even the ugly     
becomes beautiful when truly seen4 ,i   
see the jewel in the bunchy toad4 ,the  
more ,i live1 the more ,i love this     
lovely world2 feel more its ,author in  
each little thing2 in all that is great4
 ,but yet ,i feel my immortality the    
more4 ,in childhood the consciousness of
 immortal life buds forth feeble1 though
 full of promise4 ,in the man it unfolds
 its fragrant petals1 his most celestial
 flower1 to mature its seed throughout  
eternity4 ,the prospect of that         
everlasting life1 the perfect justice   
yet to come1 the infinite progress      

before us1 cheer and comfort the heart4 
,sad and disappointed1 full of          
self-reproach1 we shall not be so       
forever4 ,the light of heaven breaks    
upon the night of trial1 sorrow1 sin2   
the sombre clouds which overhung the    
east1 grown purple now1 tell us the dawn
 of heaven is coming in4 ,our faces1    
gleamed on by that1 smile in the        
new-born glow2 we are beguiled of our   
sadness before we are aware4 ,the       
certainty of this provokes us to        
patience1 it forbids us to be slothfully
 sorrowful4 ,it calls us to be up and   
doing4 ,the thought that all will at    
last be right with the slave1 the poor1 
the weak1 and the wicked1 inspires us   
with zeal to work for them here1 and    
make it all right for them even now4    
,there is small merit in being willing  
to die2 it seems almost sinful in a good
 man to wish it when the world needs him
 here so much4 ,it is weak and unmanly  
to be always looking and sighing        
voluptuously for that4 ,but it is of    

great comfort to have in your soul a    
sure trust in immortality2 of great     
value here and now to anticipate time   
and live to-day the eternal life4 ,that 
we may all do4 ,the joys of heaven will 
begin as soon as we attain the character
 of heaven and do its duties4 ,that may 
begin to-day4 ,it is everlasting life to
 know ,god1 to have ,his ,spirit        
dwelling in you1 yourself at one with   
,him4 ,try that and prove its worth4    
,justice1 usefulness1 wisdom1 religion1 
love1 are the best things we hope for in
 ,heaven4 ,try them on--they will fit   
you here not less becomingly4 ,they are 
the best things of earth4 ,think no     
outlay of goodness and piety too great4 
,you will find your reward begin here4  
,as much goodness and piety1 so much    
,heaven4 ,men will not pay you--,god    
will2 pay you now2 pay you hereafter and
 for ever4     ,,iv4  ,,the ,,public    
,,education ,,of ,,the ,,people4--,,an  
,,address ,,delivered ,,before ,,the    
,,onondaga ,,teachers' ,,institute1 ,,at

 ,,syracuse1 ,,new ,,york1 ,,october #d1
 #ahdi4   ,education is the developing  
and furnishing of the faculties of man4 
,to educate the people is one of the    
functions of the ,state4 ,it is         
generally allowed in the free ,states of
 ,america1 that the community owes each 
child born into it a chance for         
education1 intellectual1 moral1 and     
religious4 ,hence the child has a just  
and recognized claim on the community   
for the means of this education1 which  
is to be afforded him1 not as a charity1
 but as a right4  ,the fact indicates   
the progress mankind has made in not    
many years4 ,once the state only took   
charge of the military education of the 
people2 not at all of their             
intellectual1 moral1 or religious       
culture4 ,they received their military  
discipline1 not for the special and     
personal advantage of the individuals1  
,thomas and ,oliver1 but for the benefit
 of the state4 ,they received it1 not   
because they were men claiming it in    

virtue of their manhood1 but as subjects
 of the state1 because their military   
training was needful for the state1 or  
for its rulers who took the name        
thereof4 ,then the only culture which   
the community took public pains to      
bestow on its members1 was training them
 to destroy4 ,the few1 destined to      
command1 learned the science of         
destruction1 and the kindred science of 
defence2 the many1 doomed to obey1      
learned only the art to destroy1 and the
 kindred art of defence4  ,the ablest   
men of the nation were sought out for   
military teachers1 giving practical     
lessons of the science and the art2 they
 were covered with honor and loaded with
 gold4 ,the wealth of the people and    
their highest science went to this work4
 ,institutions were founded to promote  
this education1 and carefully watched   
over by the state1 for it was thought   
the ,commonwealth depended on           
disciplined valor4 ,the soldier was     
thought to be the type of the state1 the

 archetype of man2 accordingly the      
highest spiritual function of the state 
was the production of soldiers4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,most of the civilized nations have     
passed through that stage of their      
development3 though the few or the many 
are still taught the science or the art 
of war in all countries called          
,christian1 there is yet a class of men 
for whom the state furnishes the means  
of education that is not military2 means
 of education which the individuals of  
that class could not provide for        
themselves4 ,this provision is made at  
the cost of the state2 that is1 at the  
cost of every man in the state1 for what
 the public pays1 you pay and ,i pay1   
rich or poor1 willingly and consciously1
 or otherwise4 ,this class of men is    
different in different countries1 and   
their education is modified to suit the 
form of government and the idea of the  
state4 ,in ,rome the state provides for 
the public education of priests4 ,rome  

is an ecclesiastical state2 her         
government is a ,theocracy--a government
 of all the people1 but by the priests1 
for the sake of the priests1 and in the 
name of ,god4 ,place in the church is   
power1 bringing honor and wealth2 no    
place out of the church is of much      
value4 ,the offices are filled by       
priests1 the chief magistrate is a      
priest1 supposed to derive his power and
 right to rule1 not democratically1 from
 the people1 or royally1 by             
inheritance1--for in theory the priest  
is as if he had no father1 as           
theoretically he has no child1--but     
theocratically from ,god4  ,in ,rome the
 priesthood is thought to be the flower 
of the state4 ,the most important       
spiritual function of the state1        
therefore1 is the production of priests2
 accordingly the greatest pains are     
taken with their education4             
,institutions are founded at the public 
cost1 to make priests out of men2 these 
institutions are the favorites of       

government1 well ordered1 well watched  
over1 well attended1 and richly honored4
 ,institutions for the education of the 
people are of small account1 ill        
endowed1 watched over but poorly1 thinly
 attended1 and not honored at all4 ,the 
people are designed to be subjects of   
the church1 and as little culture is    
needed for that1 though much to make    
them citizens thereof1 so little is     
given4  ,as there are institutions for  
the education of the priests1 so there  
is a class of men devoted to that work2 
able men1 well disciplined1 sometimes   
men born with genius1 and always men    
furnished with the accomplishments of   
sacerdotal and scientific art2 very able
 men1 very well disciplined1 the most   
learned and accomplished men in the     
land4 ,these men are well paid and      
abundantly honored1 for on their        
faithfulness the power of the           
priesthood1 and so the welfare of the   
state1 is thought to depend4 ,without   
the allurement of wealth and honors1    

these able men would not come to this   
work2 and without the help of their     
ability1 the priests could not be well  
educated4 ,hence their power would      
decline2 the class1 tonsured and        
consecrated but not instructed1 would   
fall into contempt2 the theocracy would 
end4 ,so the educators of the priests   
are held in honor1 surrounded by baits  
for vulgar eyes2 but the public         
educators of the people1 chiefly women  
or ignorant men1 are held in small      
esteem4 ,the very buildings destined to 
the education of the priests are        
conspicuous and stately2 the colleges of
 the ,jesuits1 the ,propaganda1 the     
seminaries for the education of priests1
 the monasteries for training the more  
wealthy and regular clergy1 are great   
establishments1 provided with libraries1
 and furnished with all the apparatus   
needful for their important work4 ,but  
the school-houses for the people are    
small and mean buildings1 ill made1 ill 
furnished1 and designed for a work      

thought to be of little moment4 ,all    
this is in strict harmony with the idea 
of the theocracy1 where the priesthood  
is mighty and the people are subjects of
 the ,church2 where the effort of the   
state is toward producing a priest4     
99       99       99       99       99  
,in ,england the state takes charge of  
the education of another class1 the     
nobility and gentry2 that is1 of young  
men of ancient and historical families1 
the nobility1 and young men of fortune1 
the gentry4 ,england is an oligarchical 
state2 her government an aristocracy1   
the government of all by a few1 the     
nobility and gentry1 for the sake of a  
few1 and in the name of a king4 ,there  
the foundation of power is wealth and   
birth from a noble family4 ,the union of
 both takes place in a wealthy noble4   
,there1 nobility is the blossom of the  
state2 aristocratic birth brings wealth1
 office1 and their consequent social    
distinction4 ,political offices are     
chiefly monopolized by men of famous    

birth or great riches4 ,the king1 the   
chief officer of the land1 must surpass 
all others in wealth1 and the pomp and  
circumstance which comes thereof1 and in
 aristocracy of birth4 ,he is not merely
 noble but royal2 his right to rule is  
not at all derived from the people1 but 
from his birth4 ,thus he has the two    
essentials of aristocratic influence1   
birth and wealth1 not merely in the     
heroic degree1 but in the supreme       
degree4  ,as the state is an            
aristocracy1 its most important         
spiritual function is the production of 
aristocrats2 each noble family transmits
 the full power of its blood only to a  
single person--the oldest son2 of the   
highest form1 the royal1 only one is    
supposed to be born in a generation1    
only one who receives and transmits in  
full the blood royal4  ,as the nobility 
are the blossom of the state1 great     
pains must be taken with the education  
of those persons born of patrician or   
wealthy families4 ,as ,england is not   

merely a military or ecclesiastical     
state1 though partaking largely of both1
 but commercial1 agricultural and       
productive in many ways2 as she holds a 
very prominent place in the politics of 
the world1 so there must be a good      
general education provided for these    
persons2 otherwise their power would    
decline1 the nobility and gentry sink   
into contempt1 and the government pass  
into other hands1--for though a man may 
be born to rank and wealth1 he is not   
born to knowledge1 nor to practical     
skill4 ,hence institutions are founded  
for the education of the aristocratic   
class3 ,oxford and ,cambridge1 those    
twins of learning1 with their           
preparatories and help-meets4  ,the     
design of these institutions is to      
educate the young men of family and     
fortune4 ,the aim in their academic     
culture is not as in ,pagan ,rome1 a    
military state1 to make soldiers1 nor as
 in ,christian ,rome1 to turn out       
priests2 it is not1 as in the ,german   

universities1 to furnish the world with 
scholars and philosophers1 men of       
letters and science1 but to mature and  
furnish the gentleman1 in the technical 
sense of that word1 a person            
conventionally fitted to do the work of 
a complicated aristocratic state1 to    
fill with honor its various offices1    
military1 political1 ecclesiastical or  
social1 and enjoy the dignity which     
comes thereof4 ,these universities      
furnish the individual who resorts      
thither with opportunities not otherwise
 to be had2 they are purchased at the   
cost of the state1 at the cost of each  
man in the state4 ,the alumnus at       
,oxford pays his term-bills1 indeed1 but
 the amount thereof is a trifle compared
 to the actual cost of his residence    
there2 mankind pays the residue4  ,these
 institutions are continually watched   
over by the state1 which is the official
 guardian of aristocratic education2    
they are occasionally assisted by grants
 from the public treasury1 though they  

are chiefly endowed by the voluntary    
gifts of individual men4 ,but these     
private gifts1 like the public grants1  
come from the earnings of the whole     
nation4 ,they are well endowed1         
superintended well1 and richly honored2 
their chancellors and vice-chancellors  
are men of distinguished social rank2   
they have their representatives in      
,parliament2 able men are sought out for
 teachers1 professors1 heads of houses2 
men of good ability1 of masterly        
education1 and the accomplishments of a 
finished gentleman2 they are well paid1 
and copiously rewarded with honors and  
social distinction4 ,gentility favors   
these institutions2 nobility watches    
over them1 and royalty smiles upon them4
 ,in this threefold sunlight1 no wonder 
that they thrive4 ,the buildings at     
their service are among the most costly 
and elegant in the land2 large museums  
are attached to them1 and immense       
libraries2 every printer in ,england1 at
 his own cost1 must give a copy of each 

book he publishes to ,cambridge and     
,oxford4 ,what wealth can buy1 or       
artistic genius can create1 is there    
devoted to the culture of this powerful 
class4  ,but while the nobility and     
gentry are reckoned the flower of the   
state1 the common people are only the   
leaves1 and therefore thought of small  
importance in the political botany of   
the nation4 ,their education is         
amazingly neglected2 is mainly left to  
the accidental piety of private         
,christians1 to the transient charity of
 philanthropic men1 or the enlightened  
self-interest of mechanics and          
small-traders1 who now and then found   
institutions for the education of some  
small fraction of the multitude4 ,but   
such institutions are little favored by 
the government1 or the spirit of the    
dominant class2 gentility does not      
frequent them1 nor nobility help them1  
nor royalty watch over to foster and to 
bless4 ,the ,parliament1 which voted one
 hundred thousand pounds of the nation's

 money for the queen's horses and       
hounds1 had but thirty thousand to spare
 for the education of her people4 ,no   
honor attends the educators of the      
people2 no wealth is heaped up for them2
 no beautiful buildings are erected for 
their use2 no great libraries got ready 
at the public charge2 no costly         
buildings are provided4 ,you wonder at  
the colleges and collegiate churches of 
,oxford and of ,cambridge2 at the       
magnificence of public edifices in      
,london1 new or ancient--the ,house of  
,parliament1 the ,bank1 the palaces of  
royal and noble men1 the splendor of the
 churches--but you ask1 where are the   
school-houses for the people8 ,you go to
 ,bridewell and ,newgate for the answer4
 ,all this is consistent with the idea  
of an aristocracy4 ,the gentleman is the
 type of the state2 and the effort of   
the state is towards producing him4 ,the
 people require only education enough to
 become the servants of the gentleman1  
and seem not to be valued for their own 

sake1 but only as they furnish pabulum  
for the flower of the oligarchy4  ,in   
,rome and ,england1 great sums have been
 given by wealthy men1 and by the state 
itself1 to furnish the means of a       
theocratic or aristocratic education to 
a certain class2 and to produce the     
national priests1 and the national      
gentlemen4 ,there public education is   
the privilege of a few1 but bought at   
the cost of the many2 for the plough-boy
 in ,yorkshire1 who has not culture     
enough to read the petition for daily   
bread in the ,lord's ,prayer1 helps pay 
the salary of the ,master of ,trinity1  
and the swine-herd in the ,roman        
,campagna1 who knows nothing of         
religion1 except what he learns at      
,christmas and ,easter1 by seeing the   
,pope carried on men's shoulders into   
,st4 ,peter's1 helps support the        
,propaganda and the ,roman ,college4    
,the privileged classes are to receive  
an education under the eye of the state1
 which considers itself bound to furnish

 them the means of a public education1  
partly at the individual's cost1 chiefly
 at the cost of the public4 ,the amount 
of education depends on three           
things3--on the educational attainments 
of the human race2 on the wealth and    
tranquillity of the special nation1     
enabling it to avail itself of that     
general attainment2 and on the natural  
powers and industry of the particular   
individual in the nation4 ,such is the  
solidarity of mankind that the          
development of the individual thus      
depends on that of the race1 and the    
education of a priest in ,rome or a     
gentleman in ,england is the resultant  
of these three forces1--the attainment  
of mankind1 the power of the nation1 and
 the private character and conduct of   
the man himself4 ,each of these three is
 a variable and not a constant quantity4
 ,so the amount of education which a man
 can receive at ,oxford or at ,rome     
fluctuates and depends on the state of  
the nation and of the world2 but as the 

attainments of mankind have much        
increased within a few years1 as the    
wealth of ,england has increased1 and   
her tranquillity become more secure1 you
 see how easy it becomes for the state  
to offer each gentleman an amount of    
education which it would have been quite
 impossible to furnish in the time of   
the ,yorks and the ,lancasters4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,in ,america things are quite other and 
different4 ,i speak of the ,free ,states
 of the ,north2 the ,slave ,states have 
the worst features of an oligarchy      
combined with a theocratic pride of     
caste1 which generates continual        
unkindness2 there the idea of the state 
is found inconsistent with the general  
and public education of the people2 it  
is as much so in ,south ,carolina as in 
,england or ,rome2 even more so1 for the
 public and general culture of all is   
only dangerous to a theocracy or        
aristocracy while it is directly fatal  
to slavery4 ,in ,england1 and still more

 in ,catholic ,rome1 the                
churches--themselves a wonderful museum 
of curiosities1 and open all the day to 
all persons--form an important element  
for the education of the most neglected 
class4 ,but slavery and education of the
 people are incommensurable quantities4 
,no amount of violence can be their     
common measure4 ,the republic1 where    
master and slave were equally educated1 
would soon be a red-republic4 ,the      
slave-master knows this1 and accordingly
 puts education to the ban1 and glories 
in keeping three million barbarians in  
the land1 and1 of course1 suffers the   
necessary degradation which comes       
thereof4 ,but in the free states of the 
,north the government is not a          
theocracy1 or an aristocracy2 the state1
 in theory is not for the few1 nor even 
for the majority1 but for all2 classes  
are not recognized1 and therefore not   
protected in any privilege4 ,the        
government is a democracy1 the          
government of all1 by all1 for all1 and 

in the name of all4 ,a man is born to   
all the rights of mankind2 all are born 
to them1 so all are equal4 ,therefore1  
what the state pays for1 not only comes 
at the cost of all1 but must be for the 
use and benefit of all4 ,accordingly1 as
 a theocracy demands the education of   
priests1 and an aristocracy that of the 
nobility and the gentry1 so a democracy 
demands the education of all4 ,the aim  
must be1 not to make priests and        
gentlemen of a few1 a privileged class1 
but to make men of all2 that is1 to give
 a normal and healthy development of    
their intellectual1 moral1 affectional  
and religious faculties1 to furnish and 
instruct them with the most important   
elementary knowledge1 to extend this    
development and furnishing of the       
faculties as far as possible4           
,institutions must be founded for this  
purpose--to educate all1 rich and poor1 
men well-born with good abilities1 men  
ill-born with slender natural powers4   
,in ,new ,england1 these institutions   

have long since been founded at the     
public cost1 and watched over with      
paternal care1 as the ark of our        
covenant1 the palladium of our nation4  
,it has been recognized as a theory1 and
 practised on as a fact1 that all the   
property in the land is held by the     
state for the public education of the   
people1 as it is for their defence2 that
 property is amenable to education as to
 military defence4  ,in a democracy     
there are two reasons why this theory   
and practice prevail4 ,one is a         
political reason4 ,it is for the        
advantage of the state2 for each man    
that keeps out of the jail and the      
poor-house1 becomes a voter at          
one-and-twenty2 he may have some office 
of trust and honor2 the highest office  
is open before him4 ,as so much depends 
on his voting wisely1 he must have a    
chance to qualify himself for his right 
of electing and of being elected4 ,it is
 as necessary now in a democracy1 and as
 much demanded by the idea thereof1 that

 all should be thus qualified by        
education1 as it once was in a military 
state1 that all should be bred up       
soldiers4  ,the other is a philosophical
 reason4 ,it is for the advantage of the
 individual himself1 irrespective of the
 state4 ,the man is a man1 an integer1  
and the state is for him2 as well as a  
fraction of the state1 and he for it4   
,he has a man's rights2 and1 however    
inferior in might to any other man1 born
 of parentage how humble soever1 to no  
wealth at all1 with a body never so     
feeble1 he is yet a man1 and so equal in
 rights to any other man born of a      
famous line1 rich and able2 of course he
 has a right to a chance for the best   
culture which the educational attainment
 of mankind1 and the circumstances of   
the nation render possible to any man2  
to so much thereof as he has the inborn 
power and the voluntary industry to     
acquire4 ,this conclusion is getting    
acted on in ,new ,england1 and there are
 schools for the dumb and the blind1    

even for the idiot and the convict4     
,so1 then1 as the idea of our government
 demands the education of all1 the      
amount of education must depend on the  
same three variables mentioned before2  
it must be as good as it is possible for
 them to afford4 ,the democratic state  
has never done its political and        
educational duty1 until it affords every
 man a chance to obtain the greatest    
amount of education which the attainment
 of mankind renders it possible for the 
nation1 in its actual circumstances1 to 
command1 and the man's nature and       
disposition render it possible for him  
to take4  ,looking at the matter        
politically1 from the point of view of  
the ,state1 each man must have education
 enough to exercise his rights of       
electing and being elected4 ,it is not  
easy to fix the limits of the amount2 it
 is also a variable continually         
increasing4 ,looking at the matter      
philosophically1 from the point of view 
of the individual1 there is no limit but

 the attainment of the race and the     
individual's capacity for development   
and growth4 ,only a few men will master 
all which the circumstances of the      
nation and the world render attainable2 
some will come short for lack of power1 
others for lack of inclination4 ,make   
education as accessible as it can now be
 made1 as attractive as the teachers of 
this age can render it1 the majority    
will still get along with the smallest  
amount that is possible or reputable4   
,only a few will strive for the most    
they can get4 ,there will be many a     
thousand farmers1 traders1 and mechanics
 in their various callings1 manual and  
intellectual1 to a single philosopher4  
,this also is as it should be1 and      
corresponds with the nature of man and  
his function on the earth4 ,still all   
have the natural right to the means of  
education to this extent1 by fulfilling 
its condition4  ,to accomplish this     
work1 the democratic education of the   
whole people1 with the aim of making    

them men1 we want public institutions   
founded by the people1 paid for by the  
public money2 institutions well endowed1
 well attended1 watched over well1 and  
proportionably honored2 we want         
teachers1 able men1 well disciplined1   
well paid1 and honored in proportion to 
their work4 ,it is a good thing to      
educate the privileged classes1 priests 
in a theocracy1 and gentlemen in an     
aristocracy4 ,though they are few in    
number1 it is a great work2 the servants
 thereof are not too well paid1 nor too 
much held in esteem in ,england1 nor in 
,rome1 nor too well furnished with      
apparatus4 ,but the public education of 
a whole people is a greater work1 far   
more difficult1 and should be attended  
with corresponding honor1 and watched   
over even more carefully by the state4  
,after the grown men of any country have
 provided for their own physical wants1 
and insured the needful physical        
comforts1 their most important business 
is to educate themselves still further1 

and train up the rising generation to   
their own level4 ,it is important to    
leave behind us cultivated lands1 houses
 and shops1 railroads and mills1 but    
more important to leave behind us men   
grown1 men that are men2 such are the   
seed of material wealth1--not it of     
them4 ,the highest use of material      
wealth is its educational function4     
,now the attainments of the human race  
increase with each generation2 the four 
leading nations of ,christendom1        
,england1 ,france1 ,germany1 and the    
,united ,states1 within a hundred years1
 have apparently1 at the least1 doubled 
their spiritual attainments2 in the free
 states of ,america1 there is a constant
 and rapid increase of wealth1 far      
beyond the simultaneous increase of     
numbers2 so not only does the           
educational achievement of mankind      
become greater each age1 but the power  
of the state to afford each man a better
 chance for a better education1 greatens
 continually1 the educational ability of

 the state enlarging as those two       
factors get augmented4 ,the generation  
now grown up1 is1 therefore1 able and   
bound to get a better culture than their
 fathers1 and leave to their own        
children a chance still greater4  ,each 
child of genius1 in the nineteenth      
century1 is born at the foot of the     
ladder of learning1 as completely as the
 first child1 with the same bodily and  
spiritual nakedness2 though of the most 
civilized race1 with six1 or sixty      
thousands of years behind him1 he must  
begin with nothing but himself4 ,yet    
such is the union of all mankind1 that1 
with the aid of the present generation1 
in a few years he will learn all that   
mankind has learned in its long history2
 next go beyond that1 discovering and   
creating anew2 and then draw up to the  
same height the new generation1 which   
will presently surpass him4         99  
99       99       99       99  ,a man's 
education never ends1 but there are two 
periods thereof1 quite dissimilar1 the  

period of the ,boy1 and that of the     
,man4 ,education in general is the      
developing and instructing the          
faculties1 and is1 therefore1 the same  
in kind to both man and boy1 though it  
may be brought about by different       
forces4 ,the education of the boy1 so   
far as it depends on institutions1 and  
conscious modes of action1 must be so   
modified as to enable him to meet the   
influences which will surround him when 
he is a man2 otherwise1 his training    
will not enable him to cope with the new
 forces he meets1 and so will fail of   
the end of making him a man4 ,i pass    
over the influence of the family1 and of
 nature1 which do not belong to my      
present theme4 ,in ,america1 the public 
education of men is chiefly influenced  
by four great powers1 which ,i will call
 educational forces1 and which          
correspond to four modes of national    
activity3  ,i4 ,the political action of 
the people1 represented by the ,state2  
,,ii4 ,the industrial action of the     

people1 represented by ,business2       
,,iii4 ,the ecclesiastical action of the
 people1 represented by the ,church2    
,,iv4 ,the literary action of the       
people1 represented by the ,press4  ,i  
now purposely name them in this order1  
though ,i shall presently refer to them 
several times1 and in a different       
succession4 ,these forces act on the    
people1 making us such men as we are2   
they act indirectly on the child before 
he comes to consciousness2 directly1    
afterwards1 but most powerfully on the  
man4 ,what is commonly and technically  
called education--the development and   
instruction of the faculties of         
children1 is only preparatory2 the      
scholastic education of the boy is but  
introductory to the practical education 
of the man4 ,it is only this preparatory
 education of the children of the people
 that is the work of the school-masters4
 ,their business is to give the child   
such a development of his faculties1 and
 such furniture of preliminary          

knowledge1 that he can secure the       
influence of all these educational      
forces1 appreciating and enhancing the  
good1 withstanding1 counteracting1 and  
at last ending the evil thereof1 and so 
continue his education2 and at the same 
time that he can work in one or more of 
those modes of activity1 serving himself
 and mankind1 politically by the state1 
ecclesiastically by the church1         
literarily by the press1 or at any rate1
 industrially by his business4 ,to give 
children the preparatory education      
necessary for this fourfold receptivity1
 or activity1 we need three classes of  
public institutions3  ,i4 ,free common  
schools2  ,,ii4 ,free high schools2     
,,iii4 ,free colleges4  ,of these ,i    
will presently speak in detail1 but now1
 for the sake of shortness1 let me call 
them all collectively by their generic  
name--the ,school4 ,it is plain the     
teachers who work by this instrument    
ought to understand the good and evil of
 the four educational forces which work 

on men grown1 in order to prepare their 
pupils to receive the good thereof1 and 
withstand the evil4 ,so then let us look
 a moment at the character of these     
educational forces1 and see what they   
offer us1 and what men they are likely  
to make of their unconscious pupils4    
,let us look at the good qualities      
first1 and next at the evil4  ,it is    
plain that business1 the press1 and     
politics all tend to promote a great    
activity of body and mind4 ,in business1
 the love of gain1 the enterprising     
spirit of our practical men in all      
departments1 their industry1 thrift and 
forecast1 stimulate men to great        
exertions1 and produce a consequent     
development of the faculties called out4
 ,social distinction depends almost     
wholly on wealth2 that never is         
accumulated by mere manual industry1    
such is the present constitution of     
society1 but it is acquired by the      
higher forms of industry1 in which the  
powers of nature serve the man1 or he   

avails himself of the creations of mere 
manual toil4 ,hence there is a constant 
pressure towards the higher modes of    
industry for the sake of money2 of      
course1 a constant effort to be         
qualified for them4 ,so in the          
industrial departments the mind is more 
active than the hand4 ,accordingly it   
has come to pass that most of the brute 
labor of the free states is done by     
cattle1 or by the forces of             
nature--wind1 water1 fire--which we have
 harnessed by our machinery1 and set to 
work4 ,in ,new ,england most of the     
remaining work which requires little    
intelligence is done by ,irishmen1 who  
are getting a better culture by that    
very work4 ,men see the industrial      
handiwork of the ,north1 and wonder2    
they do not always see the industrial   
head-work1 which precedes1 directs and  
causes it all2 they seldom see the      
complex forces of which this enterprise 
and progress are the resultant4  ,there 
is no danger that we shall be sluggards4

 ,business now takes the same place in  
the education of the people that was    
once held by war3 it stimulates         
activity1 promotes the intercourse of   
man with man1 nation with nation2       
assembling men in masses1 it elevates   
their temperature1 so to say2 it leads  
to new and better forms of organization2
 it excites men to invention1 so that   
thereby we are continually acquiring new
 power over the elements1 peacefully    
annexing to our domain new provinces of 
nature--water1 wind1 fire1              
lightning--setting them to do our work1 
multiplying the comforts of life1 and   
setting free a great amount of human    
time4 ,it is not at all destructive2 not
 merely conservative1 but continually   
creates anew4 ,its creative agent is not
 brute force1 but educated mind4 ,a     
man's trade is always his teacher1 and  
industry keeps a college for mankind1   
much of our instruction coming through  
our hands2 with us1 where the plough is 
commonly in the hands of him who owns   

the land it furrows1 business affords a 
better education than in most other     
countries1 and develops higher qualities
 of mind4 ,there is a marked difference 
in this respect between the ,north and  
,south4 ,there was never before such    
industry1 such intense activity of head 
and hand in any nation in a time of     
peace4  ,the press encourages the same  
activity1 enterprise1 perseverance4     
,both of these encourage generosity2    
neither honors the miser1 who gets for  
the sake of getting1 or starves1 cheats1
 and pilfers to enrich an heir2 he does 
not die respectably in ,boston1 who dies
 rich and bequeaths nothing to any noble
 public charity4 ,it encourages industry
 which accumulates with the usual       
honesty1 and for a rather generous use4 
,the press furnishes us with books      
exceedingly cheap4 ,we manufacture      
literature cheaper than any nation      
except the ,chinese4 ,even the best     
books1 the works of the great masters of
 thought1 are within the reach of an    

industrious farmer or mechanic1 if half 
a dozen families combine for that       
purpose4 ,the educational power of a few
 good books scattered through a         
community1 is well known4  ,then the    
press circulates1 cheap and wide1 its   
newspapers1 emphatically the literature 
of men who read nothing else3 they      
convey intelligence from all parts of   
the world1 and broaden the minds of     
home-keeping youths1 who need not now   
have homely wits4  ,the state1 also1    
promotes activity1 enterprise1          
hardihood1 perseverance and thrift4 ,the
 ,american ,government is eminently     
distinguished by these five qualities4  
,the form of government stimulates      
patriotism1 each man has a share in the 
public lot4 ,the theocracies1           
monarchies1 and aristocracies of old    
time have produced good and great       
examples of patriotism1 in the few or   
the many2 but the nobler forms of love  
of country1 of self-denial and          
disinterested zeal for its sake1 are    

left for a democracy to bring to light4 
,here all men are voters1 and all great 
questions are1 apparently and in theory1
 left to the decision of the whole      
people4 ,this popular form of government
 is a great instrument in developing and
 instructing the mind of the nation4 ,it
 helps extend and intensify the         
intelligent activity which is excited by
 business and the press4 ,such is the   
nature of our political institutions    
that1 in the free states1 we have       
produced the greatest degree of national
 unity of action1 with the smallest     
restriction of personal freedom1 have   
reconciled national unity with          
individual variety1 not seeking         
uniformity2 thus room is left for as    
much individualism as a man chooses to  
take2 a vast power of talent1 enterprise
 and invention is left free for its own 
work4 ,elsewhere1 save in ,england1 this
 is latent1 kept down by government4    
,since this power is educated and has   
nothing to hold it back2 since so much  

brute work is done by cattle and the    
forces of nature1 now domesticated and  
put in harness1 and much time is left   
free for thought1 more intelligence is  
demanded1 more activity1 and the        
citizens of the free states have become 
the most active1 enterprising and       
industrious people in the world2 the    
most inventive in material work4  ,in   
all these three forms of action there is
 much to stir men to love of            
distinction4 ,the career is open to     
talent1 to industry2 open to every man2 
the career of letters1 business1 and    
politics4 ,our rich men were poor men2  
our famous men came of sires else not   
heard of4 ,the laurel1 the dollar1 the  
office1 and the consequent social       
distinction of men successful in        
letters1 business and politics1 these   
excite the obscure or needy youth to    
great exertions1 and he cannot sleep2   
emulation wakes him early1 and keeps him
 late astir4 ,behind him1 scattering the
 rear of darkness1 stalk poverty and    

famine1 gaunt and ugly forms1 with      
scorpion whip to urge the tardier1 idler
 man4 ,the intense ambition for money1  
for political power1 and the social     
results they bring1 keeps men on the    
alert4 ,so ambition rises early1 and    
works with diligence that never tires4  
,the ,church1 embracing all the churches
 under that name1 cultivates the memory 
of men1 and teaches reverence for the   
past2 it helps keep activity from       
wandering into unpopular forms of       
wickedness or of unbelief4 ,men who have
 the average intelligence1 goodness and 
piety1 it keeps from slipping back1 thus
 blocking to rearward the wheels of     
society1 so that the ascent gained shall
 not be lost2 men who have less than    
this average it urges forward1          
addressing them in the name of ,god1    
encouraging by hope of heaven1 and      
driving with fear of hell4 ,it turns the
 thought of the people towards ,god2 it 
sets before us some facts in the life1  
and some parts of the doctrine1 of the  

noblest ,one who ever wore the form of  
man1 bidding us worship him4 ,the       
ecclesiastical worship of ,jesus of     
,nazareth is1 perhaps1 the best thing in
 the ,american church4 ,it has the      
,sunday and the institution of preaching
 under its control4 ,a body of          
disciplined men are its servants2 they  
praise the ordinary virtues2 oppose and 
condemn the unpopular forms of error and
 of sin4 ,petty vice1 the vice of low   
men1 in low places1 is sure of their    
lash4 ,they promote patriotism in its   
common form4 ,indirectly1 they excite   
social and industrial rivalry1 and favor
 the love of money by the honor they    
bestow upon the rich and successful4    
,but at the same time they temper it a  
little1 sometimes telling men1 as       
business or the state does not1 that    
there is in man a conscience1 affection 
for his brother-man1 and a soul which   
cannot live by bread alone2 no1 not by  
wealth1 office1 fame and social rank4   
,they tell us1 also1 of eternity1 where 

worldly distinctions1 except of orthodox
 and heterodox1 are forgotten1 where    
wealth is of no avail2 they bid us      
remember ,god4  ,such are the good      
things of these great national forces2  
the good things which in this fourfold  
way we are teaching ourselves4 ,the     
nation is a monitorial school1          
wonderfully contrived for the education 
of the people4 ,i do not mean to say    
that it is by the forethought of men    
that the ,american democracy is at the  
same time a great practical school for  
the education of the human race4 ,this  
result formed no part of our plan1 and  
is not provided for by the ,constitution
 of the ,united ,states2 it comes of the
 forethought of ,god1 and is provided   
for in the ,constitution of the         
,universe4  ,now each of these          
educational forces has certain defects1 
negative evils1 and certain vices1      
positive evils1 which tend to misdirect 
the nation1 and so hinder the general   
education of the people3 of these1 also1

 let me speak in detail4  ,the state    
appeals to force1 not to justice2 this  
is its last appeal2 the force of muscles
 aided by force of mind1 instructed by  
modern science in the art to kill4 ,the 
nation appeals to force in the          
settlement of affairs out of its        
borders4 ,we have lately seen an example
 of this1 when we commenced war against 
a feeble nation1 who1 in that special   
emergency1 had right on her side1 about 
as emphatically as the force was on our 
side4 ,the immediate success of the     
enterprise1 the popular distinction     
acquired by some of the leaders1 the    
high honor bestowed on one of its       
heroes1 all this makes the lesson of    
injustice attractive4 ,it may be that a 
similar experiment will again be tried1 
and doubtless with like success4        
,certainly there is no nation this side 
of the water which can withstand the    
enterprise1 the activity1 the invention1
 industry and perseverance of a people  
so united1 and yet so free and          

intelligent4 ,another successful        
injustice of this character1 on a large 
scale1 will make right still less       
regarded1 and might honored yet more4   
,the force we employ out of our borders1
 might opposed to right1 we employ also 
at home against our brethren1 and keep  
three millions of them in bondage2 we   
watch for opportunities to extend the   
institution of slavery over soil        
unpolluted by that triple curse1 and    
convert the ,constitution1 the          
fundamental law of the land1 into an    
instrument for the defence of slavery4  
,the men we honor politically1 by       
choosing them to offices in the state1  
are commonly men of extraordinary force1
 sometimes1 it is true1 only of         
extraordinary luck1 but of only ordinary
 justice2 men who1 perhaps1 have mind in
 the heroic degree1 but conscience of   
the most vulgar pattern4 ,they are to   
keep the law of the ,united ,states when
 it is wholly hostile to the law of the 
universe1 to the everlasting justice of 

,god4  ,i am not speaking to            
politicians1 professional               
representatives of the state2 not       
speaking for political effect2 not of   
the state as a political machine for the
 government of the people4 ,i am        
speaking to teachers1 for an educational
 purpose2 of the state as an educational
 machine1 as one of the great forces for
 the spiritual development of the       
people4 ,now by this preference of force
 and postponement of justice at home and
 abroad1 in the selection of men for    
office1 with its wealth1 and rank1 and  
honor1 by keeping the law of the land to
 the violation of the law of ,god1 it is
 plain we are teaching ourselves to love
 wrong2 at least to be insensible to the
 right4 ,what we practise on a national 
scale as a people1 it is not easy to    
think wrong when practised on a personal
 scale1 by this man and that4  ,the     
patriotism1 also1 which the state       
nurses1 is little more than that ,old   
,testament patriotism which loves your  

countryman1 and hates the stranger2 the 
affection which the ,old ,testament     
attributes to ,jehovah1 and which makes 
him say1 ,i loved ,jacob1 and ,i hated  
,esau2 a patriotism which supports our  
country in the wrong as readily as in   
the right1 and is glad to keep one sixth
 part of the nation in bondage without  
hope4 ,it is not a patriotism which1    
beginning here1 loves all the children  
of ,god1 but one that robs the ,mexican1
 enslaves the ,african1 and exterminates
 the ,indian4  ,these are among the     
greater evils taught us by the political
 action of the people as a whole4 ,if   
you look at the action of the chief     
political parties1 you see no more      
respect for justice in the politics of  
either party1 than in the politics of   
the nation1 the resultant of both2 no   
more respect for right abroad1 or at    
home4 ,one party aims distinctively at  
preserving the property already         
acquired2 its chief concern is for that1
 its sympathy there2 where its treasure 

is1 is also its heart4 ,it legislates1  
consciously or otherwise1 more for      
accumulated wealth1 than for the        
laboring man who now accumulates4 ,this 
party goes for the dollar2 the other for
 the majority1 and aims at the greatest 
good of the greatest number1 leaving the
 good of the smaller number to most     
uncertain mercies4 ,neither party seems 
to aim at justice1 which protects both  
the wealth that labor has piled up1 and 
the laborer who now creates it2 justice1
 which is the point of morals common to 
man and ,god1 where the interests of all
 men1 abroad and at home1 electing and  
elected1 greatest number and smallest   
number1 exactly balance4 ,falsehood1    
fraud1 a willingness to deceive1 a      
desire for the power and distinction of 
office1 a readiness to use base means in
 obtaining office--these vices are sown 
with a pretty even hand upon both       
parties1 and spring up with such        
blossoms and such a fruitage as we all  
see4 ,the third political party has not 

been long enough in existence to develop
 any distinctive vices of its own4  ,i  
shall not speak of the public or private
 character of the politicians who direct
 the state2 no doubt that is a powerful 
element in our national education2 but  
as a class1 they seem no better and no  
worse than merchants1 mechanics1        
ministers and farmers1 as a class2 so in
 their influence there is nothing       
peculiar1 only their personal character 
ceases to be private1 and becomes a     
public force in the education of the    
people4         99       99       99    
99       99  ,the ,churches have the    
same faults as the ,state4 ,there is the
 same postponement of justice and       
preference of force1 the same neglect of
 the law of ,god in their zeal for the  
statutes of men2 the same crouching to  
dollars or to numbers4 ,however1 in the 
churches these faults appear negatively1
 rather than as an affirmation4 ,the    
worldliness of the church is not open1  
self-conscious and avowed2 it is not1 as

 a general thing1 that human injustice  
is openly defended1 but rather justice  
goes by default4 ,but if the churches do
 not positively support and teach       
injustice1 as the state certainly does1 
they do not teach the opposite1 and1 so 
far as that goes1 are allies of the     
state in its evil influence4 ,the fact  
that the churches1 as such1 did not     
oppose the war1 and do not oppose       
slavery1 its continuance1 or its        
extension2 nay1 that they are often     
found its apologists and defenders1     
seldom its opponents2 that they not only
 pervert the sacred books of the        
,christians to its defence1 but wrest   
the doctrines of ,christianity to       
justify it2 the fact that they cannot1  
certainly do not1 correct the           
particularism of the political parties1 
the love of wealth in one1 of mere      
majorities in the other2 that they know 
no patriotism not bounded by their      
country1 none coextensive with mankind2 
that they cannot resist the vice of     

party spirit--these are real proofs that
 the church is but the ally of the state
 in this evil influence4  ,but the      
church has also certain specific faults 
of its own4 ,it teaches injustice by    
continually referring to the might of   
,god1 not ,his justice2 to ,his ability 
and will to damn mankind1 not asking if 
,he has the right8 ,it teaches that in  
virtue of ,his infinite power1 ,he is   
not amenable to infinite justice1 and to
 infinite love4 ,thus1 while the state  
teaches1 in the name of expediency and  
by practice1 that the strong may        
properly be the tyrants of the weak1 the
 mighty nation over the feeble1 the     
strong race over the inferior1 that the 
government may dispense with right at   
home and abroad--the church1 as theory  
in ,christ's name1 teaches that ,god may
 repudiate ,his own justice and ,his own
 love4  ,the churches have little love  
of truth1 as such1 only of its uses4 ,it
 must be such a truth as they can use   
for their purposes2 canonized truth2    

truth long known2 that alone is         
acceptable and called religious truth2  
all else is profane and carnal1 as the  
reason which discovers it4 ,they        
represent the average intelligence of   
society2 hence1 while keeping the old1  
they welcome not the new4 ,they promote 
only popular forms of truth1 popular in 
all ,christendom1 or in their special   
sect4 ,they lead in no intellectual     
reforms2 they hinder the leaders4       
,negatively and positively1 they teach1 
that to believe what is clerically told 
you in the name of religion1 is better  
than free1 impartial search after the   
truth4 ,they dishonor free thinking1 and
 venerate constrained believing4 ,when  
the clergy doubt1 they seldom give men  
audience of their doubt4 ,few scientific
 men not clerical believe the ,bible    
account of creation1--the universe made 
in six days1 and but a few thousand     
years ago1--or that of the formation of 
woman1 and of the deluge4 ,some clerical
 men still believe these venerable      

traditions1 spite of the science of the 
times2 but the clerical men who have no 
faith in these stories not only leave   
the people to think them true and       
miraculously taught1 but encourage men  
in the belief1 and calumniate the men of
 science who look the universe fairly in
 the face and report the facts as they  
find them4  ,the church represents only 
the popular morality1 not any high and  
aboriginal virtue4 ,it represents not   
the conscience of human nature1         
reflecting the universal and            
unchangeable moral laws of ,god1 touched
 and beautified by his love1 but only   
the conscience of human history1        
reflecting the circumstances man has    
passed by1 and the institutions he has  
built along the stream of time4 ,so1    
while it denounces unpopular sins1 vices
 below the average vice of society1 it  
denounces also unpopular excellence1    
which is above the average virtue of    
society4 ,it blocks the wheels rearward1
 and the car of humanity does not roll  

down hill2 but it blocks them forward   
also4 ,no great moral movement of the   
age is at all dependent directly on the 
church for its birth2 very little for   
its development4 ,it is in spite of the 
church that reforms go forward2 it holds
 the curb to check more than the rein to
 guide4 ,in morals1 as in science1 the  
church is on the anti-liberal side1     
afraid of progress1 against movement1   
loving yet a little sleep1 a little     
slumber2 conservative and chilling1 like
 ice1 not creative1 nor even quickening1
 as water4 ,it doffs to use and wont2   
has small confidence in human nature1   
much in a few facts of human history4   
,it aims to separate ,piety from        
,goodness1 her natural and              
heaven-appointed spouse1 and marry her  
to ,bigotry1 in joyless and unprofitable
 wedlock4 ,the church does not lead men 
to the deep springs of human nature1 fed
 ever from the far heights of the       
,divine nature1 whence flows that river 
of ,god1 full of living water1 where    

weary souls may drink perennial supply4 
,while it keeps us from falling back1 it
 does little directly to advance        
mankind4 ,in common with the state1 this
 priest and ,levite pass by on the other
 side of the least developed classes of 
society1 leaving the slave1 the pauper1 
and the criminal1 to their fate1        
hastening to strike hands with the      
thriving or the rich4  ,these faults are
 shared in the main by all sects2 some  
have them in the common1 and some in a  
more eminent degree1 but none is so     
distinguished from the rest as to need  
emphatic rebuke1 or to deserve a special
 exemption from the charge4 ,such are   
the faults of the church of every land1 
and must be from the nature of the      
institution2 like the state1 it can only
 represent the average of mankind4  ,i  
am not speaking to clergymen1           
professional representatives of the     
church1 not of the church as an         
ecclesiastical machine for keeping and  
extending certain opinions and symbols2 

not for an ecclesiastical purpose2 ,i   
speak to teachers1 for an educational   
purpose1 of the church as an educational
 machine1 one of the great forces for   
the spiritual development of the people4
         99       99       99       99  
99  ,the ,business of the land has also 
certain vices of its own2 while it      
promotes the virtues ,i have named      
before1 it does not tend to promote the 
highest form of character4 ,it does not 
promote justice and humanity1 as one    
could wish2 it does not lead the        
employer to help the operative as a man1
 only to use him as a tool1 merely for  
industrial purposes4 ,the average       
merchant cares little whether his ship  
brings cloth and cotton1 or opium and   
rum4 ,the average capitalist does not   
wish the stock of his manufacturing     
company divided into small shares1 so   
that the operatives can invest their    
savings therein and have a portion of   
the large dividends of the rich2 nor    
does he care whether he takes a mortgage

 on a ship or a negro slave1 nor whether
 his houses are rented for sober        
dwellings1 or for drunkeries2 whether   
the state hires his money to build      
harbors at home1 or destroy them abroad4
 ,the ordinary manufacturer is as ready 
to make cannons and cannon-balls to     
serve in a war which he knows is unjust1
 as to cast his iron into mill-wheels1  
or forge it into anchors4 ,the common   
farmer does not care whether his barley 
feeds poultry for the table1 or1 made   
into beer1 breeds drunkards for the     
almshouse and the jail2 asks not whether
 his rye and potatoes become the bread  
of life1 or1 distilled into whiskey1 are
 deadly poison to men and women4 ,he    
cares little if the man he hires become 
more manly or not2 he only asks him to  
be a good tool4 ,whips for the backs of 
negro slaves are made1 it is said1 in   
,connecticut with as little compunction 
as ,bibles are printed there2 made to   
order1 for the same purpose--for the    
dollar4 ,the majority of blacksmiths    

would as soon forge fetter-chains to    
enslave the innocent limbs of a         
brother-man1 as draught-chains for oxen4
 ,christian mechanics and pious young   
women1 who would not hurt the hair of an
 innocent head1 have ,i seen at         
,springfield1 making swords to slaughter
 the innocent citizens of ,vera ,cruz   
and ,jalapa4 ,the ships of respectable  
men carry rum to intoxicate the savages 
of ,africa1 powder and balls to shoot   
them with2 they carry opium to the      
,chinese2 nay1 ,christian slaves from   
,richmond and ,baltimore to ,new        
,orleans and ,galveston4 ,in all        
commercial countries1 the average vice  
of the age is mixed up with the industry
 of the age1 and unconsciously men learn
 the wickedness long intrenched in      
practical life4 ,it is thought          
industrial operations are not amenable  
to the moral law1 only to the law of    
trade4 ,let the supply follow the demand
 is the maxim4 ,a man who makes as      
practical a use of the golden rule as of

 his yard-stick1 is still an exception  
in all departments of business4  ,even  
in the commercial and manufacturing     
parts of ,america1 money accumulates in 
large masses2 now in the hands of an    
individual1 now of a corporation4 ,this 
money becomes an irresponsible power1   
acting by the laws1 but yet above them4 
,it is wielded by a few men1 to whom it 
gives a high social position and        
consequent political power4 ,they use   
this triple form of influence1          
pecuniary1 social and political1 in the 
spirit of commerce1 not of humanity1 not
 for the interest of mankind2 thus the  
spirit of trade comes into the state4   
,hence it is not thought wrong in       
politics to buy a man1 more than in     
commerce to buy a ship2 hence the rights
 of a man1 or a nation1 are looked on as
 articles of trade1 to be sold1         
bartered1 and pledged2 and in the       
,senate of the ,united ,states1 we have 
heard a mass of men1 more numerous than 
all our citizens seventy years ago1     

estimated as worth twelve hundred       
millions of dollars4  ,in most countries
 business comes more closely into       
contact with men than the state1 or the 
church1 or the press1 and is a more     
potent educator4 ,here it not only does 
this1 but controls the other three      
forces1 which are mainly instruments of 
this2 hence this form of evil is more   
dangerous than elsewhere1 for there is  
no power organized to resist it as in   
,england or ,rome2 so it subtly         
penetrates everywhere1 bidding you place
 the accidents before the substance of  
manhood1 and value money more than man4 
99       99       99       99       99  
,notwithstanding the good qualities of  
the ,press1 the books it multiplies1 and
 the great service it renders1 it also  
has certain vices of its own4 ,from the 
nature of the thing the greater part of 
literature represents only the public   
opinion of the time4 ,it must therefore 
teach deference to that1 not deference  
to truth and justice4 ,it is only the   

eminent literature which can do more    
than this2 books1 which at first fall   
into few hands though fit1 and like the 
acorns sown with the mulleins and the   
clover1 destined to germinate but       
slowly1 long to be over-topped by an    
ephemeral crop1 at last1 after half an  
hundred years1 shall mature their own   
fruit for other generations of men4 ,the
 current literature of this age only    
popularizes the thought of the eminent  
literature of the past4 ,great good     
certainly comes from this1 but also     
great evil4  ,of all literature1 the    
newspapers come most into contact with  
men--they are the literature of the     
people1 read by such as read nothing    
else2 read also by such as read all     
things beside4 ,taken in the mass1 they 
contain little to elevate men above the 
present standard4 ,the political        
journals have the general vice of our   
politics1 and the special faults of the 
particular party2 the theological       
journals have the common failings of the

 church1 intensified by the bigotry of  
the sects they belong to2 the commercial
 journals represent the bad qualities of
 business4 ,put all three together1 and 
it is not their aim to tell the truth1  
the whole truth1 and nothing but the    
truth1 nor to promote justice1 the whole
 of justice1 and nothing but justice4   
,the popular literature helps bring to  
consciousness the sentiments and ideas  
which prevail in the state1 the church1 
and business4 ,it brings those          
sentiments and ideas intimately into    
connection with men1 magnetizing them   
with the good and ill of those three    
powers1 but it does little directly to  
promote a higher form of human          
character4  ,so1 notwithstanding the    
good influence of these four modes of   
national activity in educating the grown
 men of ,america1 they yet do not afford
 the highest teaching which the people  
require1 to realize individually the    
idea of a man1 and jointly that of a    
democracy4 ,the state does not teach    

perfect justice2 the church does not    
teach that1 or love of truth4 ,business 
does not teach perfect morality1 and the
 average literature1 which falls into   
the hands of the million1 teaches men to
 respect public opinion more than the   
word of ,god1 which transcends that4    
,thus these four teach only the         
excellence already organized or         
incorporated in the laws1 the theology1 
the customs1 and the books of the land4 
,i cannot but think these four teachers 
are less deficient here than in other   
lands1 and have excellences of their    
own1 but the faults mentioned are       
inseparable from such institutions4 ,an 
institution is an organized thought2 of 
course1 no institution can represent a  
truth which is too new or too high for  
the existing organizations1 yet that is 
the truth which it is desirable to      
teach4 ,so there will always be         
exceptional men1 with more justice1     
truth and love than is represented by   
the institutions of the time1 who seem  

therefore hostile to these institutions1
 which they seek to improve and not     
destroy4 ,contemporary with the priests 
of ,judah and ,israel were the prophets 
thereof1 antithetic to one another as   
the centripetal and centrifugal forces1 
but1 like them1 both necessary to the   
rhythmic movement of the orbs in heaven1
 and the even poise of the world4  ,in  
,rome and in ,england the idea of a     
theocracy and an aristocracy has become 
a fact in the institutions of the land1 
which accordingly favor the formation of
 priests and gentlemen4 ,the teachers of
 the educated class1 therefore1 may     
trust to the machinery already          
established to do their work1 only      
keeping off the spirit of the age which 
would make innovations2 and such is the 
respectability and popular esteem of the
 institutions1 that this is done easier 
than men think1 by putting an           
exceptional book in the index at ,rome  
or in the academical fire at ,oxford4   
,but here1 the idea of a democracy is by

 no means so well established and       
organized in institutions4 ,it is new1  
and while a theocrat and an aristocrat  
are respected everywhere1 a democrat is 
held in suspicion2 accordingly1 to make 
men1 the teacher cannot trust his       
educational machinery1 he must make it1 
and invent anew as well as turn his     
mill4         99       99       99      
99       99  ,these things being so1 it 
is plain the teachers in the schools    
should be of such a character that they 
can give the children what they will    
most want when they become men2 such an 
intellectual and moral development that 
they can appreciate and receive the good
 influence of these four educational    
forces1 and withstand1 resist1 and      
exterminate the evil thereof4 ,in the   
schools of a democracy which are to     
educate the people and make them men1   
you need more aboriginal virtue than in 
the schools of an aristocracy or a      
theocracy1 where a few are to be        
educated as gentlemen or priests4 ,since

 the institutions of the land do not    
represent the idea of a democracy1 and  
the average spirit of the people1 which 
makes the institutions1 represents it no
 more1 if the children of the people are
 to become better than their fathers1 it
 is plain their teachers must be        
prophets1 and not priests merely2 must  
animate them with a spirit higher1 purer
 and more holy than that which inspires 
the state1 the church1 business1 or the 
common literature of the times4 ,as the 
teacher cannot impart and teach what he 
does not possess and know1 it is also   
plain that the teacher must have this   
superior spirit4         99       99    
99       99       99  ,to accomplish the
 public education of the children of the
 people1 we need the three classes of   
institutions just mentioned3 free       
,common ,schools1 free ,high ,schools   
and free ,colleges4 ,let me say a word  
of each4  ,the design of the ,common    
,school is to take children at the      
proper age from their mothers1 and give 

them the most indispensable development1
 intellectual1 moral1 affectional and   
religious2 to furnish them with as much 
positive1 useful knowledge as they can  
master1 and1 at the same time1 teach    
them the three great scholastic helps or
 tools of education--the art to read1 to
 write and calculate4  ,the children of 
most parents are easily brought to      
school1 by a little diligence on the    
part of the teachers and school         
committee2 but there are also children  
of low and abandoned1 or1 at least1     
neglected parents1 who live in a state  
of continual truancy2 they are found on 
the banks of your canals2 they swarm in 
your large cities4 ,when those children 
become men1 through lack of previous    
development1 instruction and familiarity
 with these three instruments of        
education1 they cannot receive the full 
educational influence of the state and  
church1 of business and the press3 they 
lost their youthful education1 and      
therefore they lose1 in consequence1    

their manly culture4 ,they remain       
dwarfs1 and are barbarians in the midst 
of society2 there will be exceptional   
men whom nothing can make vulgar2 but   
this will be the lot of the mass4 ,they 
cannot perform the intelligent labor    
which business demands1 only the brute  
work1 so they lose the development which
 comes through the hand that is active  
in the higher modes of industry1 which1 
after all1 is the greatest educational  
force2 accordingly1 they cannot compete 
with ordinary men1 and remain poor2     
lacking also that self-respect which    
comes of being respected1 they fall into
 beggary1 into intemperance1 into crime2
 so1 from being idlers at first1 a      
stumbling-block in the way of society1  
they become paupers1 a positive burden  
which society must take on its          
shoulders2 or they turn into criminals1 
active foes to the industry1 the order1 
and the virtue of society4  ,now if a   
man abandons the body of his child1 the 
state adopts that body for a time2 takes

 the guardianship thereof1 for the      
child's own sake2 sees that it is       
housed1 fed1 clad1 and cared for4 ,if a 
man abandons his child's spirit1 and the
 child commits a crime1 the state1 for  
its own sake1 assumes the temporary     
guardianship thereof1 and puts him in a 
jail4 ,when a man deserts his child1    
taking no concern about his education1  
,i venture to make the suggestion1      
whether it would not be well1 as a last 
resort1 for the ,state to assume the    
guardianship of the child for its own   
sake1 and for the child's sake4 ,we     
allow no one1 with ever so thick a skin1
 to grow up in nakedness2 why should we 
suffer a child1 with however so perverse
 a parent1 to grow up in ignorance and  
degenerate into crime8 ,certainly1 a    
naked man is not so dangerous to society
 as an ignorant man1 nor is the         
spectacle so revolting4 ,i should have  
less hope of a state where the majority 
were so perverse as to continue ignorant
 of reading1 writing and calculating1   

than of one where they were so          
thick-skinned as to wear no clothes4 ,in
 ,massachusetts1 there is an ,asylum for
 juvenile offenders1 established by the 
city of ,boston1 a ,farm ,school for bad
 boys1 established by the characteristic
 benevolence of the rich men of that    
place1 and a ,state ,reform ,school     
under the charge of the ,commonwealth3  
all these are for lads who break the    
laws of the land4 ,would it not be      
better to take one step more1 adopt them
 before they offended1 and allow no     
child to grow up in the barbarism of    
ignorance8 ,has any man an unalienable  
right to live a savage in the midst of  
civilization8  ,we need also public     
,high ,schools1 to take children where  
the common schools leave them1 and carry
 them further on4 ,some ,states have    
done something towards establishing such
 institutions2 they are common in ,new  
,england4 ,some have established ,normal
 ,schools1 special ,high ,schools for   
the particular and professional         

education of public teachers4 ,without  
these1 it is plain there would not be a 
supply of competent educators for the   
public service4  ,then we need free     
,colleges1 conducted by public officers1
 and paid for by the public purse4      
,without these the scheme is not        
perfect4 ,the idea which lies at the    
basis of the public education of a      
people in a democracy1 is this3 ,every  
man1 on condition of doing his duty1 has
 a right to the means of education1 as  
much as a right1 on the same condition1 
to the means of defence from a public   
enemy in time of war1 or from starvation
 in time of plenty and of peace4 ,i say 
every man1 ,i mean every woman also4    
,the amount of education must depend on 
the three factors named before1--on the 
general achievement of mankind1 the     
special ability of the state1 and the   
particular power of the individual4  ,if
 all is free1 common schools1 high      
schools1 and colleges1 boys and girls of
 common ability and common love of      

learning1 will get a common education2  
those of greater ability1 a more        
extended education1 and those of the    
highest powers1 the best culture which  
the race can now furnish1 and the state 
afford4 ,hitherto no nation has         
established a public college1 wholly at 
the public cost1 where the children of  
the poor and the rich could enjoy       
together the great national charity of  
superior education4 ,to do this is      
certainly not consistent with the idea  
of a theocracy or an aristocracy1 but it
 is indispensable to the complete       
realization of a democracy4 ,otherwise  
the children of the rich will have a    
monopoly of superior education1 which is
 the case with the girls everywhere--for
 only the daughters of rich men can get 
a superior education1 even in the       
,united ,states--and with boys in       
,england and ,france1 and of course the 
offices1 emoluments and honors which    
depend on a superior education2 or else 
the means thereof will be provided for  

poor lads by private benefactions1      
charity-funds and the like1 which some  
pious and noble man has devoted to this 
work4 ,in this case the institutions    
will have a sectarian character1 be     
managed by narrow1 bigoted men1 and the 
gift of the means of education be       
coupled with conditions which must      
diminish its value1 and fetter the free 
spirit of the young man4 ,this takes    
place in many of the collegiate         
establishments of the ,north1 which1    
notwithstanding those defects1 have done
 a great good to mankind4  ,the ,common 
,schools giving their pupil the power of
 reading1 writing and calculating1      
developing his faculties and furnishing 
him with much elementary knowledge1 put 
him in communication with all that is   
written in a common form1 in the        
,english tongue2 its treasures lie level
 to his eye and hand4 ,the ,high ,school
 and the ,college1 teaching him also    
other languages1 afford him access to   
the treasures contained there2 teaching 

him the mathematics and furnishing him  
with the discipline of science1 they    
enable him to understand all that has   
hitherto been recorded in the           
compendious forms of philosophy1 and    
thus place the child of large ability in
 connection with all the spiritual      
treasures of the world4 ,in the mean    
time1 for all these pupils1 there is the
 material and the human world about     
them1 the world of consciousness within4
 ,they can study both and add what they 
may to the treasures of human discovery 
or invention4  ,it seems to me that it  
is the duty of the state to place the   
means of this education within the reach
 of all children of superior ability1--a
 duty that follows from the very idea of
 a democracy1 not to speak of the idea  
of ,christianity4 ,it is not less the   
interest of the state to do so1 for     
then1 youths1 well born1 with good      
abilities1 will not be hindered from    
getting a breeding proportionate to     
their birth1 and from occupying the     

stations which are adequately filled    
only by men of superior native          
abilities1 enriched by culture1 and     
developed to their highest power4 ,then 
the work of such stations will fall to  
the lot of such men1 and of course be   
done4 ,eminent ability1 talent1 or      
genius1 should have eminent education1  
and so serve the nation in its eminent  
kind2 for when ,god makes a             
million-minded man1 as once or twice in 
the ages1 or a myriad-minded man1 as ,he
 does now and then1 it is plain that    
this gift also is to be accounted       
precious1 and used for the advantage of 
all4  ,i say no state has ever attempted
 to establish such institutions2 yet the
 ,government of the ,united ,states has 
a seminary for the public education of a
 few men at the public cost4 ,but it is 
a school to qualify men to fight2 they  
learn the science of destruction1 the   
art thereof1 the kindred art and science
 of defence4 ,if the same money we now  
pay for military education at ,west     

,point were directed to the education of
 teachers of the highest class1 say     
professors and presidents of colleges2  
if the same pains were taken to procure 
able men1 to furnish them with the      
proper instruction for their special    
work1 and give them the best possible   
general development of their powers1 not
 forgetting the moral1 the affectional  
and the religious1 and animating them   
with the philanthropic spirit needed for
 such a work1 how much better results   
would appear6 ,but in the present       
intellectual condition of the people it 
would be thought unworthy of a nation to
 train up school-masters6 ,but is it    
only soldiers that we need8  ,all these 
institutions are but introductory1 a    
preparatory school1 in three            
departments1 to fit youths for the great
 educational establishment of practical 
life4 ,this will find each youth and    
maiden as the schools leave him1        
moulding him to their image1 or moulded 
by him to a better4 ,so it is plain what

 the teachers are to do3--besides       
teaching the special branches which fall
 to their lot1 they are to supply for   
the pupils1 the defects of the ,state1  
of the ,church1 of ,business1 and the   
,press1 especially the moral defects4   
,for this great work of mediating       
between the mother and the world1 for so
 furnishing and fitting the rising      
generation1 introducing them into       
practical life1 that they shall receive 
all the good of these public educational
 forces with none of the ill1 but       
enhance the one while they withstand the
 other1 and so each in himself realize  
the idea of man1 and all in their social
 capacity1 the idea of a democracy--it  
is also plain what sort of men we need  
for teachers3 we need able men1 well    
endowed by nature1 well disciplined by  
art2 we need superior men--men juster   
than the state1 truer and better than   
the churches1 more humane than business1
 and higher than the common literature  
of the press4 ,there are always men of  

that stamp born into the world2 enough  
of them in any age to do its work4 ,how 
shall we bring them to the task8 ,give  
young men and women the opportunity to  
fit themselves for the work1 at free    
common schools1 high schools1 normal    
schools1 and colleges2 give them a pay  
corresponding to their services1 as in  
,england and ,rome2 give them social    
rank and honor in that proportion1 and  
they will come2 able men will come2 men 
well disciplined will come2 men of      
talent and even genius for education    
will come4  ,in the state you pay a man 
of great political talents large money  
and large honors2 hence there is no lack
 of ability in politics1 none of        
competition for office4 ,in the church  
you pay a good deal for a smart         
minister1 one who can preach an audience
 into the pews and not himself out of   
the pulpit4 ,talent enough goes to      
business2 educated talent too1 at least 
with a special education for this1      
honor1 and social distinction4 ,private 

colleges and theological schools1 often1
 have powerful men for their professors 
and presidents2 sometimes1 men of much  
talent for education2 commonly1 men of  
ripe learning and gentlemanly           
accomplishments4 ,even men of genius    
seek a place as teachers in some private
 college1 where they are under the      
control of the leaders of a sect--and   
must not doubt its creed1 nor set       
science a-going freely lest it run over 
some impotent theological dogma--or else
 of a little coterie1 or close          
corporation of men selected because     
radical or because conservative1 men    
chosen not on account of any special    
fitness for superintending the superior 
education of the people1 but because    
they were one-sided1 and leaned this way
 in ,massachusetts and that in          
,virginia4 ,able men seek such places   
because they get a competent pay1       
competent honors1 competent social rank4
 ,senators and ambassadors are not      
ashamed to be presidents of a college1  

and submit to the control of a coterie1 
or a sect1 and produce their results4   
,if such men can be had for private     
establishments to educate a few to work 
in such trammels and such company1      
certainly1 it is not difficult to get   
them for the public and for the         
education of all4 ,as the state has the 
most children to educate1 the most money
 to pay with1 it is clear1 not only that
 they need the best ability for this    
work1 but that they can have it soon as 
they make the teacher's calling gainful 
and respectable4  ,in ,england and      
,rome1 the most important spiritual     
function of the state is the production 
of the gentleman and the priest2 in     
democratic ,america it is the production
 of the man4 ,some nations have taken   
pains with the military training of all 
the people1 for the sake of the state1  
and made every man a soldier4 ,no nation
 has hitherto taken equivalent pains    
with the general education of all1 for  
the sake of the state and the sake of   

the citizens2--the heathens of ,china   
have done more than any ,christian      
people1 for the education of all4 ,this 
was not needed in a theocracy1 nor an   
aristocracy2 it is essential to a       
democracy4 ,this is needed politically2 
for where all men are voters1 the       
ignorant man1 who cannot read the ballot
 which he casts2 the thief1 the pirate1 
and the murderer1 may1 at any time1 turn
 the scale of an election1 and do us a  
damage which it will take centuries to  
repair4 ,ignorant men are the tools of  
the demagogue2 how often he uses them1  
and for what purposes1 we need not go   
back many years to learn4 ,let the      
people be ignorant and suffrage         
universal1 a very few men will control  
the state1 and laugh at the folly of the
 applauding multitude whose bread they  
waste1 and on whose necks they ride to  
insolence and miserable fame4  ,america 
has nothing to fear from any foreign    
foe2 for nearly forty years she has had 
no quarrel but of her own making4 ,such 

is our enterprise and our strength1 that
 few nations would1 carelessly1 engage  
in war with us2 none1 without great     
provocation4 ,in the midst of us1 is our
 danger2 not in foreign arms1 but in the
 ignorance and the wickedness of our own
 children1 the ignorance of the many1   
the wickedness of the few who will lead 
the many to their ruin4 ,the bulwark of 
,america is not the army and navy of the
 ,united ,states1 with all the men at   
public cost instructed in the art of    
war2 it is not the swords and muskets   
idly bristling in our armories2 it is   
not the cannon and the powder carefully 
laid by2 no1 nor is it yet the forts1   
which frown in all their grim barbarity 
of stone along the coast1 defacing the  
landscape1 else so fair3 these might all
 be destroyed to-night1 and the nation  
be as safe as now4 ,the more effectual  
bulwark of ,america is her schools4 ,the
 cheap spelling-book1 or the vane on her
 school-house is a better symbol of the 
nation than ,the star-spangled banner2  

the printing press does more than the   
cannon2 the press is mightier than the  
sword4 ,the army that is to keep our    
liberties--you are part of that1 the    
noble army of teachers4 ,it is you1 who 
are to make a great nation greater1 even
 wise and good1--the next generation    
better than their sires4  ,europe shows 
us1 by experiment1 that a republic      
cannot be made by a few well-minded men1
 however well-meaning4 ,they tried for  
it at ,rome1 full of enlightened        
priests2 in ,germany1 the paradise of   
the scholar1 but there was not a people 
well educated1 and a democracy could not
 stand upright long enough to be set    
a-going4 ,in ,france1 where men are     
better fitted for the experiment than   
elsewhere in continental ,europe1 you   
see what comes of it--the first step is 
a stumble1 and for their president1 the 
raw republicans chose an autocrat1 not a
 democrat2 not a mere soldier1 but only 
the name of a soldier2 one that thinks  
it an insult if liberty1 equality1 and  

fraternity be but named6  ,think you a  
democracy can stand without the         
education of all2 not barely the        
smallest pittance thereof which will    
keep a live soul in a live body1 but a  
large1 generous cultivation of mind and 
conscience1 heart and soul8 ,a man1 with
 half an eye1 can see how we suffer     
continually in politics for lack of     
education among the people4 ,some       
nations are priest-ridden1 some         
king-ridden1 some ridden of nobles2     
,america is ridden by politicians1 a    
heavy burden for a foolish neck4  ,our  
industrial interests demand the same    
education4 ,the industrial prosperity of
 the ,north1 our lands yearly enriching1
 while they bear their annual crop2 our 
railroads1 mills and machines1 the      
harness with which we tackle the        
elements1--for we domesticate fire and  
water1 yes1 the very lightning of       
heaven--all these are but material      
results of the intelligence of the      
people4 ,our political success and our  

industrial prosperity1 both come from   
the pains taken with the education of   
the people4 ,halve this education1 and  
you take away three fourths of our      
political welfare1 three fourths of our 
industrial prosperity2 double this      
education1 you greaten the political    
welfare of the people1 you increase     
their industrial success fourfold4 ,yes1
 more than that1 for the results of     
education increase by a ratio of much   
higher powers4  ,it seems strange that  
so few of the great men in politics have
 cared much for the education of the    
people2 only one of those1 now prominent
 before the ,north1 is intimately       
connected with it4 ,he1 at great        
personal sacrifice of money1 of comfort1
 of health1 even of respectability1     
became superintendent of the common     
schools of ,massachusetts1 a place      
whence we could ill spare him1 to take  
the place of the famous man he succeeds4
 ,few of the prominent scholars of the  
land interest themselves in the public  

education of the people4 ,the men of    
superior culture think the common school
 beneath their notice2 but it is the    
mother of them all4  ,none of the       
,states of the ,north has ever given    
this matter the attention it demands4   
,when we legislate about public         
education1 this is the question before  
us3--,shall we give our posterity the   
greatest blessing that one generation   
can bestow upon another8 ,shall we give 
them a personal power which will create 
wealth in every form1 multiply ships1   
and roads of earth1 or of iron2 subdue  
the forest1 till the field1 chain the   
rivers1 hold the winds as its vassals1  
bind with an iron yoke the fire and     
water1 and catch and tame the lightning 
of ,god8 ,shall we give them a personal 
power which will make them sober1       
temperate1 healthy1 and wise2 that shall
 keep them at peace1 abroad and at home1
 organize them so wisely that all shall 
be united1 and yet1 each left free1 with
 no tyranny of the few over the many1 or

 the little over the great8 ,shall we   
enable them to keep1 to improve1 to     
double manifold the political1 social1  
and personal blessings they now possess2
 shall we give them this power to create
 riches1 to promote order1 peace1       
happiness--all forms of human welfare1  
or shall we not8 ,that is the question4 
,give us intelligent men1 moral men1 men
 well developed in mind and conscience1 
heart and soul1 men that love man and   
,god1 industrial prosperity1 social     
prosperity1 and political prosperity1   
are sure to follow4 ,but without such   
men1 all the machinery of this threefold
 prosperity is but a bauble in a child's
 hand1 which he will soon break or lose1
 which he cannot replace when gone1 nor 
use while kept4  ,rich men1 who have    
intelligence and goodness1 will educate 
their children1 at whatever cost4 ,there
 are some men1 even poor men's sons1    
born with such native power that they   
will achieve an education1 often a most 
masterly culture2 men whom no poverty   

can degrade1 or make vulgar1 whom no    
lack of means of culture can keep from  
being wise and great4 ,such are         
exceptional men2 the majority1 nine     
tenths of the people1 will depend1 for  
their culture1 on the public            
institutions of the land4 ,if there had 
never been a free public school in ,new 
,england1 not half of her mechanics and 
farmers would now be able to read1 not a
 fourth part of her women4 ,i need not  
stop to tell what would be the condition
 of her agriculture1 her manufactures1  
her commerce2 they would have been1     
perhaps1 even behind the agriculture1   
commerce and manufactures of ,south     
,carolina4 ,i need not ask what would be
 the condition of her free churches1 or 
the republican institutions which now   
beautify her rugged shores and sterile  
soil2 there would be no such churches1  
no such institutions4 ,if there had been
 no such schools in ,new ,england1 the  
,revolution would yet remain to be      
fought4 ,take away the free schools1 you

 take away the cause of our manifold    
prosperity2 double their efficiency and 
value1 you not only double and quadruple
 the prosperity of the people1 but you  
will enlarge their welfare--political1  
social1 personal--far more than ,i now  
dare to calculate4 ,i know men object to
 public schools2 they say1 education    
must be bottomed on religion1 and that  
cannot be taught unless we have a ,state
 religion1 taught by authority in all   
our schools2 we cannot teach religion1  
without teaching it in a sectarian form4
 ,this objection is getting made in ,new
 ,york2 we have got beyond it in ,new   
,england4 ,it is true1 all manly        
education must be bottomed on religion2 
it is essential to the normal           
development of man1 and all attempts at 
education1 without this1 must fail of   
the highest end4 ,but there are two     
parts of religion which can be taught in
 all the schools1 without disturbing the
 denominations1 or trenching upon their 
ground1 namely1 piety1 the love of ,god1

 and goodness1 the love of man4 ,the    
rest of religion1 after piety and       
goodness are removed1 may safely be left
 to the institutions of any of the      
sects1 and so the state will not occupy 
their ground4  ,it is often said that   
superior education is not much needed2  
the common schools are enough1 and good 
enough1 for it is thought that superior 
education is needed for men as lawyers1 
ministers1 doctors1 and the like1 not   
for men as men4 ,it is not so4 ,we want 
men cultivated with the best discipline1
 everywhere1 not for the profession's   
sake1 but for man's sake4 ,every man    
with a superior culture1 intellectual1  
moral1 and religious1 every woman thus  
developed1 is a safeguard and a         
blessing4 ,he may sit on the bench of a 
judge or a shoemaker1 be a clergyman or 
an oysterman1 that matters little1 he is
 still a safeguard and a blessing4 ,the 
idea that none should have a superior   
education but professional men--they    
only for the profession's sake--belongs 

to dark ages1 and is unworthy of a      
democracy4         99       99       99 
99       99  ,it is the duty of all men 
to watch over the public education of   
the people1 for it is the most important
 work of the state4 ,it is particularly 
the duty of men who1 hitherto1 have     
least attended to it1 men of the highest
 culture1 men1 too1 of the highest      
genius4 ,if a man with but common       
abilities has attained great learning1  
he is one of the public administrators1 
to distribute the goods of men of       
genius1 from other times and lands1 to  
mankind1 their legal heirs4 ,why does   
,god sometimes endow a man with great   
intellectual power1 making1 now and     
then1 a million-minded man8 ,is that    
superiority of gift solely for the man's
 own sake8 ,shame on such a thought4 ,it
 is of little value to him unless he use
 it for me2 it is for your sake and my  
sake1 more than for his own4 ,he is a   
precious almoner of wisdom2 one of the  
public guardians of mankind1 to think   

for us1 to help us think for ourselves2 
born to educate the world of feebler    
men4 ,i call on such men1 men of        
culture1 men of genius1 to help build up
 institutions for the education of the  
people4 ,if they neglect this1 they are 
false to their trust4 ,the culture which
 hinders a man from sympathy with the   
ignorant1 is a curse to both1 and the   
genius which separates a man from his   
fellow-creatures1 lowlier born than he1 
is the genius of a demon4         99    
99       99       99       99  ,men and 
women1 practical teachers now before me1
 a great trust is in your hands2 nine   
tenths of the children of the people    
depend on you for their early culture1  
for all the scholastic discipline they  
will ever get2 their manly culture will 
depend on that1 their prosperity        
thereon1 all these on you4 ,when they   
are men1 you know what evils they will  
easily learn from state and church1 from
 business and the press4 ,it is for you 
to give them such a developing and such 

a furnishing of their powers1 that they 
will withstand1 counteract and          
exterminate that evil4 ,teach them to   
love justice better than their native   
land1 truth better than their church1   
humanity more than money1 and fidelity  
to their own nature better than the     
public opinion of the press4 ,as the    
chief thing of all1 teach them to love  
man and ,god4 ,your characters will be  
the inspiration of these children2 your 
prayers their practice1 your faith their
 works4  ,the rising generation is in   
your hands1 you can fashion them in your
 image1 you will1 you must do this4     
,great duties will devolve on these     
children when grown up to be men2 you   
are to fit them for these duties4 ,since
 the ,revolution1 there has not been a  
question before the country1 not a      
question of constitution or confederacy1
 free trade or protective tariff1       
sub-treasury or bank1 of peace or war1  
freedom or slavery1 the extension of    
liberty1 or the extension of            

bondage--not a question of this sort has
 come up before ,congress1 or the       
people1 which could not have been better
 decided by seven men1 honest1          
intelligent1 and just1 who loved man and
 ,god1 and looked1 with a single eye1 to
 what was right in the case4 ,it is your
 business to train up such men4 ,a      
representative1 a senator1 a governor   
may be made1 any day1 by a vote4        
,ballots can make a president out of    
almost any thing2 the most ordinary     
material is not too cheap and vulgar for
 that4 ,but all the votes of all the    
conventions1 all the parties1 are unable
 to make a people capable of            
self-government4 ,they cannot put       
intelligence and justice into the head  
of a single man4 ,you are to do that4   
,you are the ,sacred ,legion1 the       
,theban ,brothers to repel the greatest 
foes that can invade the land1 the only 
foes to be feared2 you are to repel     
ignorance1 injustice1 unmanliness1 and  
irreligion4 ,with none else to help you1

 in ten years' time you can double the  
value of your schools2 double the amount
 of development and instruction you     
annually furnish4 ,so doing1 you shall  
double1 triple1 quadruple1 multiply     
manifold the blessings of the land4 ,you
 can1 if you will4 ,i ask ,if you will8 
,if your works say ,yes1 then you will  
be the great benefactors of the land1   
not giving money1 but a charity far     
nobler yet1 education1 the greatest     
charity4 ,you will help fulfil the      
prophecy which noble men long since     
predicted of mankind1 and help found the
 kingdom of heaven on earth2 you will   
follow the steps of that noblest man of 
men1 the ,great ,educator of the human  
race1 whom the ,christians still worship
 as their ,god4 ,yes1 you will work with
 ,god himself2 ,he will work with you1  
work for you1 and bless you with        
everlasting life4     ,v4  ,,the        
,,political ,,destination ,,of ,,america
 ,,and ,,the ,,signs ,,of ,,the         
,,times4--,,delivered ,,before ,,several

 ,,literary ,,societies1 #ahdh4   ,every
 nation has a peculiar character1 in    
which it differs from all others that   
have been1 that are1 and possibly from  
all that are to come2 for it does not   
yet appear that the ,divine ,father of  
the nations ever repeats himself and    
creates either two nations or two men   
exactly alike4 ,however1 as nations1    
like men1 agree in more things than they
 differ1 and in obvious things too1 the 
special peculiarity of any one tribe    
does not always appear at first sight4  
,but if we look through the history of  
some nation which has passed off from   
the stage of action1 we find certain    
prevailing traits which continually     
reappear in the language and laws       
thereof2 in its arts1 literature1       
manners1 modes of religion--in short1 in
 the whole life of the people4 ,the most
 prominent thing in the history of the  
,hebrews is their continual trust in    
,god1 and this marks them from their    
first appearance to the present day4    

,they have accordingly done little for  
art1 science1 philosophy1 little for    
commerce and the useful arts of life1   
but much for religion2 and the psalms   
they sung two or three thousand years   
ago are at this day the hymns and       
prayers of the whole ,christian world4  
,three great historical forms of        
religion1 ,judaism1 ,christianity1 and  
,mahometanism1 all have proceeded from  
them4  ,he that looks at the ,ionian    
,greeks finds in their story always the 
same prominent characteristic1 a        
devotion to what is beautiful4 ,this    
appears often to the neglect of what is 
true1 right1 and therefore holy4 ,hence1
 while they have done little for        
religion1 their literature1             
architecture1 sculpture1 furnish us with
 models never surpassed1 and perhaps not
 equalled4 ,yet they lack the ideal     
aspiration after religion that appears  
in the literature and art1 and even     
language of some other people1 quite    
inferior to the ,greeks in elegance and 

refinement4 ,science1 also1 is most     
largely indebted to these beauty-loving 
,greeks for truth is one form of        
loveliness4  ,if we take the ,romans1   
from ,romulus their first king1 to      
,augustulus the last of the ,caesars1   
the same traits of national character   
appear1 only the complexion and dress   
thereof changed by circumstances4 ,there
 is always the same hardness and        
materialism1 the same skill in          
organizing men1 the same turn for       
affairs and genius for legislation4     
,rome borrowed her theology and         
liturgical forms2 her art1 science1     
literature1 philosophy1 and eloquence2  
even her art of war was an imitation4   
,but law sprung up indigenous in her    
soil2 her laws are the best gift she    
offers to the human race1--the monument 
more lasting than brass1 which she has  
left behind her4  ,we may take another  
nation1 which has by no means completed 
its history1 the ,saxon race1 from      
,hengist and ,horsa to ,sir ,robert     

,peel3 there also is a permanent        
peculiarity in the tribe4 ,they are yet 
the same bold1 handy1 practical people  
as when their bark first touched the    
savage shores of ,britain2 not over     
religious2 less pious than moral2 not so
 much upright before ,god1 as downright 
before men2 servants of the             
understanding more than children of     
reason2 not following the guidance of an
 intuition1 and the light of an idea1   
but rather trusting to experiment1      
facts1 precedents1 and usages2 not      
philosophical1 but commercial2 warlike  
through strength and courage1 not from  
love of war or its glory2 material1     
obstinate1 and grasping1 with the same  
admiration of horses1 dogs1 oxen1 and   
strong drink2 the same willingness to   
tread down any obstacle1 material1 human
 or divine1 which stands in their way2  
the same impatient lust of wealth and   
power2 the same disposition to colonize 
and reannex other lands2 the same love  
of liberty and love of law2 the same    

readiness in forming political          
confederations4  ,in each of these four 
instances1 the ,hebrews1 the ,ionians1  
the ,romans1 and the ,anglo-,saxon race1
 have had a nationality so strong1 that 
while they have mingled with other      
nations in commerce and in war1 as      
victors and vanquished1 they have       
stoutly held their character through    
all2 they have thus modified feebler    
nations joined with them4 ,to take the  
last1 neither the ,britons nor the      
,danes affected very much the character 
of the ,anglo-,saxons2 they never turned
 it out of its course4 ,the ,normans    
gave the ,saxon manners1 refinement1    
letters1 elegance4 ,the ,anglo-,saxon   
bishop of the eleventh century1 dressed 
in untanned sheep-skins1 the woolly side
 out and the fleshy side in2 he ate     
cheese and flesh1 drank milk and mead4  
,the ,norman taught him to wear cloth1  
to eat also bread and roots1 to drink   
wine4 ,but in other respects the ,norman
 left him as he found him4 ,england has 

received her kings and her nobles from  
,normandy1 ,anjou1 the ,provence1       
,scotland1 ,holland1 ,hanover1 often    
seeing a foreigner ascend her throne2   
yet the sturdy ,anglo-,saxon character  
held its own1 spite of the new element  
infused into its blood3 change the      
ministries1 change the dynasties often  
as they will1 ,john ,bull is obstinate  
as ever1 and himself changes not2 no    
philosophy or religion makes him less   
material4 ,no nation but the ,english   
could have produced a ,hobbes1 a ,hume1 
a ,paley1 or a ,bentham2 they are all   
instantial and not exceptional men in   
that race4         99       99       99 
99       99  ,now this idiosyncrasy of a
 nation is a sacred gift2 like the      
genius of a ,burns1 a ,thorwaldsen1 a   
,franklin1 or a ,bowditch1 it is given  
for some divine purpose1 to be sacredly 
cherished and patiently unfolded4 ,the  
cause of the peculiarities of a nation  
or an individual man we cannot fully    
determine as yet1 and so we refer it to 

the chain of causes which we call       
,providence4 ,but the national          
persistency in a common type is easily  
explained4 ,the qualities of father and 
mother are commonly transmitted to their
 children1 but not always1 for          
peculiarities may lie latent in a family
 for generations1 and reappear in the   
genius or the folly of a child--often in
 the complexion and features3 and       
besides1 father and mother are often no 
match4 ,but such exceptions are rare1   
and the qualities of a race are always  
thus reproduced1 the deficiency of one  
man getting counterbalanced by the      
redundancy of the next3 the marriages of
 a whole tribe are not far from normal4 
,some nations1 it seems1 perish through 
defect of this national character1 as   
individuals fail of success through     
excess or deficiency in their character4
 ,thus the ,celts1 that great flood of a
 nation which once swept over ,germany1 
,france1 ,england1 and1 casting its     
spray far over the ,alps1 at one time   

threatened destruction to ,rome itself1 
seem to have been so filled with love of
 individual independence that they could
 never accept a minute organization of  
human rights and duties1 and so their   
children would not group themselves into
 a city1 as other races1 and submit to a
 strong central power1 which should curb
 individual will enough to insure       
national unity of action4 ,perhaps this 
was once the excellence of the ,celts1  
and thereby they broke the trammels and 
escaped from the theocratic or despotic 
traditions of earlier and more savage   
times1 developing the power of the      
individual for a time1 and the energy of
 a nation loosely bound2 but when they  
came in contact with the ,romans1       
,franks and ,saxons1 they melted away as
 snow in ,april--only1 like that1       
remnants thereof yet lingering in the   
mountains and islands of ,europe4 ,no   
external pressure of famine or political
 oppression now holds the ,celts in     
,ireland together1 or gives them        

national unity of action enough to      
resist the ,saxon foe4 ,doubtless in    
other days this very peculiarity of the 
,irish has done the world some service4 
,nations succeed each other as races of 
animals in the geological epochs1 and   
like them1 also1 perish when their work 
is done4  ,the peculiar character of a  
nation does not appear nakedly1 without 
relief and shadow4 ,as the waters of the
 ,rhone1 in coming from the mountains1  
have caught a stain from the soils they 
have traversed which mars the cerulean  
tinge of the mountain snow that gave    
them birth1 so the peculiarities of each
 nation become modified by the          
circumstances to which it is exposed1   
though the fundamental character of a   
nation1 it seems1 has never been        
changed4 ,only when the blood of the    
nation is changed by additions from     
another stock is the idiosyncrasy       
altered4  ,now1 while each nation has   
its peculiar genius or character which  
does not change1 it has also and        

accordingly a particular work to perform
 in the economy of the world1 a certain 
fundamental idea to unfold and develop4 
,this is its national task1 for in      
,god's world1 as in a shop1 there is a  
regular division of labor4 ,sometimes it
 is a limited work1 and when it is done 
the nation may be dismissed1 and go to  
its repose4 ,non omnia possumus omnes is
 as true of nations as of men2 one has a
 genius for one thing1 another for      
something different1 and the idea of    
each nation and its special work will   
depend on the genius of the nation4 ,men
 do not gather grapes of thorns4  ,in   
addition to this specific genius of the 
nation and its corresponding work1 there
 are also various accidental or         
subordinate qualities1 which change with
 circumstances1 and so vary the nation's
 aspect that its peculiar genius and    
peculiar duty are often hid from its own
 consciousness1 and even obscured to    
that of the philosophic looker-on4      
,these subordinate peculiarities will   

depend first on the peculiar genius1    
idea and work of the nation1 and next on
 the transient circumstances1           
geographical1 climactic1 historical and 
secular1 to which the nation has been   
exposed4 ,the past helped form the      
circumstances of the present age1 and   
they the character of the men now       
living4 ,thus new modifications of the  
national type continually take place2   
new variations are played1 but on the   
same old strings and of the same old    
tune4 ,once circumstances made the      
,hebrews entirely pastoral1 now as      
completely commercial2 but the same     
trust in ,god1 the same national        
exclusiveness appear1 as of old4 ,as one
 looks at the history of the ,ionians1  
,romans1 ,saxons1 he sees unity of      
national character1 a continuity of idea
 and of work2 but it appears in the     
midst of variety1 for while these       
remained ever the same to complete the  
economy of the world1 subordinate       
qualities--sentiments1 ideas1           

actions--changed to suit the passing    
hour4 ,the nation's course was laid     
towards a certain point1 but they stood 
to the right hand or the left1 they     
sailed with much canvas or little1 and  
swift or slow1 as the winds and waves   
compelled3 nay1 sometimes the national  
ship heaves to1 and lies with her head  
to the wind1 regardless of her          
destination2 but when the storm is      
overblown resumes her course4 ,men will 
carelessly think the ship has no certain
 aim1 but only drifts4         99       
99       99       99       99  ,the most
 marked characteristic of the ,american 
nation is ,love of ,freedom2 of man's   
natural rights4 ,this is so plain to a  
student of ,american history1 or of     
,american politics1 that the point      
requires no arguing4 ,we have a genius  
for liberty3 the ,american idea is      
freedom1 natural rights4 ,accordingly1  
the work providentially laid out for us 
to do seems this1--to organize the      
rights of man4 ,this is a problem       

hitherto unattempted on a national      
scale1 in human history4 ,often enough  
attempts have been made to organize the 
powers of priests1 kings1 nobles1 in a  
theocracy1 monarchy1 oligarchy1 powers  
which had no foundation in human duties 
or human rights1 but solely in the      
selfishness of strong men4 ,often enough
 have the mights of men been organized1 
but not the rights of man4 ,surely there
 has never been an attempt made on a    
national scale to organize the rights of
 man as man2 rights resting on the      
nature of things2 rights derived from no
 conventional compact of men with men2  
not inherited from past generations1 nor
 received from parliaments and kings1   
nor secured by their parchments2 but    
rights that are derived straightway from
 ,god1 the ,author of ,duty and the     
,source of ,right1 and which are secured
 in the great charter of our being4  ,at
 first view it will be said1 the        
peculiar genius of ,america is not such1
 nor such her fundamental idea1 nor that

 her destined work4 ,it is true that    
much of the national conduct seems      
exceptional when measured by that       
standard1 and the nation's course as    
crooked as the ,rio ,grande2 it is true 
that ,america sometimes seems to spurn  
liberty1 and sells the freedom of three 
million men for less than three million 
annual bales of cotton2 true1 she often 
tramples1 knowingly1 consciously1       
tramples on the most unquestionable and 
sacred rights4 ,yet1 when one looks     
through the whole character and history 
of ,america1 spite of the exceptions1   
nothing comes out with such relief as   
this love of freedom1 this idea of      
liberty1 this attempt to organize right4
 ,there are numerous subordinate        
qualities which conflict with the       
nation's idea and work1 coming from our 
circumstances1 not our soul1 as well as 
many others which help the nation       
perform her providential work4 ,they are
 signs of the times1 and it is important
 to look carefully among the most       

prominent of them1 where1 indeed1 one   
finds striking contradictions4          
99       99       99       99       99  
,the first is an impatience of          
authority4 ,every thing must render its 
reason1 and show cause for its being4   
,we will not be commanded1 at least only
 by such as we choose to obey4 ,does    
some one say1 ,thou shalt1 or ,thou     
shalt not1 we ask1 ,who are you8 ,hence 
comes a seeming irreverence4 ,the shovel
 hat1 the symbol of authority1 which    
awed our fathers1 is not respected      
unless it covers a man1 and then it is  
the man we honor1 and no longer the     
shovel hat4 ,i will complain of you to  
the government6 said a ,prussian        
nobleman to a ,yankee stage-driver1 who 
uncivilly threw the nobleman's trunk to 
the top of the coach4 ,tell the         
government to go to the devil6 was the  
symbolical reply4  ,old precedents will 
not suffice us1 for we want something   
anterior to all precedents2 we go beyond
 what is written1 asking the cause of   

the precedent and the reason of the     
writing4 ,our fathers did so1 says some 
one4 ,what of that8 say we4 ,our        
fathers--they were giants1 were they8   
,not at all1 only great boys1 and we are
 not only taller than they1 but mounted 
on their shoulders to boot1 and see     
twice as far4 ,my dear wise man1 or     
wiseacre1 it is we that are the         
ancients1 and have forgotten more than  
all our fathers knew4 ,we will take     
their wisdom joyfully1 and thank ,god   
for it1 but not their authority1 we know
 better2 and of their nonsense not a    
word4 ,it was very well that they lived1
 and it is very well that they are dead4
 ,let them keep decently buried1 for    
respectable dead men never walk4        
,tradition does not satisfy us4 ,the    
,american scholar has no folios in his  
library4 ,the antiquary unrolls his     
codex1 hid for eighteen hundred years in
 the ashes of ,herculaneum1 deciphers   
its fossil wisdom1 telling us what great
 men thought in the bay of ,naples1 and 

two thousand years ago4 ,what do you    
tell of that for8 is the answer to his  
learning4 ,what has ,pythagoras to do   
with the price of cotton8 ,you may be a 
very learned man2 you can read the      
hieroglyphics of ,egypt1 ,i dare say1   
and know so much about the ,pharaohs1 it
 is a pity you had not lived in their   
time1 when you might have been good for 
something2 but you are too old-fashioned
 for our business1 and may return to    
your dust4 ,an eminent ,american1 a     
student of ,egyptian history1 with a    
scholarly indignation declared1 ,there  
is not a man who cares to know whether  
,shoophoo lived one thousand years      
before ,christ1 or three4  ,the example 
of other and ancient ,states does not   
terrify or instruct us4 ,if slavery were
 a curse to ,athens1 the corruption of  
,corinth1 the undoing of ,rome1 and all 
history shows it was so1 we will learn  
no lesson from that experience1 for we  
say1 ,we are not ,athenians1 men of     
,corinth1 nor pagan ,romans1 thank ,god1

 but free republicans1 ,christians of   
,america4 ,we live in the nineteenth    
century1 and though slavery worked all  
that mischief then and there1 we know   
how to make money out of it1 twelve     
hundred millions of dollars1 as ,mr4    
,clay counts the cash4  ,the example of 
contemporary nations furnishes us little
 warning or guidance4 ,we will set our  
own precedents1 and do not like to be   
told that the ,prussians or the ,dutch  
have learned some things in the         
education of the people before us1 which
 we shall do well to learn after them4  
,so when a good man tells us of their   
schools and their colleges1 patriotic   
school-masters exclaim1 ,it is not true2
 our schools are the best in the world6 
,but if it were true1 it is unpatriotic 
to say so2 it aids and comforts the     
enemy4 ,jonathan knows little of war2 he
 has heard his grandfather talk of      
,lexington and ,saratoga2 he thinks he  
should like to have a little touch of   
battle on his own account3 so when there

 is difficulty in setting up the fence  
betwixt his estate and his neighbors1 he
 blusters for awhile1 talks big1 and    
threatens to strike his father2 but1 not
 having quite the stomach for that      
experiment1 falls to beating his other  
neighbor1 who happens to be poor1 weak1 
and of a sickly constitution2 and when  
he beats her at every step1--      ,for 
'tis no war1 as each one knows1         
,when only one side deals the blows1    
,and t' other bears 'em1--  ,jonathan   
thinks he has covered himself with      
imperishable honors1 and sets up his    
general for a great king4 ,poor         
,jonathan--he does not know the misery1 
the tears1 the blood1 the shame1 the    
wickedness1 and the sin he has set      
a-going1 and which one day he is to     
account for with ,god who forgets       
nothing6  ,yet while we are so unwilling
 to accept the good principles1 to be   
warned by the fate1 or guided by the    
success1 of other nations1 we gladly and
 servilely copy their faults1 their     

follies1 their vice and sin4 ,like all  
upstarts1 we pique ourselves on our     
imitation of aristocratic ways4 ,how    
many a blusterer in ,congress1--for     
there are two denominations of          
blusterers1 differing only in degree1   
your great blusterer in ,congress and   
your little blusterer in a              
bar-room1--has roared away hours long   
against aristocratic influence1 in favor
 of the pure democracy1 while he played 
the oligarch in his native village1 the 
tyrant over his hired help1 and though  
no man knows who his grandfather was1   
spite of the herald's office1 conjures  
up some trumpery coat of arms6 ,like a  
clown1 who1 by pinching his appetite1   
has bought a gaudy cloak for ,sabbath   
wearing1 we chuckle inwardly at our     
brave apery of foreign absurdities1     
hoping that strangers will be astonished
 at us--which1 sure enough1 comes to    
pass4 ,jonathan is as vain as he is     
conceited1 and expects that the         
,fiddlers1 and the ,trollopes1 and      

others1 who visit us periodically as the
 swallows1 and likewise for what they   
can catch1 shall only extol1 or at least
 stand aghast at the brave spectacle we 
offer1 of the freest and most           
enlightened nation in the world2 and if 
they tell us that we are an ill-mannered
 set1 raw and clownish1 that we pick our
 teeth with a fork1 loll back in our    
chairs1 and make our countenance hateful
 with tobacco1 and that with all our    
excellences we are a nation of          
rowdies1--why1 we are offended1 and our 
feelings are hurt4 ,there was an        
,african chief1 long ago1 who ruled over
 a few miserable cabins1 and one day    
received a ,french traveller from       
,paris1 under a tree4 ,with the         
exception of a pair of shoes1 our chief 
was as naked as a pestle1 but with great
 complacency he asked the traveller1    
,what do they say of me at ,paris8      
,such is our dread of authority1 that we
 like not old things2 hence we are      
always a-changing4 ,our house must be   

new1 and our book1 and even our church4 
,so we choose a material that soon wears
 out1 though it often outlasts our      
patience4 ,the wooden house is an apt   
emblem of this sign of the times4 ,but  
this love of change appears not less in 
important matters4 ,we think ,of old    
things all are over old1 of new things  
none are new enough4 ,so the age asks of
 all institutions their right to be3    
,what right has the government to       
existence8 ,who gave the majority a     
right to control the minority1 to       
restrict trade1 levy taxes1 make laws1  
and all that8 ,if the nation goes into a
 committee of the whole and makes laws1 
some little man goes into a committee of
 one and passes his counter resolves4   
,the ,state of ,south ,carolina is a    
nice example of this self-reliance1 and 
this questioning of all authority4 ,that
 little brazen ,state1 which contains   
only about half so many free white      
inhabitants as the single city of ,new  
,york1 but which none the less claims to

 have monopolized most of the chivalry  
of the nation1 and its patriotism1 as   
well as political wisdom--that          
chivalrous little ,state says1 ,if the  
nation does not make laws to suit us2 if
 it does not allow us to imprison all   
black seamen from the ,north2 if it     
prevents the extension of ,slavery      
wherever we wish to carry it--then the  
,state of ,south ,carolina will nullify1
 and leave the other nine-and-twenty    
,states to go to ruin6  ,men ask what   
right have the churches to the shadow of
 authority which clings to them--to make
 creeds1 and to bind and to loose6 ,so  
it is a thing which has happened1 that  
when a church excommunicates a young    
stripling for heresy1 he turns round1   
fulminates his edict1 and excommunicates
 the church4 ,said a sly ,jesuit to an  
,american ,protestant at ,rome1 ,but the
 rites and customs and doctrines of the 
,catholic church go back to the second  
century1 the age after the apostles6 ,no
 doubt of it1 said the ,american1 who   

had also read the ,fathers1 they go back
 to the times of the apostles           
themselves2 but that proves nothing1 for
 there were as great fools in the first 
century as the last4 ,a fool or a folly 
is no better because it is an old folly 
or an old fool4 ,there are fools enough 
now1 in all conscience4 ,pray don't go  
back to prove their apostolical         
succession4  ,there are always some men 
who are born out of due season1 men of  
past ages1 stragglers of former         
generations1 who ought to have been born
 before ,dr4 ,faustus invented printing1
 but who are unfortunately born now1 or1
 if born long ago1 have been            
fraudulently and illegally concealed by 
their mothers1 and are now1 for the     
first time1 brought to light4 ,the age  
lifts such aged juveniles from the      
ground1 and bids them live1 but they are
 sadly to seek in this day2 they are    
old-fashioned boys2 their authority is  
called in question2 their traditions and
 old wives' fables are laughed at1 at   

any rate disbelieved2 they get profanely
 elbowed in the crowd--men not knowing  
their great age and consequent          
venerableness2 the shovel hat1 though   
apparently born on their head1 is       
treated with disrespect4 ,the very boys 
laugh pertly in their face when they    
speak1 and even old men can scarce      
forbear a smile1 though it may be a     
smile of pity4 ,the age affords such men
 a place1 for it is a catholic age1     
large-minded1 and tolerant1--such a     
place as it gives to ancient armor1     
,indian ,bibles1 and fossil bones of the
 mastodon2 it puts them by in some room 
seldom used1 with other old furniture1  
and allows them to mumble their         
anilities by themselves2 now and then   
takes off its hat2 looks in1 charitably1
 to keep the mediaeval relics in good   
heart1 and pretends to listen1 as they  
discourse of what comes of nothing and  
goes to it2 but in matters which the age
 cares about1 commerce1 manufactures1   
politics1 which it cares much for1 even 

in education1 which it cares far too    
little about1 it trusts no such         
counsellors1 nor tolerates1 nor ever    
affects to listen4  ,then there is a    
philosophical tendency1 distinctly      
visible2 a groping after ultimate facts1
 first principles1 and universal ideas4 
,we wish to know first the fact1 next   
the law of that fact1 and then the      
reason of the law4 ,a sign of this      
tendency is noticeable in the titles of 
books2 we have no longer treatises n the
 eye1 the ear1 sleep1 and so forth1 but 
in their place we find works professing 
to treat of the philosophy of vision1 of
 sound1 of sleep4 ,even in the pulpits1 
men speak about the philosophy of       
religion2 we have philosophical         
lectures1 delivered to men of little    
culture1 which would have amazed our    
grandfathers1 who thought a shoemaker   
should never go beyond his last1 even to
 seek for the philosophy of shoes4 ,what
 a pity1 said a grave ,scotchman1 in the
 beginning of this century1 to teach the

 beautiful science of geometry to       
weavers and cobblers4 ,here nothing is  
too good or high for any one tall and   
good enough to get hold of it4 ,what    
audiences attend the ,lowell lectures in
 ,boston--two or three thousand men1    
listening to twelve lectures on the     
philosophy of fish6 ,it would not bring 
a dollar or a vote1 only thought to     
their minds6 ,young ladies are well     
versed in the philosophy of the         
affections1 and understand the theory of
 attraction1 while their grandmothers1  
good easy souls1 were satisfied with the
 possession of the fact4 ,the           
circumstance1 that philosophical        
lectures get delivered by men like      
,walker1 ,agassiz1 ,emerson1 and their  
coadjutors1 men who do not spare        
abstruseness1 get listened to1 and even 
understood1 in town and village1 by     
large crowds of men1 of only the most   
common culture2 this indicates a        
philosophical tendency1 unknown in any  
other land or age4 ,our circle of       

professed scholars1 men of culture and  
learning1 is a very small one1 while our
 circle of thinking men is              
disproportionately large4 ,the best     
thought of ,france and ,germany finds a 
readier welcome here than in our parent 
land3 nay1 the newest and the best      
thought of ,england1 finds its earliest 
and warmest welcome in ,america4 ,it was
 a little remarkable1 that ,bacon and   
,newton should be reprinted here1 and   
,la ,place should have found his        
translator and expositor coming out of  
an insurance office in ,salem6 ,men of  
no great pretensions object to an       
accomplished and eloquent politician3   
,that is all very well2 he made us cry  
and laugh1 but the discourse was not    
philosophical2 he never tells us the    
reason of the thing2 he seems not only  
not to know it1 but not to know that    
there is a reason for the thing1 and if 
not1 what is the use of this bobbing on 
the surface8 ,young maidens complain of 
the minister1 that he has no philosophy 

in his sermons1 nothing but precepts1   
which they could read in the ,bible as  
well as he2 perhaps in heathen ,seneca4 
,he does not feed their souls4  ,one    
finds this tendency where it is least   
expected3 there is a philosophical party
 in politics1 a very small party it may 
be1 but an actual one4 ,they aim to get 
at everlasting ideas and universal laws1
 not made by man1 but by ,god1 and for  
man1 who only finds them2 and from them 
they aim to deduce all particular       
enactments1 so that each statute in the 
code shall represent a fact in the      
universe2 a point of thought in ,god2   
so1 indeed1 that legislation shall be   
divine in the same sense that a true    
system of astronomy is divine--or the   
,christian religion--the law            
corresponding to a fact4 ,men of this   
party1 in ,new ,england1 have more ideas
 than precedents1 are spontaneous more  
than logical2 have intuitions1 rather   
than intellectual convictions1 arrived  
at by the process of reasoning4 ,they   

think it is not philosophical to take a 
young scoundrel and shut him up with a  
party of old ones1 for his amendment2   
not philosophical to leave children with
 no culture1 intellectual1 moral1 or    
religious1 exposed to the temptations of
 a high and corrupt civilization1 and   
then1 when they go astray--as such      
barbarians needs must1 in such          
temptations--to hang them by the neck   
for the example's sake4 ,they doubt if  
war is a more philosophical mode of     
getting justice between two nations1    
than blows to settle a quarrel between  
two men4 ,in either case1 they do not   
see how it follows1 that he who can     
strike the hardest blow is always in the
 right4 ,in short1 they think that      
judicial murder1 which is hanging1 and  
national murder1 which is war1 are not  
more philosophical than homicide1 which 
one man commits on his own private      
account4  ,theological sects are always 
the last to feel any popular movement4  
,yet all of them1 from the              

,episcopalians to the ,quakers1 have    
each a philosophical party1 which bids  
fair to outgrow the party which rests on
 precedent and usage1 to overshadow and 
destroy it4 ,the ,catholic church       
itself1 though far astern of all the    
sects1 in regard to the great movements 
of the age1 shares this spirit1 and     
abroad1 if not here1 is wellnigh rent   
asunder by the potent medicine which    
this new ,daniel of philosophy has put  
into its mouth4 ,everywhere in the      
,american churches there are signs of a 
tendency to drop all that rests merely  
on tradition and hearsay1 to cling only 
to such facts as bide the test of       
critical search1 and such doctrines as  
can be verified in human consciousness  
here and to-day4 ,doctors of divinity   
destroy the faith they once preached4   
,true1 there are antagonistic           
tendencies1 for1 soon as one pole is    
developed1 the other appears2 objections
 are made to philosophy1 the old cry is 
raised--,infidelity1 ,denial1           

,free-thinking4 ,it is said that        
philosophy will corrupt the young men1  
will spoil the old ones1 and deceive the
 very elect4 ,authority and tradition1  
say some1 are all we need consult2      
reason must be put down1 or she will    
soon ask terrible questions4 ,there is  
good cause for these men warring against
 reason and philosophy2 it is purely in 
self-defence4 ,but this counsel and that
 cry come from those quarters before    
mentioned1 where the men of past ages   
have their place1 where the forgotten is
 re-collected1 the obsolete preserved1  
and the useless held in esteem4 ,the    
counsel is not dangerous2 the bird of   
night1 who overstays his hour1 is only  
troublesome to himself1 and was never   
known to hurt a dovelet or a mouseling  
after sun-rise4 ,in the night only is   
the owl destructive4 ,some of those who 
thus cry out against this tendency1 are 
excellent men in their way1 and highly  
useful1 valuable as conveyancers of     
opinions4 ,so long as there are men who 

take opinions as real estate1 to have   
and to hold for themselves and their    
heirs forever1 why should there not be  
such conveyancers of opinions1 as well  
as of land8 ,and as it is not the duty  
of the latter functionary to ascertain  
the quality or the value of the land1   
but only its metes and bounds1 its      
appurtenances and the title thereto2 to 
see if the grantor is regularly seized  
and possessed thereof1 and has good     
right to convey and devise the same1 and
 to make sure that the whole conveyance 
is regularly made out1--so is it with   
these conveyancers of opinion2 so should
 it be1 and they are valuable men4 ,it  
is a good thing to know that we hold    
under ,scotus1 and ,ramus1 and ,albertus
 ,magnus1 who were regularly seized of  
this or that opinion4 ,it gives an      
absurdity the dignity of a relic4       
,sometimes these worthies1 who thus     
oppose reason and her kin1 seem to have 
a good deal in them1 and1 when one      
examines1 he finds more than he looked  

for4 ,they are like a nest of boxes from
 ,hingham and ,nuremburg1 you open one1 
and behold another2 that1 and lo6 a     
third4 ,so you go on1 opening and       
opening1 and finding and finding1 till  
at last you come to the heart of the    
matter1 and then you find a box that is 
very little1 and entirely empty4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,yet1 with all this tendency--and it is 
now so strong that it cannot be put     
down1 nor even howled down1 much as it  
may be howled over--there is a          
lamentable want of first principles1    
well known and established2 we have     
rejected the authority of tradition1 but
 not yet accepted the authority of truth
 and justice4 ,we will not be treated as
 striplings1 and are not old enough to  
go alone as men4 ,accordingly1 nothing  
seems fixed4 ,there is a perpetual      
see-sawing of opposite principles4      
,somebody said ministers ought to be    
ordained on horseback1 because they are 
to remain so short a time in one place4 

,it would be as emblematic to inaugurate
 ,american politicians1 by swearing them
 on a weathercock4 ,the great men of the
 land have as many turns in their course
 as the ,euripus or the ,missouri4 ,even
 the facts given in the spiritual nature
 of man are called in question4 ,an     
eminent ,unitarian divine regards the   
existence of ,god as a matter of        
opinion1 thinks it cannot be            
demonstrated1 and publicly declares that
 it is not a certainty4 ,some ,american 
,protestants no longer take the ,bible  
as the standard of ultimate appeal1 yet 
venture not to set up in that place     
reason1 conscience1 the soul getting    
help of ,god2 others1 who affect to     
accept the ,scripture as the last       
authority1 yet1 when questioned as to   
their belief in the miraculous and      
divine birth of ,jesus of ,nazareth1 are
 found unable to say yes or no1 not     
having made up their minds4  ,in        
politics1 it is not yet decided whether 
it is best to leave men to buy where    

they can buy cheapest1 and sell where   
they can sell dearest1 or to restrict   
that matter4  ,it was a clear case to   
our fathers1 in '#gf1 that all men were 
created equal1 each with ,unalienable   
,rights4 ,that seemed so clear1 that    
reasoning would not make it appear more 
reasonable2 it was taken for granted1 as
 a self-evident proposition4 ,the whole 
nation said so4 ,now1 it is no strange  
thing to find it said that negroes are  
not created equal in unalienable rights 
with white men4 ,nay1 in the ,senate of 
the ,united ,states1 a famous man       
declares all this talk a dangerous      
mistake4 ,the practical decision of the 
nation looks the same way4 ,so1 to make 
our theory accord with our practice1 we 
ought to recommit the ,declaration to   
the hands which drafted that great      
,state-paper1 and instruct ,mr4         
,jefferson to amend the document1 and   
declare that ,all men are created equal1
 and endowed by their ,creator with     
certain unalienable rights1 if born of  

white mothers2 but if not1 not4  ,in    
this lack of first principles1 it is not
 settled in the popular consciousness1  
that there is such a thing as an        
absolute right1 a great law of ,god1    
which we are to keep1 come what will    
come4 ,so the nation is not upright1 but
 goes stooping4 ,hence1 in private      
affairs1 law takes the place of         
conscience1 and1 in public1 might of    
right4 ,so the bankrupt pays his        
shilling in the pound1 and gets his     
discharge1 but afterwards1 becoming     
rich1 does not think of paying the other
 nineteen shillings4 ,he will tell you  
the law is his conscience2 if that be   
satisfied1 so is he4 ,but you will yet  
find him letting money at one or two per
 cent4 a month1 contrary to law2 and    
then he will tell you that paying a debt
 is a matter of law1 while letting money
 is only a matter of conscience4 ,so he 
rides either indifferently--now the     
public hack1 and now his own private    
nag1 according as it serves his turn4   

,so a rich ,state borrows money and     
repudiates the debt1 satisfying its     
political conscience1 as the bankrupt   
his commercial conscience1 with the     
notion that there is no absolute right2 
that expediency is the only justice1 and
 that ,king ,people can do no wrong4 ,no
 calm voice of indignation cries out    
from the pulpit and the press and the   
heart of the people1 to shame the       
repudiators into decent morals2 because 
it is not settled in the popular mind   
that there is any absolute right4 ,then1
 because we are strong and the ,mexicans
 weak1 because we want their land for a 
slave-pasture and they cannot keep us   
out of it1 we think that is reason      
enough for waging an infamous war of    
plunder4 ,grave men do not ask about the
 natural justice of such an undertaking1
 only about its cost4 ,have we not seen 
an ,american ,congress vote a plain lie1
 with only sixteen dissenting voices in 
the whole body2 has not the head of the 
nation continually repeated that lie2   

and do not both parties1 even at this   
day1 sustain the vote8  ,now and then   
there rises up an honest man1 with a    
great ,christian heart in his bosom1 and
 sets free a score or two of slaves     
inherited from his father2 watches over 
and tends them in their new-found       
freedom3 or another1 who1 when legally  
released from payment of his debts1     
restores the uttermost farthing4 ,we    
talk of this and praise it1 as an       
extraordinary thing4 ,indeed it is so2  
justice is an unusual thing1 and such   
men deserve the honor they thus win4    
,but such praise shows that such honesty
 is a rare honesty4 ,the northern man1  
born on the battle-ground of freedom1   
goes to the ,south and becomes the most 
tyrannical of slave-drivers4 ,the son of
 the ,puritan1 bred up in austere ways1 
is sent to ,congress to stand up for    
truth and right1 but he turns out a     
dough-face1 and betrays the duty he went
 to serve4 ,yet he does not lose his    
place1 for every dough-faced            

representative has a dough-faced        
constituency to back him4  ,it is a     
great mischief that comes from lacking  
first principles1 and the worst part of 
it comes from lacking first principles  
in morals4 ,thereby our eyes are holden 
so that we see not the great social     
evils all about us4 ,we attempt to      
justify slavery1 even to do it in the   
name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the whig party 
of the ,north loves slavery2 the        
democratic party does not even seek to  
conceal its affection therefor4 ,a great
 politician declares the ,mexican war   
wicked1 and then urges men to go and    
fight it2 he thinks a famous general not
 fit to be nominated for ,president1 but
 then invites men to elect him4         
,politics are national morals1 the      
morals of ,thomas and ,jeremiah1        
multiplied by millions4 ,but it is not  
decided yet that honesty is the best    
policy for a politician2 it is thought  
that the best policy is honesty1 at     
least as near it as the times will      

allow4 ,many politicians seem undecided 
how to turn1 and so sit on the fence    
between honesty and dishonesty4 ,mr4    
,facing-both-ways is a popular          
politician in ,america just now1 sitting
 on the fence between honesty and       
dishonesty1 and1 like the blank leaf    
between the ,old and ,new ,testaments1  
belonging to neither dispensation4 ,it  
is a little amusing to a trifler to hear
 a man's fitness for the ,presidency    
defended on the ground that he has no   
definite convictions or ideas6  ,there  
was once a man who said he always told a
 lie when it would serve his special    
turn4 ,it is a pity he went to his own  
place long ago4 ,he seemed born for a   
party politician in ,america4 ,he would 
have had a large party1 for he made a   
great many converts before he died1 and 
left a numerous kindred busy in the     
editing of newspapers1 writing addresses
 for the people1 and passing            
resolutions4  ,it must strike a stranger
 as a little odd1 that a republic should

 have a slaveholder for ,president five 
sixths of the time1 and most of the     
important offices be monopolized by     
other slaveholders2 a little surprising 
that all the pulpits and most of the    
presses should be in favor of slavery1  
at least not against it4 ,but such is   
the fact4 ,everybody knows the character
 of the ,american government for some   
years past1 and of the ,american parties
 in politics4 ,like master1 like man1   
used to be a true proverb in old        
,england1 and ,like people1 like ruler1 
is a true proverb in ,america2 true now4
 ,did a decided people ever choose      
dough-faces8--a people that loved ,god  
and man1 choose representatives that    
cared for neither truth nor justice8    
,now and then1 for dust gets into the   
brightest eyes2 but did they ever choose
 such men continually8 ,the people are  
always fairly represented2 our          
representatives do actually represent   
us1 and in more senses than they are    
paid for4 ,congress and the ,cabinet are

 only two thermometers hung up in the   
capital1 to show the temperature of the 
national morals4  ,but amid this general
 uncertainty there are two capital      
maxims which prevail amongst our huxters
 of politics3 ,to love your party better
 than your country1 and yourself better 
than your party4 ,there are1 it is true1
 real statesmen amongst us1 men who love
 justice and do the right1 but they seem
 lost in the mob of vulgar politicians  
and the dust of party editors4  ,since  
the nation loves freedom above all      
things1 the name democracy is a favorite
 name4 ,no party could live a           
twelvemonth that should declare itself  
anti-democratic4 ,saint and sinner1     
statesman and politician1 alike love the
 name4 ,so it comes to pass that there  
are two things which bear that name2    
each has its type and its motto4 ,the   
motto of one is1 ,you are as good as ,i1
 and let us help one another4 ,that     
represents the democracy of the         
,declaration of ,independence1 and of   

the ,new ,testament2 its type is a free 
school1 where children of all ranks meet
 under the guidance of intelligent and  
,christian men1 to be educated in mind1 
and heart1 and soul4 ,the other has for 
its motto1 ,i am as good as you1 so get 
out of my way4 ,its type is the bar-room
 of a tavern--dirty1 offensive1 stained 
with tobacco1 and full of drunken1      
noisy1 quarrelsome rowdies1 just        
returned from the ,mexican war1 and     
ready for a buffalo hunt1 for           
privateering1 or to go and plunder any  
one who is better off than themselves1  
especially if also better4 ,that is not 
exactly the democracy of the            
,declaration1 or of the ,new ,testament2
 but of--no matter whom4         99     
99       99       99       99  ,then1   
again1 there is a great intensity of    
life and purpose4 ,this displays itself 
in our actions and speeches2 in our     
speculations2 in the revivals of the    
more serious sects2 in the excitements  
of trade2 in the general character of   

the people4 ,all that we do we overdo4  
,it appears in our hopefulness2 we are  
the most aspiring of nations4 ,not      
content with half the continent1 we wish
 the other half4 ,we have this          
characteristic of genius3 we are        
dissatisfied with all that we have done4
 ,somebody once said we were too vain to
 be proud4 ,it is not wholly so2 the    
national idea is so far above us that   
any achievement seems little and low4   
,the ,american soul passes away from its
 work soon as it is finished4 ,so the   
soul of each great artist refuses to    
dwell in his finished work1 for that    
seems little to his dream4 ,our fathers 
deemed the ,revolution a great work2 it 
was once thought a surprising thing to  
found that little colony on the shores  
of ,new ,england2 but young ,america    
looks to other revolutions1 and thinks  
she has many a ,plymouth colony in her  
bosom4 ,if other nations wonder at our  
achievements1 we are a disappointment to
 ourselves1 and wonder we have not done 

more4 ,our national idea out-travels our
 experience1 and all experience4 ,we    
began our national career by setting all
 history at defiance--for that said1 ,a 
republic on a large scale cannot exist4 
,our progress since has shown that we   
were right in refusing to be limited by 
the past4 ,the political ideas of the   
nation are transcendant1 not empirical4 
,human history could not justify the    
,declaration of ,independence and its   
large statements of the new idea3 the   
nation went behind human history and    
appealed to human nature4  ,we are more 
spontaneous than logical2 we have ideas1
 rather than facts or precedents4 ,we   
dream more than we remember1 and so have
 many orators and poets1 or poetasters1 
with but few antiquaries and general    
scholars4 ,we are not so reflective as  
forecasting4 ,we are the most intuitive 
of modern nations4 ,the very party in   
politics which has the least culture1 is
 richest in ideas which will one day    
become facts4 ,great truths--political1 

philosophical1 religious--lie a-burning 
in many a young heart which cannot      
legitimate nor prove them true1 but none
 the less feels1 and feels them true4 ,a
 man full of new truths finds a ready   
audience with us4 ,many things which    
come disguised as truths under such     
circumstances pass current for a time1  
but by and by their bray discovers them4
 ,the hope which comes from this        
intensity of life and intuition of      
truths is a national characteristic4 ,it
 gives courage1 enterprise1 and         
strength4 ,they can who think they can4 
,we are confident in our star2 other    
nations may see it or not1 we know it is
 there above the clouds4 ,we do not     
hesitate at rash experiments--sending   
fifty thousand soldiers to conquer a    
nation with eight or nine millions of   
people4 ,we are up to every thing1 and  
think ourselves a match for any thing4  
,the young man is rash1 for he only     
hopes1 having little to remember2 he is 
excitable1 and loves excitement2 change 

of work is his repose2 he is hot and    
noisy1 sanguine and fearless1 with the  
courage that comes from warm blood and  
ignorance of dangers2 he does not know  
what a hard1 tough1 sour old world he is
 born into4 ,we are a nation of young   
men4 ,we talked of annexing ,texas and  
northern ,mexico1 and did both2 now we  
grasp at ,cuba1 ,central ,america1--all 
the continent1--and speak of a railroad 
to the ,pacific as a trifle for us to   
accomplish4 ,our national deeds are     
certainly great1 but our hope and       
promise far outbrags them all4  ,if this
 intensity of life and hope have its    
good side1 it has also its evil2 with   
much of the excellence of youth we have 
its faults--rashness1 haste1 and        
superficiality4 ,our work is seldom well
 done4 ,in ,english manufactures there  
is a certain solid honesty of           
performance2 in the ,french a certain   
air of elegance and refinement3 one     
misses both these in ,american works4   
,it is said ,america invents the most   

machines1 but ,england builds them best4
 ,we lack the phlegmatic patience of    
older nations4 ,we are always in a      
hurry1 morning1 noon and night4 ,we are 
impatient of the process1 but greedy of 
the result2 so that we make short       
experiments but long reports1 and talk  
much though we say little4 ,we forget   
that a sober method is a short way of   
coming to the end1 and that he who1     
before he sets out1 ascertains where he 
is going and the way thither1 ends his  
journey more prosperously than one who  
settles these matters by the way4       
,quickness is a great desideratum with  
us4 ,it is said an ,american ship is    
known far off at sea by the quantity of 
canvas she carries4 ,rough and ready is 
a popular attribute4 ,quick and off     
would be a symbolic motto for the nation
 at this day1 representing one phase of 
our character4 ,we are sudden in        
deliberation2 the one-hour rule works   
well in ,congress4 ,a committee of the  
,british ,parliament spends twice or    

thrice our time in collecting facts1    
understanding and making them           
intelligible1 but less than our time in 
speech-making after the report2 speeches
 there commonly being for the purpose of
 facilitating the business1 while here  
one sometimes is half ready to think1   
notwithstanding our earnestness1 that   
the business is to facilitate the       
speaking4 ,a ,state revises her statutes
 with a rapidity that astonishes a      
,european4 ,yet each revision brings    
some amendment1 and what is found good  
in the constitution or laws of one      
,state gets speedily imitated by the    
rest2 each new ,state of the ,north     
becoming more democratic than its       
predecessor4  ,we are so intent on our  
purpose that we have no time for        
amusement4 ,we have but one or two      
festivals in the year1 and even then we 
are serious and reformatory4 ,jonathan  
thinks it a very solemn thing to be     
merry4 ,a ,frenchman said we have but   
two amusements in ,america--,theology   

for the women and politics for the men2 
preaching and voting4 ,if this be true1 
it may help to explain the fact that    
most men take their theology from their 
wives1 and women politics from their    
husbands4 ,no nation ever tried the     
experiment of such abstinence from      
amusement4 ,we have no time for sport1  
and so lose much of the poetry of life4 
,all work and no play does not always   
make a dull boy1 but it commonly makes a
 hard man4  ,we rush from school into   
business early2 we hurry while in       
business2 we aim to be rich quickly1    
making a fortune at a stroke1 making or 
losing it twice or thrice in a lifetime4
 ,soft and fair1 goes safe and far1 is  
no proverb to our taste4 ,we are the    
most restless of people4 ,how we crowd  
into cars and steamboats2 a locomotive  
would well typify our fuming1 fizzing   
spirit4 ,in our large towns life seems  
to be only a scamper4 ,not satisfied    
with bustling about all day1 when night 
comes we cannot sit still1 but alone of 

all nations have added rockers to our   
chairs4  ,all is haste1 from the tanning
 of leather to the education of a boy1  
and the old saw holds its edge good as  
ever--the more haste the worse speed4   
,the young stripling1 innocent of all   
manner of lore1 whom a judicious father 
has barrelled down in a college1 or     
law-school1 or theological seminary1    
till his beard be grown1 mourns over the
 few years he must spend there awaiting 
that operation4 ,his rule is1 to make a 
spoon or spoil a horn2 he longs to be   
out in the world making a fortune1 or   
doing good1 as he calls what his father 
better names making noisy work for      
repentance1 and doing mischief4 ,so he  
rushes into life not fitted1 and would  
fly towards heaven1 this young ,icarus1 
his wings not half fledged4 ,there seems
 little taste for thoroughness4 ,in our 
schools as our farms1 we pass over much 
ground but pass over it poorly4  ,in    
education the aim is not to get the most
 we can1 but the least we can get along 

with4 ,a ship with over-much canvas and 
over-little ballast were no bad emblem  
of many amongst us4 ,in no country is it
 so easy to get a reputation for        
learning--accumulated thought1 because  
so few devote themselves to that        
accumulation4 ,in this respect our      
standard is low4 ,so a man of one       
attainment is sure to be honored1 but a 
man of many and varied abilities is in  
danger of being undervalued4 ,a         
,spurzheim would be warmly welcomed1    
while a ,humboldt would be suspected of 
superficiality1 as we have not the      
standard to judge him by4 ,yet in no    
country in the world is it so difficult 
to get a reputation for eloquence1 as   
many speak and that well4 ,it is        
surprising with what natural strength   
and beauty the young ,american addresses
 himself to speak4 ,some hatter's       
apprentice1 or shoemaker's journeyman1  
at a temperance or anti-slavery meeting1
 will speak words like the blows of an  
axe1 that cut clean and deep4 ,the      

country swarms with orators1 more       
abundantly where education is least     
esteemed--in the ,west or ,south4  ,we  
have secured national unity of action   
for the white citizens1 without much    
curtailing individual variety of action1
 so we have at the ,north pretty well   
solved that problem which other nations 
have so often boggled over2 we have     
balanced the centripetal power1 the     
government and laws1 with the           
centrifugal power1 the mass of          
individuals1 into harmonious            
proportions4 ,if one were to leave out  
of sight the three million slaves1 one  
sixth part of the population1 the       
problem might be regarded as very       
happily solved4 ,as the consequences of 
this1 in no country is there more       
talent1 or so much awake and active4 ,in
 the ,south this unity is attained by   
sacrificing all the rights of three     
million slaves1 and almost all the      
rights of the other colored population4 
,in despotic countries this unity is    

brought about by the sacrifice of       
freedom1 individual variety of action1  
in all except the despot and his        
favorites2 so1 much of the nation's     
energy is stifled in the chains of the  
,state1 while here it is friendly to    
institutions which are friendly to it1  
goes to its work1 and approves itself in
 the vast increase of wealth and comfort
 throughout the ,north1 where there is  
no class of men which is so oppressed   
that it cannot rise4 ,one is amazed at  
the amount of ready skill and general   
ability which he finds in all the       
,north1 where each man has a little     
culture1 takes his newspaper1 manages   
his own business1 and talks with some   
intelligence of many things--especially 
of politics and theology4 ,in respect to
 this general intellectual ability and  
power of self-help1 the mass of people  
seem far in advance of any other nation4
 ,but at the same time our scholars1 who
 always represent the nation's higher   
modes of consciousness1 will not bear   

comparison with the scholars of         
,england1 ,france1 and ,germany1 men    
thoroughly furnished for their work4    
,this is a great reproach and mischief  
to us1 for we need most accomplished    
leaders1 who by their thought can direct
 this national intensity of life4 ,our  
literature does not furnish them2 we    
have no great men there2 ,irving1       
,channing1 ,cooper1 are not names to    
conjure with in literature4 ,one reads  
thick volumes devoted to the poets of   
,america1 or her prose writers1 and     
finds many names which he wonders he    
never heard of before1 but when he turns
 over their works1 he finds consolation 
and recovers his composure4  ,american  
literature may be divided into two      
departments3 the permanent literature1  
which gets printed in books1 that       
sometimes reach more than one edition2  
and the evanescent literature1 which    
appears only in the form of speeches1   
pamphlets1 reviews1 newspaper articles1 
and the like extempore productions4 ,now

 our permanent literature1 as a general 
thing1 is superficial1 tame1 and weak2  
it is not ,american2 it has not our     
ideas1 our contempt of authority1 our   
philosophical turn1 nor even our        
uncertainty as to first principles1     
still less our national intensity1 our  
hope1 and fresh intuitive perceptions of
 truth4 ,it is a miserable imitation4   
,love of freedom is not there4 ,the real
 national literature is found almost    
wholly in speeches1 pamphlets1 and      
newspapers4 ,the latter are pretty      
thoroughly ,american2 mirrors in which  
we see no very flattering likeness of   
our morals or our manners4 ,yet the     
picture is true3 that vulgarity1 that   
rant1 that bragging violence1 that      
recklessness of truth and justice1 that 
disregard of right and duty1 are a part 
of the nation's everyday life4 ,our     
newspapers are low and wicked to a      
fault2 only in this weakness are they   
un-,american4 ,yet they exhibit1 and    
abundantly1 the four qualities we have  

mentioned as belonging to the signs of  
our times4 ,as a general rule1 our      
orators are also ,american1 with our    
good and ill4 ,now and then one rises   
who has studied ,demosthenes in ,leland 
or ,francis1 and got a second-hand      
acquaintance with old models3 a man who 
uses literary commonplaces1 and thinks  
himself original and classic because he 
can quote a line or so of ,horace1 in a 
,western ,house of ,representatives1    
without getting so many words wrong as  
his reporter2 but such men are rare1 and
 after making due abatement for them1   
our orators all over the land are pretty
 thoroughly ,american1 a little turgid1 
hot1 sometimes brilliant1 hopeful1      
intuitive1 abounding in half truths1    
full of great ideas2 often inconsequent2
 sometimes coarse2 patriotic1 vain1     
self-confident1 rash1 strong1 and       
young-mannish4 ,of course the most of   
our speeches are vulgar1 ranting1 and   
worthless1 but we have produced some    
magnificent specimens of oratory1 which 

are fresh1 original1 ,american1 and     
brand new4  ,the more studied1 polished1
 and elegant literature is not so2 that 
is mainly an imitation4 ,it seems not a 
thing of native growth4 ,sometimes1 as  
in ,channing1 the thought and the hope  
are ,american1 but the form and the     
coloring old and foreign4 ,we dare not  
be original2 our ,american pine must be 
cut to the trim pattern of the ,english 
yew1 though the pine bleed at every     
clip4 ,this poet tunes his lyre at the  
harp of ,goethe1 ,milton1 ,pope1 or     
,tennyson4 ,his songs might be better   
sung on the ,rhine than the ,kennebec4  
,they are not ,american in form or      
feeling2 they have not the breath of our
 air2 the smell of our ground is not in 
them4 ,hence our poet seems cold and    
poor4 ,he loves the old mythology2 talks
 about ,pluto--the ,greek devil1 the    
fates and furies--witches of old time in
 ,greece1 but would blush to use our    
mythology1 or breathe the name in verse 
of our devil1 or our own witches1 lest  

he should be thought to believe what he 
wrote4 ,the mother and sisters1 who with
 many a pinch and pain sent the hopeful 
boy to college1 must turn over the      
classical dictionary before they can    
find out what the youth would be at in  
his rhymes4 ,our poet is not deep enough
 to see that ,aphrodite came from the   
ordinary waters1 that ,homer only       
hitched into rhythm and furnished the   
accomplishment of verse to street-talk1 
nursery tales1 and old men's gossip in  
the ,ionian towns2 he thinks what is    
common is unclean4 ,so he sings of      
,corinth and ,athens1 which he never    
saw1 but has not a word to say of       
,boston1 and ,fall ,river1 and          
,baltimore1 and ,new ,york1 which are   
just as meet for song4 ,he raves of     
,thermopylae and ,marathon1 with never a
 word for ,lexington and ,bunker-hill1  
for ,cowpens1 and ,lundy's ,lane1 and   
,bemis's ,heights4 ,he loves to tell of 
the ,ilyssus1 of smooth-sliding         
,mincius1 crowned with vocal reeds1 yet 

sings not of the ,petapsco1 the         
,susquehanna1 the ,aroostook1 and the   
,willimantick4 ,he prates of the        
narcissus and the daisy1 never of       
,american dandelions and blue-eyed      
grass2 he dwells on the lark and the    
nightingale1 but has not a thought for  
the brown thrasher and the bobolink1 who
 every morning in ,june rain down such  
showers of melody on his affected head4 
,what a lesson ,burns teaches us1       
addressing his rough bur-thistle1 his   
daisy1 wee crimson tippit thing1 and    
finding marvellous poetry in the mouse  
whose nest his plough turned over6 ,nay1
 how beautifully has even our sweet poet
 sung of our own ,green river1 our      
waterfowl1 of the blue and fringed      
gentian1 the glory of autumnal days4    
,hitherto1 spite of the great reading   
public1 we have no permanent literature 
which corresponds to the ,american idea4
 ,perhaps it is not time for that2 it   
must be organized in deeds before it    
becomes classic in words2 but as yet we 

have no such literature which reflects  
even the surface of ,american life1     
certainly nothing which portrays our    
intensity of life1 our hope1 or even our
 daily doings and drivings1 as the      
,odyssey paints old ,greek life1 or ,don
 ,quixote and ,gil ,bias portray        
,spanish life4 ,literary men are        
commonly timid2 ours know they are but  
poorly fledged as yet1 so dare not fly  
away from the parent tree1 but hop      
timidly from branch to branch4 ,our     
writers love to creep about in the      
shadow of some old renown1 not venturing
 to soar away into the unwinged air1 to 
sing of things here and now1 making our 
life classic4 ,so1 without the grace of 
high culture1 and the energy of         
,american thought1 they become weak1    
cold1 and poor2 are curious1 not        
knowing1 not exact1 but nice4 ,too      
fastidious to be wise1 too unlettered to
 be elegant1 too critical to create1    
they prefer a dull saying that is old to
 a novel form of speech1 or a natural   

expression of a new truth4 ,in a single 
,american work1--and a famous one       
too1--there are over sixty similes1 not 
one original1 and all poor4 ,a few men1 
conscious of this defect1 this sin      
against the ,holy ,spirit of            
,literature1 go to the opposite extreme1
 and are ,american-mad2 they wilfully   
talk rude1 write in-numerous verse1 and 
play their harps all jangling1 out of   
tune4 ,a yet fewer few are ,american    
without madness4 ,one such must not here
 be passed by1 alike philosopher and    
bard1 in whose writings ancient wisdom  
shines with new-born beauty1 and who has
 enriched a genius thoroughly ,american 
in the best sense1 with a cosmopolitan  
culture and literary skill1 which were  
wonderful in any land4 ,but of ,american
 literature in general1 and of him in   
special1 more shall be said at another  
time4         99       99       99      
99       99  ,another remarkable feature
 is our excessive love of material      
things4 ,this is more than a            

,utilitarianism1 a preference of the    
useful over the beautiful4 ,the ,puritan
 at ,plymouth had a corn-field1 a       
cabbage-garden1 and a patch for         
potatoes1 a school-house1 and a church1 
before he sat down to play the fiddle4  
,he would have been a fool to reverse   
this process4 ,it were poor economy and 
worse taste to have painters1 sculptors1
 and musicians1 while the rude wants of 
the body are uncared for4 ,but our fault
 in this respect is1 that we place too  
much the charm of life in mere material 
things1--houses1 lands1 well-spread     
tables1 and elegant furniture1--not     
enough in man1 in virtue1 wisdom1       
genius1 religion1 greatness of soul1 and
 nobleness of life4 ,we mistake a       
perfection of the means of manliness for
 the end--manhood itself4 ,yet the      
housekeeping of a ,shakspeare1 ,milton1 
,franklin1 had only one thing worth     
boasting of4 ,strange to say1 that was  
the master of the house4 ,a rich and    
vulgar man once sported a coach and     

four1 and at its first turn-out rode    
into the great commercial street of a   
large town in ,new ,england4 ,how fine  
you must feel with your new coach and   
four1 said one of his old friends1      
though not quite so rich4 ,yes1 was the 
reply1 as fine as a beetle in a gold    
snuff-box4 ,all of his kindred are not  
so nice and discriminating in their     
self-consciousness4  ,this practical    
materialism is a great affliction to us4
 ,we think a man cannot be poor and     
great also4 ,so we see a great man sell 
himself for a little money1 and it is   
thought a good operation4 ,a conspicuous
 man1 in praise of a certain painter1   
summed up his judgment with this3 ,why1 
,sir1 he has made twenty thousand       
dollars by his pictures4 ,a good deal   
more than ,michael ,angelo1 ,leonardo1  
and ,raphael together1 might have been  
the reply4 ,but it is easier to weigh   
purses than artistic skill4 ,it was a   
characteristic praise bestowed in       
,boston on a distinguished ,american    

writer1 that his book brought him more  
money than any man had ever realized for
 an original work in this country4      
,commerce1 said ,mr4 ,pitt1 having got  
into both houses of ,parliament1        
privilege must be done away1--the       
privilege of wit and genius1 not less   
than rank4 ,clergymen estimate their own
 and their brothers' importance1 not by 
their apostolical gifts1 or even        
apostolic succession1 but by the value  
of the living4  ,all other nations have 
this same fault1 it may be said4 ,but   
there is this difference3 in other      
nations the things of a man are put     
before the man himself2 so a materialism
 which exalts the accidents of the      
man--rank1 wealth1 birth1 and the       
like--above the man1 is not inconsistent
 with the general idea of ,england or   
,austria4 ,in ,america it is a          
contradiction4 ,besides1 in most        
civilized countries1 there is a class of
 men living on inherited wealth1 who    
devote their lives to politics1 art1    

science1 letters1 and so are above the  
mere material elegance which surrounds  
them4 ,that class has often inflicted a 
deep wound on society1 which festers    
long and leads to serious trouble in the
 system1 but at the same time it redeems
 a nation from the reproach of mere     
material vulgarity2 it has been the     
source of refinement1 and has warmed    
into life much of the wisdom and beauty 
which have thence spread over all the   
world4 ,in ,america there is no such    
class4 ,young men inheriting wealth very
 rarely turn to any thing noble2 they   
either convert their talents into gold1 
or their gold into furniture1 wines1 and
 confectionary4 ,a young man of wealth  
does not know what to do with himself or
 it2 a rich young woman seems to have no
 resource but marriage6 ,yet it must be 
confessed1 that at least in one part of 
the ,united ,states wealth flows freely 
for the support of public institutions  
of education4  ,here it is difficult for
 a man of science to live by his        

thought4 ,was ,bowditch one of the first
 mathematicians of his age8 ,he must be 
at the head of an annuity office4 ,if   
,socrates should set up as a dealer in  
money1 and outwit the brokers as        
formerly the ,sophists1 and shave notes 
as skilfully as of old1 we should think 
him a great man4 ,but if he adopted his 
old plan1 what should we say of him8    
,manliness is postponed and wealth      
preferred4 ,what a fine house is this1  
one often says2 what furniture2 what    
feasting4 ,but the master of the        
house6--why every stone out of the wall 
laughs at him4 ,he spent all of himself 
in getting this pretty show together1   
and now it is empty1 and mocks its      
owner4 ,he is the emblematic coffin at  
the ,egyptian feast4 ,oh1 man6 says the 
looker-on1 why not furnish thyself with 
a mind1 and conscience1 a heart and a   
soul1 before getting all this brass and 
mahogany together2 this beef and these  
wines8 ,the poor wight would            
answer1--,why1 ,sir1 there were none    

such in the market6--,the young man does
 not say1 ,i will first of all things be
 a man1 and so being will have this     
thing and the other1 putting the        
agreeable after the essential4 ,but he  
says1 ,first of all1 by hook or by      
crook1 ,i will have money1 the manhood  
may take care of itself4 ,he has        
it1--for tough and hard as the old world
 is1 it is somewhat fluid before a      
strong man who resolutely grapples with 
difficulty and will swim through1 it can
 be made to serve his turn4 ,he has     
money1 but the man has evaporated in the
 process2 when you look he is not there4
 ,true1 other nations have done the same
 thing1 and we only repeat their        
experiment4 ,the old devil of conformity
 says to our ,american ,adam and ,eve1  
,do this and you shall be as gods1 a    
promise as likely to hold good as the   
devil's did in the beginning4 ,a man was
 meant for something more than a tassel 
to a large estate1 and a woman to be    
more than a rich housekeeper4  ,with    

this offensive materialism we copy the  
vices of feudal aristocracy abroad1     
making our vulgarity still more         
ridiculous4 ,we are ambitious or proud  
of wealth1 which is but labor stored up1
 and at the same time are ashamed of    
labor which is wealth in process4 ,with 
all our talk about democracy1 labor is  
thought less honorable in ,boston than  
in ,berlin and ,leipsic4 ,thriving men  
are afraid their children will be       
shoemakers1 or ply some such honorable  
and useful craft4 ,yet little pains are 
taken to elevate the condition or       
improve the manners and morals of those 
who do all the manual work of society4  
,the strong man takes care that his     
children and himself escape that        
condition4 ,we do not believe that all  
stations are alike honorable if         
honorably filled2 we have little desire 
to equalize the burdens of life1 so that
 there shall be no degraded class2 none 
cursed with work1 none with idleness4   
,it is popular to endow a college2      

vulgar to take an interest in common    
schools4 ,liberty is a fact1 equality a 
word1 and fraternity1 we do not think of
 yet4  ,in this struggle for material   
wealth and the social rank which is     
based thereon1 it is amusing to see the 
shifting of the scenes2 the social      
aspirations of one and the contempt with
 which another rebuts the aspirant4 ,an 
old man can remember when the most      
exclusive of men1 and the most golden1  
had scarce a penny in their purse1 and  
grumbled at not finding a place where   
they would4 ,now the successful man is  
ashamed of the steps he rose by4 ,the   
gentleman who came to ,boston half a    
century ago1 with all his worldly goods 
tied up in a cotton handkerchief1 and   
that not of so large a pattern as are   
made now-a-days1 is ashamed to recollect
 that his father was a currier1 or a    
blacksmith1 or a skipper at ,barnstable 
or ,beverly2 ashamed1 also1 of his forty
 or fifty country cousins1 remarkable   
for nothing but their large hands and   

their excellent memory4 ,nay1 he is     
ashamed of his own humble beginnings1   
and sneers at men starting as he once   
started4 ,the generation of ,english    
,snobs came in with the ,conqueror1 and 
migrated to ,america at an early day1   
where they continue to thrive           
marvellously--the chief conservative    
party in the land4  ,through this       
contempt for labor1 a certain           
affectation runs through a good deal of 
,american society1 and makes our        
aristocracy vulgar and contemptible4    
,what if ,burns had been ashamed of his 
plough1 and ,franklin had lost his      
recollection of the candle-moulds and   
the composing stick8 ,mr4 ,chubbs1 who  
got rich to-day1 imitates ,mr4 ,swipes1 
who got rich yesterday1 buys the same   
furniture1 gives similar entertainments1
 and counts himself as good a man as    
,swipes1 any day4 ,nay1 he goes a little
 beyond him1 puts his servants in       
livery1 with the ,chubbs arms on the    
button2 but the new-found family arms   

are not descriptive of the character of 
the ,chubbses1 or of their origin and   
history--only of their vanity4 ,then    
,mr4 ,swipes looks down on poor ,chubbs1
 and curls his lip with scorn2 calls him
 a parvenu1 an upstart1 a plebeian2     
speaks of him as one of that sort of    
people1 one of your ordinary men2       
thrifty and well off in the world1 but a
 little vulgar4 ,at the same time ,mr4  
,swipes looks up to ,mr4 ,bung1 who got 
rich the day before yesterday1 as a     
gentleman of old family and quite       
distinguished1 and receives from that   
quarter the same treatment he bestows on
 his left-hand neighbor4 ,the real      
gentleman is the same all the world     
over4 ,such are by no means lacking     
here1 while the pretended gentlemen     
swarm in ,america4 ,chaucer said a good 
word long ago3      --,this is not mine 
intendement     ,to clepen no wight in  
no age     ,only gentle for his lineage2
     ,but whoso that is virtuous1       
,and in his port not outrageous3        

,when such one thou see'st thee beforn1 
,though he be not gentle born1     ,thou
 mayest well see this in soth1     ,that
 he is gentle1 because he doth     ,as  
'longeth to a gentleman2     ,of them   
none other deem ,i can2     ,for        
certainly withouten drede1     ,a churl 
is deemed by his deed1     ,of high or  
low1 as ye may see1     ,or of what     
kindred that he be4  ,it is no wonder   
vulgar men1 who travel here and eat our 
dinners1 laugh at this form of          
vulgarity4 ,wiser men see its cause1 and
 prophesy its speedy decay4 ,every      
nation has its aristocracy1 or          
controlling class3 in some lands it is  
permanent1 an aristocracy of blood2 men 
that are descended from distinguished   
warriors1 from the pirates and          
freebooters of a rude age4 ,the nobility
 of ,england are proud of their fathers'
 deeds1 and emblazon the symbols thereof
 in their family arms1 emblems of       
barbarism4 ,ours is an aristocracy of   
wealth1 not got by plunder1 but by toil1

 thrift1 enterprise2 of course it is a  
movable aristocracy3 the first families 
of the last century are now forgot1 and 
their successors will give place to new 
names4 ,now earning is nobler than      
robbing1 and work is before war2 but we 
are ashamed of both1 and seek to conceal
 the noble source of our wealth4 ,an    
aristocracy of gold is far preferable to
 the old and immovable nobility of      
blood1 but it has also its peculiar     
vices3 it has the effrontery of an      
upstart1 despises its own ladder1 is    
heartless and lacks noble principle1    
vulgar and cursing4 ,this lust of       
wealth1 however1 does us a service1 and 
gives the whole nation a stimulus which 
it needs1 and1 low as the motive is1    
drives us to continual advancement4 ,it 
is a great merit for a nation to secure 
the largest amount of useful and        
comfortable and beautiful things which  
can be honestly earned1 and used with   
profit to the body and soul of man4     
,only when wealth becomes an idol1 and  

material abundance is made the end1 not 
the means1 does the love of it become an
 evil4 ,no nation was ever too rich1 or 
overthrifty1 though many a nation has   
lost its soul by living wholly for the  
senses4  ,now and then we see noble men 
living apart from this vulgarity and    
scramble2 some rich1 some poor1 but both
 content to live for noble aims1 to     
pinch and spare for virtue1 religion1   
for truth and right4 ,such men never    
fail from any age or land1 but          
everywhere they are the exceptional men4
 ,still they serve to keep alive the    
sacred fire in the hearts of young men1 
rising amid the common mob as oaks      
surpass the brambles or the fern4       
99       99       99       99       99  
,in these secondary qualities of the    
people which mark the special signs of  
the times1 there are many               
contradictions1 quality contending with 
quality2 all by no means balanced into  
harmonious relations4 ,here are great   
faults not less than great virtues4 ,can

 the national faults be corrected8 ,most
 certainly2 they are but accidental1    
coming from our circumstances1 our      
history1 our position as a              
people--heterogeneous1 new1 and placed  
on a new and untamed continent4 ,they   
come not from the nation's soul2 they do
 not belong to our fundamental idea1 but
 are hostile to it4 ,one day our        
impatience of authority1 our            
philosophical tendency1 will lead us to 
a right method1 that to fixed           
principles1 and then we shall have a    
continuity of national action4          
,considering the pains taken by the     
fathers of the better portion of        
,america to promote religion here1      
remembering how dear is ,christianity to
 the heart of all1 conservative and     
radical--though men often name as       
,christian what is not--and seeing how  
truth and right are sure to win at      
last1--it becomes pretty plain that we  
shall arrive at true principles1 laws of
 the universe1 ideas of ,god2 then we   

shall be in unison also with it and     
,him4 ,when that great defect--lack of  
first principles--is corrected1 our     
intensity of life1 with the hope and    
confidence it inspires1 will do a great 
work for us4 ,we have already secured an
 abundance of material comforts hitherto
 unknown2 no land was ever so full of   
corn and cattle1 clothing1 comfortable  
houses1 and all things needed for the   
flesh4 ,the desire of those things1 even
 the excessive desire thereof1 performs 
an important part in the divine economy 
of the human race2 nowhere is its good  
effect more conspicuous than in         
,america1 where in two generations the  
wild ,irishman becomes a decent citizen1
 orderly1 temperate1 and intelligent4   
,this done or even a-doing1 as it is    
now1 we shall go forth to realize our   
great national idea1 and accomplish the 
great work of organizing into           
institutions the unalienable rights of  
man4 ,the great obstacle in the way of  
that is ,african slavery--the great     

exception in the nation's history2 the  
national sin4 ,when that is removed1 as 
soon it must be1 lesser but kindred     
evils will easily be done away2 the     
truth which the land-reformers1 which   
the associationists1 the free-traders1  
and others1 have seen1 dimly or clearly1
 can readily be carried out4 ,but while 
this monster vice continues1 there is   
little hope of any great and permanent  
national reform4 ,the positive things   
which we chiefly need for this work1 are
 first1 education1 next1 education1 and 
then education1 a vigorous development  
of the mind1 conscience1 affections1    
religious power of the whole nation4    
,the method and the means for that ,i   
shall not now discuss4  ,the            
organization of human rights1 the       
performance of human duties1 is an      
unlimited work4 ,if there shall ever be 
a time when it is all done1 then the    
race will have finished its course4     
,shall the ,american nation go on in    
this work1 or pause1 turn off1 fall1 and

 perish8 ,to me it seems almost treason 
to doubt that a glorious future awaits  
us4 ,young as we are1 and wicked1 we    
have yet done something which the world 
will not let perish4 ,one day we shall  
attend more emphatically to the rights  
of the hand1 and organize labor and     
skill2 then to the rights of the head1  
looking after education1 science1       
literature1 and art2 and again to the   
rights of the heart1 building up the    
,state with its laws1 society with its  
families1 the church with its goodness  
and piety4 ,one day we shall see that it
 is a shame1 and a loss1 and a wrong1 to
 have a criminal1 or an ignorant man1 or
 a pauper1 or an idler1 in the land2    
that the jail1 and the gallows1 and the 
almshouse are a reproach which need not 
be4 ,out of new sentiments and ideas1   
not seen as yet1 new forms of society   
will come1 free from the antagonism of  
races1 classes1 men--representing the   
,american idea in its length1 breadth1  
depth1 and height1 its beauty and its   

truth1 and then the old civilization of 
our time shall seem barbarous and even  
savage4 ,there will be an ,american art 
commensurate with our idea and akin to  
this great continent2 not an imitation1 
but a fresh1 new growth4 ,an ,american  
literature also must come with          
democratic freedom1 democratic thought1 
democratic power--for we are not always 
to be pensioners of other lands1 doing  
nothing but import and quote2 a         
literature with all of ,german          
philosophic depth1 with ,english solid  
sense1 with ,french vivacity and wit1   
,italian fire of sentiment and soul1    
with all of ,grecian elegance of form1  
and more than ,hebrew piety and faith in
 ,god4 ,we must not look for the        
maiden's ringlets on the baby's brow2 we
 are yet but a girl2 the nameless grace 
of maturity1 and womanhood's majestic   
charm1 are still to come4 ,at length we 
must have a system of education1 which  
shall uplift the humblest1 rudest1 worst
 born child in all the land2 which shall

 bring forth and bring up noble men4    
,an ,american ,state is a thing that    
must also be2 a ,state of free men who  
give over brawling1 resting on industry1
 justice1 love1 not on war1 cunning1 and
 violence1--a ,state where liberty1     
equality1 and fraternity are deeds as   
well as words4 ,in its time the         
,american ,church must also appear1 with
 liberty1 holiness1 and love for its    
watchwords1 cultivating reason1         
conscience1 affection1 faith1 and       
leading the world's way in justice1     
peace1 and love4 ,the ,roman ,church has
 been all men know what and how2 the    
,american ,church1 with freedom for the 
mind1 freedom for the heart1 freedom for
 the soul1 is yet to be1 sundering no   
chord of the human harp1 but tuning all 
to harmony4 ,this also must come2 but   
hitherto no one has risen with genius   
fit to plan its holy walls1 conceive its
 columns1 project its towers1 or lay its
 corner-stone4 ,is it too much to hope  
all this8 ,look at the arena before     

us--look at our past history4 ,hark6    
there is the sound of many million men1 
the trampling of their freeborn feet1   
the murmuring of their voice2 a nation  
born of this land that ,god reserved so 
long a virgin earth1 in a high day      
married to the human race1--rising1 and 
swelling1 and rolling on1 strong and    
certain as the ,atlantic tide2 they come
 numerous as ocean waves when east winds
 blow1 their destination commensurate   
with the continent1 with ideas vast as  
the ,mississippi1 strong as the         
,alleghanies1 and awful as ,niagara2    
they come murmuring little of the past1 
but1 moving in the brightness of their  
great idea1 and casting its light far on
 to other lands and distant days--come  
to the world's great work1 to organize  
the rights of man4     ,,vi4  ,a        
,,discourse ,,occasioned ,,by ,,the     
,,death ,,of ,,john ,,quincy ,,adams4   
,,delivered ,,at ,,the ,,melodeon1 ,,in 
,,boston1 ,,march #e1 #ahdh4   ,within a
 few days one of the most distinguished 

statesmen of the age has passed away2 a 
man who has long been before the public1
 familiarly known in the new world and  
the old4 ,he was one of the prominent   
monuments of the age4 ,it becomes us to 
look at his life1 works1 and public     
character1 with an impartial eye2 to try
 him by the ,christian standard4 ,let me
 extenuate nothing1 add nothing1 and set
 down nought from any partial love or   
partial hate4 ,his individuality has    
been so marked in a long life1 his good 
and evil so sharply defined1 that one   
can scarcely fail to delineate its most 
important features4  ,god has made some 
men great and others little4 ,the use of
 great men is to serve the little men2  
to take care of the human race1 and act 
as practical interpreters of justice and
 truth4 ,this is not the ,hebrew rule1  
nor the heathen1 nor the common rule1   
only the ,christian4 ,the great man is  
to be the servant of mankind1 not they  
of him4 ,perhaps greatness is always the
 same thing in kind1 differing only in  

mode and in form1 as well as degree4    
,the great man has more of human nature 
than other men1 organized in him4 ,so   
far as that goes1 therefore1 he is more 
me than ,i am myself4 ,we feel that     
superiority in all our intercourse with 
great men1 whether kings1 philosophers1 
poets1 or saints4 ,in kind we are the   
same2 different in degree4  ,in nature  
we find individuals1 not orders and     
genera2 but for our own convenience in  
understanding and recollecting1 we do a 
little violence to nature1 and put the  
individuals into classes4 ,in this way  
we understand better both the whole and 
each of its parts4 ,human nature        
furnishes us with individual great men2 
for convenience we put them into several
 classes1 corresponding to their several
 modes or forms of greatness4 ,it is    
well to look at these classes before we 
examine any one great man2 this will    
render it easier to see where he belongs
 and what he is worth4 ,actual service  
is the test of actual greatness2 he who 

renders1 of himself1 the greatest actual
 service to mankind1 is actually the    
greatest man4 ,there may be other tests 
for determining the potential greatness 
of men1 or the essential2 this is the   
,christian rule for determining the     
actual greatness4 ,let us arrange these 
men in the natural order of their work4 
,first of all1 there are great men who  
discover general truths1 great ideas1   
universal laws1 or invent methods of    
thought and action4 ,in this class the  
vastness of a man's genius may be       
measured1 and his relative rank         
ascertained by the transcendency of his 
ideas1 by the newness of his truth1 by  
its practical value1 and the difficulty 
of attaining it in his time1 and under  
his peculiar circumstances4 ,in         
literature it is such men who originate 
thoughts1 and put them into original    
forms2 they are the great men of        
letters4 ,in philosophy we meet with    
such2 and they are the great men of     
science4 ,thus ,socrates discovered the 

philosophical method of minute analysis 
that distinguished his school1 and led  
to the rapid advance of knowledge in the
 various and even conflicting academies1
 which held this method in common1 but  
applied it in various ways1 well or ill1
 and to various departments of human    
inquiry2 thus ,newton discovered the law
 of gravitation1 universal in nature1   
and by the discovery did immense service
 to mankind4 ,in politics we find       
similar1 or analogous men1 who discover 
yet other laws of ,god1 which bear the  
same relation to men in society that    
gravitation bears to the orbs in heaven1
 or to the dust and stones in the       
street2 men that discover the first     
truths of politics1 and teach the true  
method of human society4 ,such are the  
great men in politics4  ,we find        
corresponding men in religion2 men who  
discover an idea so central that all    
sectarianism of parties or of nations   
seems little in its light2 who discover 
and teach the universal law which       

unifies the race1 binding man to man1   
and men to ,god2 who discover the true  
method of religion conducting to natural
 worship without limitation1 to free    
piety1 free goodness1 free thought4 ,to 
my mind such are the greatest of great  
men1 when measured by the transcendency 
of their doctrine and the service they  
render to all4 ,by the influence of     
their idea1 letters1 philosophy1 and    
politics become nobler and more         
beautiful1 both in their forms and their
 substance4  ,such is the class of      
discoverers2 men who get truth at first 
hand1 truth pertaining either especially
 to literature1 philosophy1 politics1   
religion1 or at the same time to each   
and all of them4         99       99    
99       99       99  ,the next class   
consists of such as organize these      
ideas1 methods1 truths1 and laws2 they  
concretize the abstract1 particularize  
the general2 they apply philosophy to   
practical purposes1 organizing the      
discoveries of science into a railroad1 

a mill1 a steam-ship1 and by their work 
an idea becomes fact4 ,they organize    
love into families1 justice into a      
state1 piety into a church4 ,wealth is  
power1 knowledge is power1 religion     
power2 they organize all these powers1  
wealth1 knowledge1 religion1 into common
 life1 making divinity humanity1 and    
that society4  ,this organizing genius  
is a very great one1 and appears in     
various forms4 ,one man spreads his     
thought out on the soil1 whitening the  
land with bread-corn2 another applies   
his mind to the rivers of ,new ,england1
 making them spin and weave for the     
human race2 this man will organize his  
thought into a machine with one idea1   
joining together fire and water1 iron   
and wood1 animating them into a new     
creature1 ready to do man's bidding2    
while that with audacious hand steals   
the lightning of heaven1 organizes his  
plastic thought within that pliant fire1
 and sends it of his errands to fetch   
and carry tidings between the ends of   

the earth4  ,another form of this mode  
of greatness is seen in politics1 in    
organizing men4 ,the man spreads his    
thought out on mankind1 puts men into   
true relations with one another and with
 ,god2 he organizes strength1 wisdom1   
justice1 love1 piety2 balances the      
conflicting forces of a nation1 so that 
each man has his natural liberty as     
complete as if the only man1 yet1 living
 in society1 gathers advantages from all
 the rest4 ,the highest degree of this  
organizing power is the genius for      
legislation1 which can enact justice and
 eternal right into treaties and        
statutes1 codifying the divine thought  
into human laws1 making absolute        
religion common life and daily custom1  
and balancing the centripetal power of  
the mass1 with the centrifugal power of 
the individual1 into a well-proportioned
 state1 as ,god has balanced these two  
conflicting forces into the rhythmic    
ellipses above our heads4 ,it need not  
be disguised1 that politics are the     

highest business for men of this class1 
nor that a great statesman or legislator
 is the greatest example of constructive
 skill4 ,it requires some ability to    
manage the brute forces of ,nature1 or  
to combine profitably nine-and-thirty   
clerks in a shop2 how much more to      
arrange twenty millions of intelligent1 
free men1 not for a special purpose1 but
 for all the ends of universal life6    
,such is the second class of great men2 
the organizers1 men of constructive     
heads1 who form the institutions of the 
world1 the little and the great4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,the next class consists of men who     
administer the institutions after they  
are founded4 ,to do this effectually and
 even eminently1 it requires no genius  
for original organization of truths     
freshly discovered1 none for the        
discovery of truths1 outright4 ,it      
requires only a perception of those     
truths1 and an acquaintance with the    
institutions wherein they have become   

incarnate2 a knowledge of details1 of   
formulas1 and practical methods1 united 
with a strong will and a practised      
understanding1--what is called a turn   
for affairs1 tact1 or address2 a        
knowledge of routine and an acquaintance
 with men4 ,the success of such men will
 depend on these qualities2 they know   
the ropes and the soundings1 the signs  
of the times2 can take advantage of the 
winds and the tides4  ,in a shop1 farm1 
ship1 factory1 or army1 in a church or a
 ,state1 such men are valuable2 they    
cannot be dispensed with2 they are      
wheels to the carriage2 without them    
cannot a city be inhabited4 ,they are   
always more numerous than both the other
 classes2 more such are needed1 and     
therefore born4 ,the ,american mind1    
just now1 runs eminently in this        
direction4 ,these are not men of        
theories1 or of new modes of thought or 
action1 but what are called practical   
men1 men of a few good rules1 men of    
facts and figures1 not so full of ideas 

as of precedents4 ,they are called      
common-sense men2 not having too much   
common-sense to be understood4 ,they are
 not likely to be fallen in with far off
 at sea2 quite as seldom out of their   
reckoning in ordinary weather4 ,such men
 are excellent statesmen in common      
times1 but in times of trouble1 when old
 precedents will not suit the new case1 
and men must be guided by the nature of 
man1 not his history1 they are not      
strong enough for the place1 and get    
pushed off by more constructive heads4  
,these men are the administrators1 or   
managers4 ,if they have a little less of
 practical sense1 such men fall a little
 below1 and turn out only critics1 of   
whom ,i will not now stop to discourse4 
,to have a railroad1 there must have    
been first the discoverers1 who found   
out the properties of wood and iron1    
fire and water1 and their latent power  
to carry men over the earth2 next1 the  
organizers1 who put these elements      
together1 surveyed the route1 planned   

the structure1 set men to grade the     
hill1 to fill the valley1 and pave the  
road with iron bars2 and then the       
administrators1 who1 after all that is  
done1 procure the engines1 engineers1   
conductors1 ticket-distributors1 and the
 rest of the hands2 they buy the coal   
and see it is not wasted1 fix the rates 
of fare1 calculate the savings1 and     
distribute the dividends4 ,the          
discoverers and organizers often fare   
hard in the world1 lean men1 ill clad   
and suspected1 often laughed at1 while  
the administrator is thought the greater
 man1 because he rides over their graves
 and pays the dividends1 where the      
organizer only called for the           
assessments1 and the discoverer told    
what men called a dream4 ,what happens  
in a railroad happens also in a ,church1
 or a ,state4  ,let us for a moment     
compare these three classes of great    
men4 ,measured by the test referred to1 
the discoverers are the greatest of all4
 ,they anticipate the human race1 with  

long steps1 striding before their kind4 
,they learn not only from the history of
 man1 but man's nature2 not by empirical
 experience alone1 but by a transcendent
 intuition of truth1 now seen as a law1 
now as an idea4 ,they are wiser than    
experience1 and by divination through   
their nobler nature know at once what   
the human race has not learned in its   
thousands of years1 kindling their lamp 
at the central fire now streaming from  
the sky1 now rushing broad-sheeted and  
terrible as ground-lightning from the   
earth4 ,of such men there are but few1  
especially in the highest mode of this  
greatness4 ,a single ,one makes a new   
world1 and men date ages after him4     
,next in order of greatness comes the   
organizer4 ,he1 also1 must have great   
intellect1 and character4 ,it is no     
light work to make thoughts things4 ,it 
requires mind to make a mill out of a   
river1 bricks1 iron1 and stone1 and set 
all the ,connecticut to spinning cotton4
 ,but to construct a ,state1 to harness 

fittingly twenty million men1 animated  
by such divergent motives1 possessing   
interests so unlike--this is the        
greatest work of constructive skill4 ,to
 translate the ideas of the discoverer  
into institutions1 to yoke men together 
by mere abstractions1 universal laws1   
and by such yoking save the liberty of  
all and secure the welfare of each--that
 is the most creative of poetry1 the    
most constructive of sciences4 ,in      
modern times1 it is said1 ,napoleon is  
the greatest example of this faculty2   
not a discoverer1 but an organizer of   
the highest power and on the largest    
scale4 ,in human history he seems to    
have had no superior1 perhaps no equal4 
,some callings in life afford little    
opportunity to develop the great        
qualities above alluded to4 ,how much   
genius lies latent no man can know2 but 
he that walks familiarly with humble men
 often stumbles over masses of unsunned 
gold1 where men proud in emptiness1     
looked only for common dust4 ,how many a

 ,milton sits mute and inglorious in his
 shop2 how many a ,cromwell rears only  
corn and oxen for the world's use1 no   
man can know4 ,some callings help to    
light1 some hide and hinder4 ,but there 
is none which demands more ability than 
politics2 they develop greatness1 if the
 man have the germ thereof within him4  
,true1 in politics1 a man may get along 
with a very little ability1 without     
being a discoverer or an organizer2 were
 it otherwise we should not be blessed  
with a very large ,house1 or a crowded  
,senate4 ,nay1 experience shows that in 
ordinary times one not even a great     
administrator may creep up to a high    
place and hang on there awhile4 ,few    
able administrators sit on the thrones  
of ,europe at this day4 ,but if power be
 in the man1 the hand of politics will  
draw out the spark4  ,in ,america1      
politics more than elsewhere demand     
greatness1 for ours is1 in theory1 the  
government of all1 for all1 and by all4 
,it requires greater range of thought to

 discover the law for all than for a    
few2 after the discovery thereof it is  
more difficult to construct a democracy 
than a monarchy1 or an aristocracy1 and 
after that is organized1 it is more     
difficult to administer4 ,it requires   
more manhood to wield at will the fierce
 democratie of ,america than to rule    
,england or ,france2 yet the ,american  
institutions are germane to human       
nature1 and by that fact are rendered   
more easy1 complicated as they are4  ,in
 politics1 when the institutions are    
established1 men often think there is no
 room for discoverers and organizers2   
that administrators alone are needed1   
and choose accordingly4 ,but there are  
ideas well known1 not yet organized into
 institutions3 that of free trade1 of   
peace1 of universal freedom1 universal  
education1 universal comfort1 in a word1
 the idea of human brotherhood4 ,these  
wait to be constructed into a ,state    
without injustice1 without war1 without 
slavery1 ignorance1 or want4 ,it is     

hardly true that ,infinity is dry of    
truths1 unseen as yet2 there are truths 
enough waiting to be discovered2 all the
 space betwixt us and ,god is full of   
ideas1 waiting for some ,columbus to    
disclose new worlds4 ,men are always    
saying there is no new thing under the  
sun1 but when the discoverer comes1 they
 see their mistake4 ,we want the new    
eye4         99       99       99       
99       99  ,now1 it is quite plain    
where we are to place the distinguished 
person of whom ,i speak4 ,mr4 ,adams was
 not a discoverer2 not an organizer4 ,he
 added no truth to mankind1 not known   
before1 and even well known2 he made no 
known truth a fact4 ,he was an          
administrator of political institutions4
 ,taking the whole land into            
consideration1 comparing him with his   
competitors1 measuring him by his       
apparent works1 at first sight he does  
not seem very highly eminent in this    
class of political administrators4 ,nay1
 some would set him down1 not an        

administrator so much as a political    
critic4  ,here there is danger of doing 
him injustice1 by neglecting a fact so  
obvious1 that it is seldom seen4 ,mr4   
,adams was a northern man1 with northern
 habits1 methods1 and opinions4 ,by the 
,north1 ,i mean the free ,states4 ,the  
chief business of the ,north is to get  
empire over nature2 all tends to that4  
,young men of talents become merchants1 
merchant-manufacturers1                 
merchant-traders4 ,the object directly  
aimed at1 is wealth2 not wealth by      
plunder1 but by productive work4 ,now1  
to get dominion over nature1 there must 
be education1 universal education1      
otherwise there is not enough           
intelligent industry1 which alone       
insures that dominion4 ,with widespread 
intelligence1 property will be widely   
distributed1 and1 of course1 suffrage   
and civil power will get distributed4   
,all is incomplete without religion4 ,i 
deny not that these peculiarities of the
 ,north1 come1 also1 from other sources1

 but they all are necessary to attain   
the chief object thereof--dominion over 
the material world4 ,the ,north subdues 
nature by thought1 and holds her powers 
in thrall4 ,as results of this1 see the 
increase in wealth which is signified by
 northern railroads1 ships1 mills1 and  
shops2 in the colleges1 schools1        
churches1 which arise2 see the skill    
developed in this struggle with nature1 
the great enterprises which come of     
that1 the movements of commerce1        
manufactures1 the efforts--and          
successful1 too--for the promotion of   
education1 of religion4 ,all is         
democratic1 and becomes more so         
continually1 each descendant founding   
institutions more liberal than those of 
the parent ,state4 ,men designedly1 and1
 as their business1 become merchants1   
mechanics1 and the like2 they are       
politicians by exception1 by accident1  
from the necessity of the case4 ,few    
northern men are politicians by         
profession2 they commonly think it      

better to be a collector or a           
postmaster1 than a ,senator1 estimating 
place by money1 not power4 ,northern    
politicians are bred as lawyers1        
clergymen1 mechanics1 farmers1          
merchants4 ,political life is an        
accident1 not an end4  ,in the ,south1  
the aim is to get dominion over men2 so1
 the whole working population must be in
 subjection1 in slavery4 ,while the     
,north makes brute nature half          
intelligent1 the ,south makes human     
nature half brutal1 the man becoming a  
thing4 ,talent tends to politics1 not   
trade4 ,young men of ability go to the  
army or navy1 to the public offices1 to 
diplomatic posts1 in a word1 to         
politics4 ,they learn to manage men4 ,to
 do this1 they not only learn what men  
think1 but why they think it4 ,the young
 man of the ,north seeks a fortune2 of  
the ,south1 a reputation and political  
power4 ,the politician of the ,south    
makes politics the study and work of his
 whole life2 all else is accidental and 

subordinate4 ,he begins low1 but ends   
high2 he mingles with men2 has bland and
 agreeable manners2 is frank1 honorable1
 manly1 and knows how to persuade4  ,see
 the different results of causes so     
unlike4 ,the ,north manages the         
commercial affairs of the land1 the     
ships1 mills1 farms1 and shops2 the     
spiritual affairs1 literature1 science1 
morals1 education1 religion2--writes1   
calculates1 instructs1 and preaches4    
,but the ,south manages the political   
affairs1 and has free-trade or tariff1  
war or peace1 just as she will4 ,of the 
eight ,presidents who were elected in   
fifty years1 only three were northern   
men4 ,each of them has retired from     
office1 at the end of a single term1 in 
possession of a fortune1 but with little
 political influence4 ,each of the five 
southern ,presidents has been twice     
elected2 only one of them was rich4     
,there is no accident in all this4 ,the 
,state of ,rhode ,island has men that   
can administer the ,connecticut or the  

,mississippi2 that can organize ,niagara
 into a cotton factory2 yes1 that can   
get dominion over the ocean and the     
land3 but the ,state of ,south ,carolina
 has men that can manage the ,congress1 
can rule the ,north and ,south1 and make
 the nation do their bidding4  ,so the  
,south succeeds in politics1 but grows  
poor1 and the ,north fails in politics1 
but thrives in commerce and the arts4   
,there great men turn to politics1 here 
to trade4 ,it is so in time of peace1   
but1 in the day of trouble1 of storms1  
of revolution like the old one1 men of  
tall heads will come up from the ships  
and the shops1 the farms and the        
colleges of the ,north1 born discoverers
 and organizers1 the aristocracy of     
,god1 and sit down in the nation's      
councils to control the ,state4 ,the    
,north made the revolution1 furnished   
the men1 the money1 the ideas1 and the  
occasion for putting them into form4 ,at
 the making of the ,constitution1 the   
,south out-talked the ,north2 put in    

such claims as it saw fitting1 making   
the best bargain it could1 violating the
 ideas of the ,revolution1 and getting  
the ,north1 not only to consent to      
slavery1 but to allow it to be          
represented in ,congress itself4 ,now1  
the ,south breaks the ,constitution just
 when it will1 puts northern sailors in 
its jails1 and the ,north dares not     
complain1 but bears it with a patient   
shrug4 ,an eastern merchant is great on 
a southern exchange1 makes cotton rise  
or fall1 but no northern politician has 
much weight at the ,south1 none has ever
 been twice elected ,president4 ,the    
,north thinks it is a great thing to get
 an inoffensive northern man as         
,speaker1 in the ,house of              
,representatives4 ,the ,south is an     
aristocracy1 which the democracy of the 
,north would not tolerate a year1 were  
it at the ,north itself4 ,now it rules  
the land1 has the northern masses1      
democrats and whigs1 completely under   
its thumb4 ,does the ,south say1 ,go1   

they hasten2 ,come1 they say ,here we   
are2 ,do this1 they obey in a moment2   
,whist1 there is not a mouse stirring in
 all the ,north4 ,does the ,south say   
,annex1 it is done2 ,fight1 men of the  
,north put on the collar1 lie lies1     
issue their proclamations1 enroll their 
soldiers1 and declare it is moral       
treason for the most insignificant      
clergyman to preach against the war4    
,all this needs to be remembered in     
judging of ,mr4 ,adams4 ,true he was    
regularly bred to politics1 and to the  
manor born2 but he was a ,new ,england  
man1 with northern notions1 northern    
habits1 and though more than fifty years
 in public life1 yet he seems to have   
sought the object of ,new ,england far  
more than the object of the ,south4     
,measure his greatness by his service2  
but that is not to be measured by       
immediate and apparent success4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,in a notice so brief as this1 ,i can   
say but little of the details of ,mr4   

,adams's life1 and purposely pass over  
many things1 dwelling mainly on such as 
are significant of his character4 ,he   
was born at ,quincy1 the #aath of ,july1
 #agfg2 in #aggg he went to ,europe with
 his father1 then ,minister to ,france4 
,he remained in ,europe most of the     
time1 his powers developing with        
rapidity and promise of future          
greatness1 till #aghe1 when he returned 
and entered the junior class in ,harvard
 ,college4 ,in #aghg1 he graduated with 
distinguished honors4 ,he studied law at
 ,newburyport1 with ,judge ,parsons1    
till #agij1 and was a lawyer in ,boston1
 till #agid4  ,that may be called the   
period of his education ,he enjoyed the 
advantages of a residence abroad1 which 
enabled him to acquire a knowledge of   
foreign languages1 modes of life1 and   
habits of thought4 ,his father's        
position brought the son in contact with
 the ablest men of the age4 ,he was     
,secretary of the ,american minister to 
,russia at the age of fourteen4 ,he     

early became acquainted with ,franklin  
and ,jefferson1 men who had a powerful  
influence on his youthful mind4 ,for    
three years he was a student with ,judge
 ,parsons1 a very remarkable man4 ,these
 years1 from #agfg to #agid1 form a     
period marked by intense mental activity
 in ,america and in ,europe4 ,the       
greatest subjects which claim human     
attention1 the laws that lie at the     
foundation of society1 the ,state1 the  
church1 and the family1 were discussed  
as never before4 ,mr4 ,adams drew in    
liberty and religion from his mother's  
breast4 ,his cradle rocked with the     
,revolution4 ,when eight years old1 from
 a hill-top hard by his house he saw the
 smoke of ,charlestown1 burning at the  
command of the oppressor4 ,the lullaby  
of his childhood was the roar of cannon 
at ,lexington and ,bunker ,hill4 ,he was
 born in the gathering of the storm1 of 
a family that felt the blast1 but never 
bent thereto2 he grew up in its tumult4 
,circumstances like these make their    

mark on the character4  ,his attention  
was early turned to the most important  
matters4 ,in #agic1 he wrote several    
papers in the ,centinel1 at ,boston1 on 
neutral rights1 advising the ,american  
government to remain neutral in the     
quarrel between ,france1 our ally1 and  
others2 the papers attracted the        
attention of ,washington1 who appointed 
the author ,minister to ,holland4 ,he   
remained abroad in various diplomatic   
services in that country1 in ,russia and
 ,england1 till #ahja1 when he was      
recalled by his father1 and returned    
home4 ,it was an important circumstance1
 that he was abroad during that time    
when the nation divided into two great  
parties4 ,he was not called on to take  
sides with either2 he had a vantage     
ground whence he could overlook both1   
approve their good and shun their evil4 
,the effect of this is abundantly       
evident in all his life4 ,he was not    
dyed in the wool by either political    
party1--the moral sense of the man      

drowned in the process of becoming a    
federalist or a democrat4  ,in #ahjb1 he
 was elected to the ,senate of          
,massachusetts1 yet not wholly by the   
votes of one party4 ,in #ahjc1 he was   
chosen to the ,senate of the ,united    
,states4 ,in the ,massachusetts         
,legislature he was not a strict party  
man2 he was not elected to the ,senate  
by a strictly party vote4 ,in #ahjf1 he 
was inaugurated as ,professor of        
,rhetoric and ,oratory at ,harvard      
,university1 and continued in that      
office about three years4 ,in #ahjh1 he 
resigned his place in the ,senate4 ,in  
#ahji1 he was sent by ,mr4 ,madison as  
,minister to ,russia1 and remained      
abroad in various ministries and        
commissions1 till #ahag1 when he        
returned1 and became ,secretary of      
,state under ,mr4 ,monroe4 ,this office 
he filled till he became ,president1 in 
#ahbe4 ,in #ahbi1 failing of reelection1
 he retired to private life4 ,in #ahca1 
he was elected as one of the            

,representatives to ,congress from      
,massachusetts1 and continued there till
 his death1 the first ,president that   
ever sat in an ,american ,congress4  ,it
 will be fifty-four years the thirtieth 
of next ,may1 since he began his public 
career4 ,what did he aim at in that long
 period8 ,at first sight1 it is easy to 
see the aim of some of the conspicuous  
men of ,america4 ,it has obviously been 
the aim of ,mr4 ,clay to build up the   
,american ,system1 by the establishment 
of protective duties2 that of ,mr4      
,calhoun to establish free trade1       
leaving a man to buy where he can buy   
cheapest1 and sell where he can sell    
dearest4 ,in respect to these matters   
the two are exactly opposite to one     
another--antithetic as the poles4 ,but  
each has also1 and obviously1 another   
aim1--to build up the institution of    
slavery in the ,south4 ,in this they    
agree1 and if ,i understand them aright1
 this is the most important political   
design of each2 for which ,mr4 ,calhoun 

would forego even free trade1 and ,mr4  
,clay would compromise even a tariff4   
,looked at in reference to their aims1  
there is a certain continuity of action 
in both these gentlemen4 ,i speak not   
now of another object which both have   
equally and obviously aimed at2 not of  
the personal1 but the political object4 
,at first sight1 it does not appear that
 ,mr4 ,adams had any definite scheme of 
measures which he aimed to establish2   
there is no obvious unity of idea1 or   
continuity of action1 that forces itself
 upon the spectator4 ,he does not seem  
to have studied the two great subjects  
of our political economy1 finance and   
trade1 very deeply1 or even with any    
considerable width of observation or    
inquiry2 he had no financial or         
commercial hobby4 ,he has worked with   
every party1 and against every party2   
all have claimed1 none held him4 ,now he
 sides with the federalists1 then with  
the democrats2 now he opposes ,france1  
showing that her policy is that of      

pirates2 now he contends against        
,england2 now he works in favor of      
,general ,jackson1 who put down the     
nullification of ,south ,carolina with a
 rough hand2 then he opposes the general
 in his action against the ,bank2 now he
 contends for the ,indians1 then for the
 ,negroes2 now attacks ,masonry1 and    
then ,free trade4 ,he speaks in favor of
 claiming and holding the whole of      
,oregon2 then against annexing ,texas4  
,but there is one sentiment which runs  
through all his life3 an intense love of
 freedom for all men2 one idea1 the idea
 that each man has unalienable rights4  
,these are what may be called the       
,american sentiment1 and the ,american  
idea2 for they lie at the basis of      
,american institutions1 except the      
patriarchal1 and shine out in all our   
history--,i should say1 our early       
history4 ,these two form the golden     
thread on which ,mr4 ,adams's jewels are
 strung4 ,love of human freedom in its  
widest sense is the most marked and     

prominent thing in his character4 ,this 
explains most of his actions4 ,studied  
with this in mind1 his life is pretty   
consistent4 ,this explains his love of  
the ,constitution4 ,he early saw the    
peculiarity of the ,american government2
 that it rested in theory on the natural
 rights of man1 not on a compact1 not on
 tradition1 but on somewhat anterior to 
both1 on the unalienable rights         
universal in man1 and equal in each4 ,he
 looked on the ,american ,constitution  
as an attempt to organize these rights2 
resting1 therefore1 not on force1 but   
natural law2 not on power1 but right4   
,but with him the ,constitution was not 
an idol2 it was a means1 not an end4 ,he
 did more than expound it2 he went back 
of the ,constitution1 to the            
,declaration of ,independence1 for the  
ideas of the ,constitution2 yes1 back of
 the ,declaration to ,human ,nature and 
the ,laws of ,god1 to legitimate these  
ideas4 ,the ,constitution is a          
compromise between those ideas and      

institutions and prejudices existing    
when it was made2 not an idol1 but a    
servant4 ,he saw that the ,constitution 
is not the work of eternal justice1     
ruling through the people1 but the work 
of man2 frail1 fallen1 imperfect man1   
following the dictates of his nature1   
and aspiring to be perfect4#ab ,though a
 constitutionalist1 he did not worship  
the ,constitution4 ,he was much more    
than a defender of the ,constitution1--a
 defender of ,human ,rights4  ,mr4      
,adams had this ,american sentiment and 
idea in an heroic degree4 ,perhaps no   
political man now living has expressed  
them so fully4 ,with a man like him1 not
 very genial or creative1 having no     
great constructive skill1 and not       
without a certain pugnacity in his      
character1 this sentiment and idea would
 naturally develop themselves in a      
negative form1 that of opposition to    
,wrong1 more often than in the positive 
form of direct organization of the      
,right2 would lead to criticism oftener 

than to creation4 ,especially would this
 be the case if other men were building 
up institutions in opposition to this   
idea4 ,in him they actually take the    
form of what he called ,the unalienable 
right of resistance to oppression4 ,his 
life furnishes abundant instances of    
this4 ,he thought the ,indians were     
unjustly treated1 cried out against the 
wrong2 when ,president1 endeavored to   
secure justice to the ,creeks in        
,georgia1 and got into collision with   
,governor ,troup4 ,he saw1 or thought he
 saw1 that ,england opposed the         
,american idea1 both in the new world   
and the old4 ,in his zeal for freedom he
 sometimes forgot the great services of 
,england in that same cause1 and hated  
,england1 hated her with great intensity
 of hatred1 hated her political policy1 
her monarchy1 and her aristocracy1      
mocked at the madness of her king1 for  
he thought ,england stood in the way of 
freedom4#ac ,yet he loved the ,english  
name and the ,english blood1 was proud  

of being himself descended from that    
stock1 thinking it worth noting1 that   
,chatham's language was his mother      
tongue1 and ,wolfe's great name         
compatriot with his own4 ,he confessed  
no nation had done more for the cause of
 human improvement4 ,he loved the       
,common ,law of ,england1 putting it far
 above the ,roman ,law1 perhaps not     
without doing a little injustice to the 
latter4#ad ,the common law was a rude   
and barbarous code4 ,but human liberty  
was there2 a trial by jury was there2   
the habeas corpus was there4 ,it was the
 law of men regardful of human rights4  
,this sentiment led him to defend the   
right of petition in the ,house of      
,representatives1 as no other man had   
dared to do4 ,he cared not whether it   
was the petition of a majority1 or a    
minority2 of men or women1 free men or  
slaves4 ,it might be a petition to      
remove him from a committee1 to expel   
him from the ,house1 a petition to      
dissolve the ,union--he presented it    

none the less4 ,to him there was but one
 nature in all1 man or woman1 bond or   
free1 and that was human nature1 the    
most sacred thing on earth4 ,each human 
child had unalienable rights1 and though
 that child was a beggar or slave1 had  
rights1 which all the power in the      
world1 bent into a single arm1 could not
 destroy nor abate1 though it might     
ravish away4 ,this induced him to       
attempt to procure the right of suffrage
 for the colored citizens of the        
,district of ,columbia4  ,this sentiment
 led him to oppose tyranny in the ,house
 of ,representatives1 the tyranny of the
 majority4 ,in one of his juvenile      
essays1 published in #agia1 contending  
against a highly popular work1 he       
opposed the theory that a ,state has the
 right to do what it pleases1 declaring 
it had no right to do wrong4#ae ,in his 
old age he had not again to encounter   
the empty hypothesis of ,thomas ,paine1 
but the substantial enactment of the    
,representatives of the people of the   

,united ,states4 ,the hypothesis was    
trying to become a fact4 ,the ,south had
 passed the infamous ,gag-,law1 which a 
symbolical man from ,new ,hampshire had 
presented1 though it originated with    
others4#af ,by that law the mouth of the
 ,north was completely stopped in       
,congress1 so that not one word could be
 said about the matter of slavery4  ,the
 ,north was quite willing to have it    
stopped1 for it did not care to speak   
against slavery1 and the gag did not    
stop the mouth of the ,northern purse4  
,you may take away from the ,north its  
honor1 if you can find it2 may take away
 its rights2 may imprison its free      
citizens in the jails of ,louisiana and 
the ,carolinas2 yes1 may invade the     
,sacred soil of the ,north1 and kidnap a
 man out of ,boston itself1 within sight
 of ,faneuil ,hall1 and the ,north will 
not complain2 will bear it with that    
patient shrug1 waiting for yet further  
indignities4 ,only when the ,northern   
purse is touched1 is there an uproar4   

,if the postmaster demands silver for   
letters1 there is instant alarm2 the    
repeal of a tariff rouses the feelings1 
and an embargo once drove the indignant 
,north to the perilous edge of          
rebellion6 ,mr4 ,adams loved his dollars
 as well as most ,new ,england men2 he  
looked out for their income as well2    
guarded as carefully against their      
outgo2 though conscientiously upright in
 all his dealings1 kind and hospitable1 
he has never been proved generous1 and  
generosity is the commonest virtue of   
the ,north2 is said to have been close1 
if not mean4 ,he loved his dollars as   
well as most men1 but he loved justice  
more2 honor more2 freedom more2 the     
,unalienable ,rights of man far more4   
,he looked on the ,constitution as an   
instrument for the defence of the       
,rights of man4 ,the government was to  
act as the people had told how4 ,the    
,federal government was not sovereign2  
the ,state government was not           
sovereign2#ag neither was a court of    

ultimate appeal2--but the ,people was   
sovereign2 had the right of ,eminent    
,domain over ,congress and the          
,constitution1 and making that1 had set 
limits to the government4 ,he guarded   
therefore against all violation of the  
,constitution1 as a wrong done to the   
people2 he would not overstep its limits
 in a bad cause2 not even in a good one4
 ,did ,mr4 ,jefferson obtain ,louisiana 
by a confessed violation of the         
,constitution1 ,mr4 ,adams would oppose 
the purchase of ,louisiana1 and was one 
of the six senators who voted against   
it4 ,making laws for that ,territory1 he
 wished to extend the trial by jury to  
all criminal prosecutions1 while the law
 limited that form of trial to capital  
offences4 ,before that ,territory had a 
representative in ,congress1 the        
,american government wished to collect a
 revenue there4 ,mr4 ,adams opposed that
 too4 ,it was assuming a dangerous      
power2 it was government without the    
consent of the governed1 and therefore  

an unjust government4 ,all exercise of  
human authority must be under the       
limitation of right and wrong4 ,all     
other power is despotic1 and in defiance
 of the laws of nature and of ,god4#ah  
,this love of freedom led him to hate   
and oppose the tyranny of the strong    
over the weak1 to hate it most in its   
worst form2 to hate ,american ,slavery1 
doubtless the most infamous form of that
 tyranny now known amongst the nations  
of ,christendom1 and perhaps the most   
disgraceful thing on earth4 ,mr4 ,adams 
called slavery a vessel of dishonor so  
base that it could not be named in the  
,constitution with decency4 ,in #ahje1  
he wished to lay a duty on the          
importation of slaves1 and was one of   
five senators who voted to that effect4 
,he saw the power of this               
institution--the power of money and the 
power of votes which it gives to a few  
men4 ,he saw how dangerous it was to the
 ,union2 to ,american liberty1 to the   
cause of man4 ,he saw that it trod three

 millions of men down to the dust1      
counting souls but as cattle4 ,he hated 
nothing as he hated this2 fought against
 nothing so manfully4 ,it was the lion  
in the pathway of freedom1 which        
frightened almost all the politicians of
 the ,north and the ,east and the ,west1
 so that they forsook that path2 a lion 
whose roar could wellnigh silence the   
forum and the bar1 the pulpit and the   
press2 a lion who rent the              
,constitution1 trampled under foot the  
,declaration of ,independence1 and tore 
the ,bible to pieces4 ,mr4 ,adams was   
ready to rouse up this lion1 and then to
 beard him in his den4 ,hating slavery1 
of course he opposed whatever went to   
strengthen its power2 opposed ,mr4      
,atherton's ,gag-law2 opposed the       
annexation of ,texas2 opposed the       
,mexican war2 and1 wonderful to tell1   
actually voted against it1 and never    
took back his vote4  ,when ,secretary of
 ,state1 this same feeling led him to   
oppose conceding to the ,british the    

right of searching ,american vessels    
supposed to be concerned in the         
slave-trade1 and when ,representative to
 oppose the repeal of the law giving    
protection to ,american sailors4 ,it    
appeared also in private intercourse    
with men4 ,no matter what was a man's   
condition1 ,mr4 ,adams treated him as an
 equal4         99       99       99    
99       99  ,this devotion to freedom  
and the unalienable rights of man1 was  
the most important work of his life4    
,compared with some other political men1
 he seems inconsistent1 because he now  
opposes one evil1 then its opposite     
evil4 ,but his general course is in this
 direction1 and1 when viewed in respect 
to this idea1 seems more consistent than
 that of ,mr4 ,webster1 or ,calhoun1 or 
,clay1 when measured by any great       
principle4 ,this appears in his earlier 
life4 ,in #ahjb1 he became a member of  
the ,massachusetts ,senate4 ,the        
majority of the ,general ,court were    
federalists4 ,it was a time of intense  

political excitement1 the second year of
 ,mr4 ,jefferson's administration4 ,the 
custom is well known--to take the whole 
of the ,governor's ,council from the    
party which has a majority in the       
,general ,court4 ,on the #bgth of ,may1 
#ahjb1 ,mr4 ,adams stood up for the     
rights of the minority4 ,he wanted some 
anti-federalists in the ,council of     
,governor ,strong1 and as ,senator threw
 his first vote to secure that object4  
,such was the first legislative action  
of ,john ,quincy ,adams4 ,in the ,house 
of ,representatives1 in #ahca1 the first
 thing he did was to present fifteen    
petitions for the abolition of slavery  
in the ,district of ,columbia1 though1  
from constitutional scruples1 opposed to
 granting the petitions4 ,the last      
public act of his life was this3--,the  
question was before the ,house on giving
 medals to the men distinguished in the 
,mexican war2 the minority opposing it  
wanted more time for debate2 the        
previous question was moved1 ,mr4 ,adams

 voted for the last time1--voted ,no1   
with unusual emphasis2 the great loud   
,no of a man going home to ,god full of 
,the unalienable right of resistance to 
oppression1 its emphatic word on his    
dying lips4 ,there were the beginning1  
the middle1 and the end1 all three in   
the same spirit1 all in favor of        
mankind2 a remarkable unity of action in
 his political drama4  ,somebody once   
asked him1 ,what are the recognized     
principles of politics8 ,mr4 ,adams     
answered that there were none3 the      
recognized precepts are bad ones1 and so
 not principles4 ,but1 continued the    
inquirer1 is not this a good one--,to   
seek ,the greatest good of the greatest 
number8 ,no1 said he1 that is the worst 
of all1 for it looks specious while it  
is ruinous4 ,what shall become of the   
minority1 in that case8 ,this is the    
only principle1--,to seek the greatest  
good of all4  ,i do not say there were  
no exceptions to this devotion to       
freedom in a long life2 there are some  

passages in his history which it is     
impossible to justify1 and hard to      
excuse4 ,in early life he was evidently 
ambitious of place1 and rank1 and       
political power4 ,i must confess1 it    
seems to me1 at some times1 he was not  
scrupulous enough about the means of    
attaining that place and power4 ,he has 
been much censured for his vote in favor
 of the ,embargo1 in #ahjg4 ,his vote1  
howsoever unwise1 may easily have been  
an honest vote4 ,to an impartial        
spectator at this day1 perhaps it will  
be evidently so4 ,his defence of it ,i  
cannot think an honest defence1 for in  
that he mentions arguments as impelling 
him to his vote which could scarcely    
have been present to his mind at the    
time1 and1 if they were his arguments   
then1 were certainly kept in            
silence--they did not appear in the     
debate1#ai they were not referred to in 
the ,president's message4#bj  ,i am not 
to praise ,mr4 ,adams simply because he 
is dead2 what is wrong before is wrong  

after death4 ,it is no merit to die2    
shall we tell lies about him because he 
is dead8 ,no1 the ,egyptian people      
scrutinized and judged their kings after
 death--much more should we our         
fellow-citizens1 intrusted with power to
 serve the ,state4 ,a lavish and        
undistinguishing eulogium is not praise4
 ,i know what coals of terrible fire lie
 under my feet1 as ,i speak of this     
matter1 and how thin and light is the   
coat of ashes deposited there in forty  
years2 how easily they are blown away at
 the slightest breath of ,hartford      
,convention1 or the ,embargo1 and the   
old flame of political animosity blazes 
forth anew1 while the hostile forms of  
federalists and democrats come back to  
light4 ,i would not disquiet those awful
 shades1 nor bring them up again4 ,but a
 word must be said4 ,the story of the   
embargo is well known3 the ,president   
sent his message to the ,senate         
recommending it1 and accompanied with   
several documents4 ,the message was read

 and assigned to a committee2 the       
ordinary rule of business was suspended2
 the bill was reported by the committee2
 drafted1 debated1 engrossed1 and       
completely passed through all its       
stages1 the whole on the same day1 in   
secret session1 and in about four hours6
 ,yet it was a bill that involved the   
whole commerce of the country1 and      
prostrated that commerce1 seriously     
affecting the welfare of hundreds of    
thousands of men4 ,eight hundred        
thousand tons of shipping were doomed to
 lie idle and rot in port4 ,the message 
came on ,friday4 ,some of the ,senators 
wanted yet further information and more 
time for debate1 at least for           
consideration1--till ,monday4 ,it could 
not be6 ,till ,saturday1 then4 ,no2 the 
bill must pass now1 no man sleeping on  
that question4 ,mr4 ,adams was the most 
zealous for passing the bill4 ,in that  
debate1 if such it can be called1 while 
opposing a postponement for further     
information and reflection1 he said1    

,the ,president has recommended the     
measure on his high responsibility2 ,i  
would not consider1 ,i would not        
deliberate2 ,i would act4 ,doubtless the
 ,president possesses such further      
information as will justify the         
measure6#ba ,to my mind1 that is the    
worst act of his public life2 ,i cannot 
justify it4 ,i wish ,i could find some  
reasonable excuse for it4 ,what had     
become of the sovereignty of the people1
 the unalienable right of resistance to 
oppression8 ,would not consider2 would  
not deliberate2 would act without doing 
either2 leave it all to the high        
responsibility of the ,president1 with a
 doubtless he has further information to
 justify the measure6 ,it was a shame to
 say so2 it would have disgraced a      
,senator in ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,why not  
have the further information laid before
 the ,senate8 ,what would ,mr4 ,adams   
have said1 if ,president ,jackson1      
,tyler1 or ,polk1 had sent such a       
message1 and some ,senator or           

,representative had counselled          
submissive action1 without considering1 
without deliberation8 ,with what        
appalling metaphors would he describe   
such a departure from the first duty of 
a statesman2 how would the tempestuous  
eloquence of that old patriot shake the 
,hall of ,congress till it rung again1  
and the nation looked up with           
indignation in its face6 ,it is well    
known what ,mr4 ,adams said in #ahcd1   
when ,mr4 ,polk1 in the ,house of       
,representatives1 seemed over-laudatory 
of the ,president3 ,i shall never be    
disposed to interfere with any member   
who shall rise on this floor and        
pronounce a panegyric upon the chief    
magistrate4      ',no1 let the candied  
tongue lick absurd pomp1     ,and crook 
the pregnant hinges of the knee         
,where thrift may follow fawning4'  ,yet
 the future of ,mr4 ,polk was not so    
obvious in #ahcd1 as the reward of ,mr4 
,adams in #ahjh4  ,this act is          
particularly glaring in ,mr4 ,adams4    

,the ,north often sends men to          
,washington who might have done it      
without any great inconsistency2 men1   
too1 not so remarkable for infirmity in 
the head1 as for that less pardonable   
weakness in the knees and the neck2 men 
that bend to power right or wrong4 ,mr4 
,adams was not afflicted with that      
weakness1 and so the more to be censured
 for this palpable betrayal of a trust  
so important4 ,i wish ,i could find some
 excuse for it4 ,he was forty years old2
 not very old1 but old enough to know   
better4 ,his defence made the matter    
worse4 ,the ,massachusetts ,legislature 
disapproved of his conduct2 chose       
another man to succeed him in the       
,senate4 ,then ,mr4 ,adams resigned his 
seat1 and soon after was sent minister  
to ,russia1 as he himself subsequently  
declared1#bb in consequence of the      
support he had for years given to the   
measures of ,mr4 ,jefferson's           
administration against ,great ,britain4 
,but his father said of that mission of 

his son1 ,aristides is banished because 
he is too just4#bc ,it is easy to judge 
of the temper of the times1 when such   
words as those of the father could be   
said on such an occasion1 and that by a 
man who had been ,president of the      
,united ,states6 ,when a famine occurs1 
disease appears in the most hideous     
forms2 men go back to temporary         
barbarism4 ,in times of political       
strife1 such diseases appear of the     
intellectual and moral powers4 ,no man  
who did not live in those times can     
fully understand the obliquity of mind  
and moral depravity which then displayed
 themselves amongst those otherwise     
without reproach4 ,says ,mr4 ,adams     
himself1 referring to that period1      
,imagination in her wildest vagaries can
 scarcely conceive the transformation of
 temper1 the obliquities of intellect1  
the perversions of moral principle1     
effected by junctures of nigh and       
general excitement4 ,however1 it must be
 confessed that this1 though not the    

only instance of injustice1 is the only 
case of servile compliance with the     
,executive to be found in the whole life
 of the man4 ,it was a grievous fault1  
but grievously did he answer it2 and if 
a long life of unfaltering resistance to
 every attempt at the assumption of     
power is fit atonement1 then the        
expiation was abundantly made4  ,about  
the same time1 ,mr4 ,adams was chairman 
of a committee of the ,senate1 appointed
 to consider the case of a ,senator from
 ,ohio4 ,his conduct1 on that occasion1 
has been the theme of violent attack1   
and defence as violent4 ,to the calm    
spectator1 at this day1 his conduct     
seems unjustifiable1 inconsistent with  
the counsels of justice1 which1 though  
moving with her ,pace of snail1 looks   
always towards the right1 and will not  
move out of her track1 though the       
heavens fall4  ,while ,mr4 ,adams was   
,president1 ,hayti became free2 but he  
did not express any desire that the     
,united ,states should acknowledge her  

independence1 and receive her minister  
at ,washington1--an ,african            
plenipotentiary4 ,in his message1#bd he 
says1 ,there are circumstances that have
 hitherto forbidden the acknowledgment1 
and mentions additional reasons for     
withholding that acknowledgment4 ,in the
 instructions to the ,american          
functionary1 sent to the celebrated     
,congress of ,panama1 it is said1 the   
,president is not prepared now to say   
that ,hayti ought to be recognized as an
 independent sovereign power2 he does   
not think it would be proper at this    
time to recognize it as a new ,state4   
,he was unwilling to consent to the     
independence of ,cuba1 for fear of an   
insurrection of her slaves1 and the     
effect at home4 ,the duty of the ,united
 ,states would be ,to defend themselves 
against the contagion of such near and  
dangerous examples1 that would constrain
 them 444 to employ all means necessary 
to their security4 ,that is1 the        
,president would be constrained to put  

down the blacks in ,cuba1 who were      
exercising ,the unalienable right of    
resistance to oppression1 for fear the  
blacks in the ,united ,states would     
discover that they also were men1 and   
had ,unalienable rights6 ,had he        
forgotten the famous words1 ,resistance 
to tyrants is obedience to ,god8 ,the   
defence of such language on such an     
occasion is1 that ,mr4 ,adams's eyes    
were not yet open to the evil of        
slavery4 ,that is a good defence1 if    
true4 ,to me it seems a true defence4   
,even great men do not see every thing4 
,in #ahjj1 ,fisher ,ames1 while         
delivering the eulogy on ,general       
,washington1 censured even the ,british 
government1 because1 ,in the wilds of   
,africa1 it obstructed the commerce in  
slaves6 ,no man is so wise as mankind4  
,it must be confessed that ,mr4 ,adams1 
while ,secretary of ,state1 and again1  
while ,president1 showed no hostility to
 the institution of slavery4 ,his       
influence all went the other way4 ,he   

would repress the freedom of the blacks1
 in the ,west ,indies1 lest ,american   
slavery should be disturbed1 and its    
fetters broke2 he would not acknowledge 
the independence of ,hayti1 he would    
urge ,spain to make peace with her      
descendants1 for the same reason--not   
for those new republics1 but lest the   
negroes in ,cuba and ,porto ,rico should
 secure their freedom4 ,he negotiated   
with ,england1 and she paid the ,united 
,states more than a million of          
dollars#be for the fugitive slaves who  
took refuge under her flag during the   
late war4 ,mr4 ,adams had no scruples   
about receiving the money during his    
administration4 ,an attempt was         
repeatedly made by his secretary1 ,mr4  
,clay1 through ,mr4 ,gallatin1 and then 
through ,mr4 ,barbour1 to induce        
,england to restore the fugitive slaves 
who had taken refuge in the ,canadian   
provinces1 who1 escaping from the area  
of freedom1 seek the shelter of the     
,british crown4#bf ,nay1 he negotiated a

 treaty with ,mexico1 which bound her to
 deliver up fugitive slaves1 escaping   
from the ,united ,states--a treaty which
 the ,mexican ,congress refused to      
ratify6 ,should a great man have known  
better8 ,great men are not always wise4 
,afterwards1 public attention was called
 to the matter2 humble men gave lofty   
counsel2 ,mr4 ,adams used different     
language1 and recommended different     
measures4 ,but long before that1 on the 
#gth of ,december1 #ahjd1 ,mr4          
,pickering1 his colleague in the ,senate
 of the ,united ,states1 offered a      
resolution1 for the purpose of amending 
the ,constitution1 so as to apportion   
representatives1 and direct taxes among 
the ,states1 according to their free    
inhabitants4  ,but there are other      
things in ,mr4 ,adams's course and      
conduct1 which deserve the censure of a 
good man4 ,one was1 the attempt to      
justify the conduct of ,england1 in her 
late war with ,china1 when she forced   
her opium upon the barbarians with the  

bayonet4 ,to make out his case1 he      
contended that ,in the celestial empire 
444 the patriarchal system of ,sir      
,robert ,filmer1 flourished in all its  
glory1 and the ,chinese claimed superior
 dignity over all others2 they refused  
to hold equal and reciprocal commercial 
intercourse with other nations1 and ,it 
is time this enormous outrage upon the  
rights of human nature1 and the first   
principles of the laws of nations1      
should cease4#bg ,it is true1 the       
,chinese were barbarians2 true1 the     
,english carried thither the ,bible and 
,christianity1 at least their own       
,christianity4 ,but1 even by the law of 
nations1 letting alone the law of       
nature1 the barbarians had a right to   
repel both ,bible and ,christianity1    
when they came in a contraband          
shape--that of opium and cannon balls4  
,to justify this outrage of the strong  
against the weak1 he quite forgets his  
old antipathy to ,england1 his devotion 
to human freedom1 and the sovereignty of

 the people1 calling the cause of       
,england a righteous cause4  ,he        
defended the ,american claim to the     
whole of ,oregon1 up to #ed deg4 #dj'4  
,he did not so much undertake to make   
out a title to either1 by the law of    
nature or of nations1 but cut the matter
 short1 and claimed the whole of        
,oregon1 on the strength of the first   
chapter of ,genesis4 ,this was the      
argument3 ,god gave mankind dominion    
over all the earth2#bh between          
,christian nations1 the command of the  
,creator lays the foundation of all     
titles to land1 of titles to territory1 
of titles to jurisdiction4 ,then in the 
,psalms1#bi ,god gives the uttermost    
part of the earth for a possession to   
the ,messiah1 as the representative of  
all mankind1 who held the uttermost     
parts of the earth in chief4 ,but the   
,pope1 as head of the visible church1   
was the representative of ,christ1 and  
so1 holding under him1 had the right to 
give to any king or prelate1 authority  

to subdue barbarous nations1 possess    
their territory1 and convert them to    
,christianity4 ,in #adic1 the ,pope1 in 
virtue of the above right1 gave the     
,american continent to the ,spanish     
monarchs1 who1 in time1 sold their title
 to the people of the ,united ,states4  
,that title may be defective1 as the    
,pope may not be the representative of  
,christ1 and so the passage in the      
,psalms will not help the ,american     
claim1 but then the ,united ,states will
 hold under the first clause in the     
,testament of ,god1 that is1 in         
,genesis4 ,the claim of ,great ,britain 
is not valid1 for she does not want the 
land for the purpose specified in that  
clause of the ,testament1 to ,replenish 
the earth and subdue it4 ,she wants it1 
,that she may keep it open as a         
hunting-ground1 while the ,united       
,states want it1 that it may grow into a
 great nation1 and become a free and    
sovereign republic4#cj  ,this strange   
hypothesis1 it seems1 lay at the bottom 

of his defence of the ,british in their 
invasion of ,china4 ,it would have led  
him1 if consistent1 to claim also the   
greater part of ,mexico4 ,but1 as he did
 not publicly declare his opinion on    
that matter1 no more need be said       
concerning it4         99       99      
99       99       99  ,such was the most
 prominent idea in his history2 such the
 departures from it4 ,let us look at    
other events in his life4 ,while        
,president1 the most important object of
 his administration was the promotion of
 internal improvements1 especially the  
internal communication between the      
,states4 ,for this purpose the          
government lent its aid in the          
construction of roads and canals1 and a 
little more than four millions of       
dollars were devoted to this work in his
 administration4 ,on the #dth of ,july1 
#ahbh1 he helped break ground for the   
,chesapeake and ,ohio canal1 thinking it
 an important event in his life4 ,he    
then said there were three great steps  

in the progress of ,america4 ,the first 
was the ,declaration of ,independence   
and the achievement thereof2 the second1
 the union of the whole country under   
the ,constitution2 but the third was    
more arduous than both of the others3   
,it is1 said he1 the adaptation of the  
powers1 physical1 moral1 and            
intellectual1 of the whole ,union1 to   
the improvement of its own condition2 of
 its moral and political condition1 by  
wise and liberal institutions2 by the   
cultivation of the understanding and the
 heart2 by academies1 schools1 and      
learned institutions2 by the pursuit and
 patronage of learning and the arts2 of 
its physical condition1 by associated   
labor to improve the bounties and supply
 the deficiencies of nature2 to stem the
 torrent in its course2 to level the    
mountain with the plain2 to disarm and  
fetter the raging surge of the ocean4#ca
 ,he faithfully adhered to these words  
in his administration4  ,he was careful 
never to exceed the powers which the    

,constitution prescribed for him4 ,he   
thought the acquisition of ,louisiana   
was accomplished by a flagrant violation
 of the ,constitution1#cb and himself   
guarded against such violations4 ,he    
revered the ,god of ,limits1 who1 in the
 ,roman mythology1 refused to give way  
or remove1 even for ,jupiter himself4   
,no man was ever more conscientious on  
that ground4 ,to him the ,constitution  
meant something2 his oath to keep it    
meant something4  ,no great political   
event occurred in his administration2   
the questions which now vex the country 
had not arisen4 ,there was no quarrel   
between freedom and slavery2 no man in  
,congress ventured to denounce slavery  
as a crime2 the ,african slave-trade was
 thought wrong1 not the slavery which   
caused it4 ,party lines1 obliterated    
under ,mr4 ,monroe's administration1    
were viewed and marked with a good deal 
of care and exactness2 but the old lines
 could not be wholly restored4 ,mr4     
,adams was not the ,president of a      

section of the country2 not the         
,president of a party1 but of the       
nation4 ,he favored no special interest 
of a class1 to the injury of another    
class4 ,he did not reward his friends1  
nor punish his foes2 the party of the   
spoils1 patent or latent at all times1  
got no spoils from him4 ,he never       
debauched his country by the removal and
 appointment of officers4 ,had he done  
otherwise1 done as all his successors   
have done1 used his actual power to     
promote his own ambition1 no doubt he   
might have been reelected4 ,but he could
 not stoop to manage men in that way4   
,no doubt he desired a reelection1 and  
saw the method and means to effect that1
 but conscience said1 ,it is not right4 
,he forbore1 lost his election1 and     
gained--we shall soon see what he       
gained4  ,on the #aith of ,july1 #ahbf1 
at a public dinner at ,edgefield        
,court-house1 ,south ,carolina1 ,mr4    
,mc,duffie said1 ,mr4 ,adams came into  
power upon principles utterly subversive

 of the republican system2 substituting 
the worst species of aristocracy1 that  
of speculating politicians and          
office-hunters1 in the place of a sound 
and wholesome republican democracy4     
,when ,mr4 ,adams retired from office1  
he could remember1 with the virtuous    
,athenian1 that no man had put on       
mourning for him because unjustly       
deprived of his post4 ,was an           
office-holder or an office-wanter a     
political friend of ,mr4 ,adams1 that   
did not help him2 a foe1 that did not   
hinder4 ,he looked only to the man's    
ability and integrity4 ,i wish it was no
 praise to say these things2 but it is  
praise ,i dare not apply to any other   
man since ,washington4 ,mr4 ,adams once 
said1 ,there is no official act of the  
chief magistrate1 however momentous1 or 
however minute1 but it should be        
traceable to a dictate of duty1 pointing
 to the welfare of the people4 ,that was
 his executive creed4         99        
99       99       99       99  ,as a    

public servant1 he had many qualities   
seldom united in the same person4 ,he   
was simple1 and unostentatious2 he had  
none of the airs of a great man2 seemed 
humble1 modest1 and retiring2 caring    
much for the substance of manhood1 he   
let the show take care of itself4 ,he   
carried the simplicity of a plain ,new  
,england man into the ,president's      
house1 spending little in its           
decorations--about one fourth1 it is    
said1 of the amount of his successor4   
,in his housekeeping1 public or private1
 there was only one thing much to be    
boasted of and remarked upon3 strange to
 say1 that was the master of the house4 
,he was never eclipsed by his own brass 
and mahogany4 ,he had what are called   
democratic habits1 and served himself in
 preference to being served by others4  
,he treated all that were about him with
 a marked deference and courtesy1       
carrying his respect for human rights   
into the minutest details of common     
life4  ,he was a model of diligence1    

though not1 perhaps1 very systematic4   
,his ,state papers1 prepared while he   
was ,minister1 ,secretary1 or ,member of
 ,congress1 his numerous orations and   
speeches1 though not always             
distinguished for that orderly          
arrangement of parts which is           
instinctive with minds of a high        
philosophical character1 are yet        
astonishing for their number1 and the   
wide learning they display4 ,he was well
 acquainted with the classic and most   
modern languages2 at home in their      
literature4 ,he was surprisingly        
familiar with modern history2 perhaps no
 political man was so thoroughly        
acquainted with the political history of
 ,america1 and that of ,christian       
,europe for the last two hundred years4 
,he was widely read and profoundly      
skilled in all that relates to          
diplomacy1 and to international law4 ,he
 was fond of belles-lettres1 and        
commented on ,shakspeare more like a    
professor than a layman in that         

department4 ,few theologians in         
,america1 it is said1 were so widely    
read in their peculiar lore as he4 ,he  
had read much1 remembered much1         
understood much4 ,however1 he seems to  
have paid little attention to physical  
science1 and perhaps less to            
metaphysical4 ,his speeches and his     
conversation1 though neither brilliant1 
nor rich in ideas1 astonished young men 
with an affluence of learning1 which    
seemed marvellous in one all his life   
devoted to practical affairs4 ,but this 
is a trifle3 to achieve that1 nothing is
 needed but health1 diligence1 memory1  
and a long life4 ,mr4 ,adams had all    
these requisites4  ,he had higher       
qualities3 he loved his country1 perhaps
 no man more so2 he had patriotism in an
 heroic degree1 yet was not thereby     
blinded to humanity4 ,he thought it a   
vital principle of human society1 that  
each nation should contribute to the    
happiness of all2 and1 therefore1 that  
no nation should regulate its conduct by

 the exclusive or even the paramount    
consideration of its own interest4#cc   
,yet he loved his country1 his whole    
country1 and when she was in the wrong  
he told her so1 because he loved her4   
,this1 said he1 would be a good         
sentiment3 ,our country6 ,may she be    
always successful2 but1 whether         
successful or not1 may she be always in 
the right4 ,he saw the faults of        
,america1 saw the corruption of the     
,american government4 ,he did not make  
gain by this in private1 but set an     
honest face against it4  ,he was a      
conscientious man4 ,this peculiarity is 
strongly marked in most of his life4 ,he
 respected the limit between right and  
wrong4 ,he did not think it unworthy of 
a statesman to refer to moral           
principles1 to the absolutely right4 ,i 
do not mean to say1 that in his whole   
life there was no departure from the    
strict rule of duty4 ,i have mentioned  
already some examples1 but kept one more
 for this place3 he pursued persons with

 a certain vindictiveness of spirit4 ,i 
will not revive again the old quarrels1 
nor dig up his hard words1 long ago     
consigned to oblivion2 it would be      
unjust to the living4 ,he was what is   
called a good hater4 ,if he loved an    
idea1 he seemed to hate the man who     
opposed it4 ,he was not content with    
replying2 he must also retort1 though it
 manifestly weakened the force of the   
reply4 ,in his attacks on persons he was
 sometimes unjust1 violent1 sharp1 and  
vindictive2 sometimes cruel1 and even   
barbarous4 ,did he ever forgive an      
enemy8 ,every opponent was a foe1 and he
 thrashed his foes with an iron hoof and
 winnowed them with a storm4 ,the most  
awful specimens of invective which the  
language affords can be found in his    
words--bitter1 revengeful1 and          
unrelenting4 ,i am sorry to say these   
things2 it hurts my feelings to say     
them1 yours not less to hear them4 ,but 
it is not our fault they are true2 it   
would be mine1 if1 knowing they were    

true1 ,i did not on this occasion point 
them out in warning words4 ,mr4 ,adams  
says that ,roger ,williams was          
conscientious and contentious2 it is    
equally true of himself4 ,perhaps ,mr4  
,adams had little humor1 but certainly a
 giant's wit2 he used it tyrannously and
 like a giant4 ,wit has its place in    
debate2 in controversy it is a          
legitimate weapon1 offensive and        
defensive4 ,after one has beaten the    
single barley-corn of good sense out of 
a whole wagon-load of chaff1 the easiest
 way to be rid of the rubbish is to burn
 it up with the lightning of wit2 the   
danger is1 that the burning should begin
 before the separation is made2 that the
 fire consume the good and bad          
indifferently4 ,when argument is edged  
and pointed with wit1 it is doubly      
effective2 but when that edge is jagged 
with ill-will1 poisoned1 too1 with      
personal spleen1 then it becomes a      
weapon unworthy of a man4 ,sometimes    
,mr4 ,adams used his wit as fairly as   

his wisdom2 and bags of wind1 on which  
,hercules might have stamped and beaten 
a twelvemonth1 but in vain--at a single 
puncture from that keen wit gave up     
their ghost and flattened into nothing2 
a vanity to all men1 but a vexation of  
spirit to him who had blown them so full
 of his own soul4 ,but sometimes1 yes1  
often1 ,mr4 ,adams's wit performs a     
different part3 it sits as a judge1     
unjust and unforgiving1 often deciding  
wrong1 and when right from wrong        
motives4 ,it was the small dagger with  
which he smote the fallen foe4 ,it is a 
poor praise for a famous man1 churchman1
 or statesman1 to beat a blackguard with
 his own weapons4 ,it must be confessed1
 that in controversy1 ,mr4 ,adams's     
arrows were sharp and deftly delivered2 
but they were often barbed1 and         
sometimes poisoned4  ,true1 he          
encountered more political opposition   
than any man in the nation4 ,for more   
than forty years he has never been      
without bitter and unrelenting enemies1 

public and private4 ,no man in ,america1
 perhaps1 ever had such provocations2   
surely1 none had ever such opportunities
 to reply without retorting4 ,how much  
better would it have been1 if1 at the   
end of that long life and fifty years'  
war1 he could say he had never wasted a 
shot2 had never sinned with his lips1   
nor once feathered his public arrow with
 private spleen6 ,wise as he was1 and   
old1 he never learned that for          
undeserved calumny1 for personal insult 
and abuse1 there is one answer1         
,christian1 manly1 and irrefutable--the 
dignity of silence4 ,a just man can     
afford to wait till the storm of abuse  
shall spend its rage and vanish under   
the rainbow1 which itself furnishes and 
leaves behind4 ,the retorting speech of 
such a man may be silvern or iron2 his  
silence1 victorious and golden4  ,it is 
easy to censure ,mr4 ,adams for such    
intemperance of speech and persecution  
of persons2 unfortunately1 too easy to  
furnish other examples of both4 ,we know

 what he spoke--,god only what he       
repressed4 ,who knows out of how deep a 
fulness of indignation such torrents    
gush8 ,tried by the standard of other   
men1 his fellow politicians of ,america 
and ,europe1 he was no worse than they1 
only abler4#cd ,the mouse and the fox   
have as great a proportionate anger as  
the lion1 though the one is ridiculous  
and the other terrific4 ,mr4 ,adams must
 be tried by his own standard1 the rule 
of right1 the standard of conscience and
 of ,christianity2 then surely he did   
wrong4 ,for such a man the vulgarity of 
the offence is no excuse4  ,with this   
and the other exceptions he appears a   
remarkably conscientious man in his     
public life4 ,he may often have erred1  
as all men1 without violating his own   
sense of right4  ,while he was          
,president he would not consent to any  
public manifestation of honors personal 
to himself4 ,he would not accept a      
present1 for his ,bible taught him what 
experience continually enforces1 that a 

gift blinds the eyes of wise men and    
perverts their judgment4 ,while at ,st4 
,petersburg1 the ,russian ,minister of  
the ,interior1 then an old man1 felt    
uneasy on account of the presents       
accepted during his official service1   
and1 calculating the value of all gifts 
received1 returned it to the imperial   
treasury4 ,this fact made an impression 
on ,mr4 ,adams1 and led to a resolution 
which he faithfully kept4 ,when a       
bookseller sent him a costly ,bible1 he 
kept the book1 but paid its full value4 
,no bribes1 no pensions in any form1    
ever soiled justice in his hands4 ,he   
would never be indebted to any body of  
men1 lest they might afterwards sway him
 from the right path4  ,because he was a
 conscientious man he would never be the
 servant of a party1 and never was4 ,it 
was of great advantage to him that he   
was absent while the two chief parties  
were forming in the ,united ,states4 ,he
 came into the ,massachusetts           
,legislature as a federalist1 but some  

anti-federalists also voted for him4    
,his first vote showed he was not       
limited by the common principles of a   
party4 ,he was chosen to the ,senate of 
the ,united ,states1 not by a party     
vote4 ,at first he acted mainly with the
 federalists1 though not always voting  
with his colleague2 but in #ahjg acted  
with the administration in the matter of
 the ,embargo4 ,this was the eventful   
crisis of his life2 this change in his  
politics1 while it gave him station and 
political power1 yet brought upon him   
the indignation of his former friends2  
it has never been forgotten nor         
forgiven4 ,be the outward occasion and  
inward motive what they may1 this led to
 the sundering of friendships long      
cherished and deservedly dear2 it       
produced the most bitter experience of  
his life4 ,political men would naturally
 undertake to judge his counsel by its  
probable and obvious consequences1 the  
favor of the ,executive1 rather than    
attribute it to any latent motive of    

patriotism in his heart4  ,while at the 
head of the nation he would not be the  
,president of a party1 but of the       
people2 when he became a representative 
in ,congress he was not the delegate of 
a party1 but of justice and the eternal 
right1 giving his constituents an       
assurance that he would hold himself in 
allegiance to no party1 national or     
political4 ,he has often been accused of
 hatred to the ,south2 ,i can find no   
trace of it4 ,i entered ,congress1 says 
he1 without one sentiment of            
discrimination between the ,north and   
,south4 ,at first he acted with ,mr4    
,jackson1 to arrest the progress of     
nullification1 for the democracy of     
,south ,carolina was putting in practice
 what the federalists of ,new ,england  
have so often been alleged to have held 
in theory1 and condemned on that        
allegation4 ,here he was consistent4 ,in
 #ahcd1 he approved the spirit of the   
same ,president in demanding justice of 
,france2 but afterwards he did not      

hesitate to oppose1 and perhaps abuse   
him4  ,he had a high reverence for      
religion2 none of our public men more4  
,he aimed to be a ,christian man4 ,signs
 of this have often been sought in his  
habits of church-going1 of reading the  
,bible2 they may be found rather in the 
general rectitude of his life1 public   
and private1 and in the high motives    
which swayed him1 in his opposition to  
slavery1 in the self-denial which cost  
him his reelection4 ,in his public acts 
he seems animated by the thought that he
 stood in the presence of ,god4 ,though 
rather unphilosophical in his theology1 
resting to a great degree on the        
authority of tradition and the letter1  
and attaching much value to forms and   
times1 he yet saw the peculiar          
excellence of ,christianity1--that it   
recognized ,love as the paramount and   
transcendent law of human nature4 ,i do 
not say that his life indicates the     
attainment of a complete religious      
repose1 but that he earnestly and       

continually labored to achieve that4    
,you shall find few statesmen1 few men1 
who act with a more continual and       
obvious reference to religion as a      
motive1 as a guide1 as a comfort4 ,he   
was1 however1 no sectarian4 ,his        
devotion to freedom appeared1 where it  
seldom appears1 in his notions about    
religion4 ,he thought for himself1 and  
had a theology of his own1 rather       
old-fashioned1 it is true1 and not very 
philosophical or consistent1 it may be1 
and in that he was not very singular1   
but he allowed others to think also for 
themselves1 and have a theology of their
 own4 ,mr4 ,adams was a ,unitarian4 ,it 
is no great merit to be a ,unitarian1 or
 a ,calvinist1 or a ,catholic1 perhaps  
no more merit to be one than the other4 
,but he was not ashamed of his belief   
when ,unitarianism was little1 despised1
 mocked at1 and called ,infidelity on   
all sides4 ,when the ,unitarian church  
at ,washington1 a small and feeble body1
 met for worship in an upper room--not  

large1 but obscure1 over a public       
bathing-house--,john ,quincy ,adams1 the
 ,secretary of ,state and expecting to  
be ,president1 came regularly to worship
 with them4 ,it was not fashionable2 it 
was hardly respectable1 for the         
,unitarians were not then1 as now1      
numerous and rich3 but he went and      
worshipped4 ,it was no merit to think   
with any sect1 it was a great merit to  
dare be true to his convictions4 ,in his
 theology1 as in politics1 he feared not
 to stand in a minority4 ,if there ever 
was an ,american who loved the praise of
 ,god more than the praise of men1 ,i   
believe ,mr4 ,adams was one4  ,his      
devotion to freedom1 his love of his    
country1 his conscientiousness1 his     
religion1 are four things strong and    
noticeable in his character4 ,you shall 
look long amongst our famous men before 
you find his equal in these things4#ce  
99       99       99       99       99  
,somebody says1 no man ever used all his
 intellectual faculties as far as       

possible4 ,if any man is an exception to
 this rule1 it is ,mr4 ,adams4 ,he was  
temperate and diligent2 industrious     
almost to a fault1 though not orderly or
 systematic4 ,his diplomatic letters1   
his orations1 his reports and speeches1 
all indicate wide learning1 the fruit of
 the most remarkable diligence4 ,the    
attainments of a well-bred scholar are  
not often found in the ,american        
,congress1 or the ,president's house4   
,yet he never gives proof that he had   
the mind of a great man4 ,in his special
 department of politics he does not     
appear as a master4 ,he has no great    
ideas with which to solve the riddles of
 commerce and finance2 has done little  
to settle the commercial problems of the
 world1--for that work there is needed  
not only a retrospective acquaintance   
with the habits and history of men1 but 
the foresight which comes from a        
knowledge of the nature of things and of
 man4 ,his chief intellectual excellence
 seems to have been memory2 his great   

moral merit1 a conscientious and firm   
honesty2 his practical strength lay in  
his diligence4 ,his counsels seem almost
 always to have come from a knowledge of
 human history1 seldom to have been     
prompted by a knowledge of the nature of
 man4 ,hence he was a critic of the     
past1 or an administrator of the        
present1 rather than a prophetic guide  
for the future4 ,he had many facts and  
precedents1 but few ideas4 ,few examples
 of great political foresight can be    
quoted from his life2 and therein1 to   
his honor be it spoken1 his heart seems 
to have out-travelled his head4 ,the    
public affairs of the ,united ,states   
seem generally to be conducted by many  
men of moderate abilities1 rather than  
by a few men of great genius for        
politics4         99       99       99  
99       99  ,mr4 ,adams wrote much4    
,some of his works are remarkable for   
their beauty1 for the graceful          
proportions of their style1 and the     
felicity of their decoration4 ,such are 

his celebrated ,lectures on ,rhetoric   
and ,oratory1 which are sufficiently    
learned and sagacious1 not very         
philosophical1 but written in an        
agreeable style1 and at the present day 
not wholly without value4 ,his review of
 the works of ,fisher ,ames1 ,i speak   
only of the rhetoric1 is1 perhaps1 the  
finest of his compositions4 ,some of his
 productions are disorderly1            
ill-compacted1 without joints or        
contexture1 and homely to a fault3 this 
oration is a growth out of a central    
thought1 marked by an internal harmony2 
that1 a composition1 a piece of         
carpentry distinguished by only an      
outward symmetry of members2 others are 
neither growth nor composition1 only a  
mass of materials huddled and lumped    
together4 ,most of his later            
productions1 with the exception of his  
congressional speeches1 are hard1 cold1 
and unfinished performances1 with little
 order in the thoughts1 and less beauty 
in the expression4 ,his extemporaneous  

speeches have more of both2 they are    
better finished than his studied        
orations4 ,he could judge and speak with
 fury1 though he wrote with phlegm4 ,his
 illustrations are usually drawn from   
literature1 not from nature or human    
life2 his language is commonly cold1    
derived from the ,roman stream which has
 been filtered through books1 rather    
than from the deep and original well of 
our ,saxon home4 ,his published letters 
are compact1 written in a cold style1   
without playfulness or wit1 with no     
elegance1 and though mostly business    
letters1 they are not remarkable for    
strength or distinctness4 ,his diligence
 appears in verse as well as prose4 ,he 
wrote much that rhymed tolerably2 little
 that was poetical4 ,the same absence of
 nature1 the same coldness and lack of  
inspiration1 mark his poetry and prose4 
,but in all that he wrote1 with the     
exceptions mentioned above1 though you  
miss the genial warmth1 the lofty       
thought1 the mind that attracts1        

embraces1 warms1 and inspires the       
reader1 you find always a spirit of     
humanity1 of justice1 and love to ,god4 
,mr4 ,adams was seldom eloquent4        
,eloquence is no great gift4 ,it has its
 place among subordinate powers1 not    
among the chief4 ,alas for the statesman
 or preacher who has only that to save  
the ,state withal6 ,washington had none 
of it1 yet how he ruled the land6 ,no   
man in ,america has ever had a political
 influence so wide and permanent as ,mr4
 ,jefferson2 yet he was a very          
indifferent writer1 and never made a    
speech of any value4 ,the acts of       
,washington1 the ideas of ,jefferson1   
made eloquence superfluous4 ,true1 it   
has its value3 if a man have at command 
the electricity of truth1 justice1 love1
 the sentiments and great ideas thereof1
 it is a good thing to be able with     
,olympian hand to condense that electric
 fire into bolted eloquence2 to thunder 
and lighten in the sky4 ,but if a man   
have that electric truth1 it matters    

little whether it is ,moses that speaks1
 or only ,aaron2 whether or not ,paul's 
bodily presence be weak and his speech  
contemptible3 it is ,moses' thought     
which thunders and lightens out of      
,sinai2 it is ,paul's idea that is      
powerful and builds up the church4 ,of  
true eloquence1 the best thoughts put in
 the best words1 and uttered in the best
 form1 ,mr4 ,adams had little1 and that 
appeared mainly in the latter part of   
his life4 ,hundreds have more4 ,what    
passes for eloquence is common in       
,america1 where the public mouth is     
always a-going4 ,his early orations are 
poor in their substance and faulty in   
their form4 ,his ability as an orator   
developed late2 no proofs of it appear  
before he entered the ,house of         
,representatives1 at a good old age4 ,in
 his manner of speaking there was little
 dignity and no grace1 though sometimes 
there was a terrible energy and fire4   
,he was often a powerful speaker--by his
 facts and figures1 by his knowledge1   

his fame1 his age1 and his position1 but
 most of all by his independent         
character4 ,he spoke worthily of great  
men1 of ,madison or ,lafayette1 kindling
 with his theme1 and laying aside all   
littleness of a party4 ,however1 he was 
most earnest and most eloquent not when 
he stood up the champion of a neglected 
truth1 not when he dwelt on great men   
now venerable to us all1 but when he    
gathered his strength to attack a foe4  
,incensed1 his sarcasm was terrific2    
colossal vanity aspiring to be a        
,ghenghis ,khan1 at the touch of that   
,ithuriel spear shrank to the dimensions
 of ,tom ,thumb4 ,his invective is his  
masterpiece of oratoric skill4 ,it is   
sad to say this1 and to remember1 that  
the greatest works of ancient or of     
modern rhetoric1 from the thundering    
,philippics of ,demosthenes down to the 
sarcastic and crazy rattle of ,lord     
,brougham1 are all of the same          
character1 are efforts against a        
personal foe6 ,men find hitherto the    

ablest acts and speech in the same      
cause1--not positive and creating1 but  
critical and combative1--in war4  ,if   
,mr4 ,adams had died in #ahbi1 he would 
have been remembered for awhile as a    
learned man2 as an able diplomatist1 who
 had served his country faithfully at   
home and abroad2 as a ,president        
spotless and incorruptible1 but not as a
 very important personage in ,american  
history4 ,his mark would have been faint
 and soon effaced from the sands of     
time4 ,but the last period of his life  
was the noblest4 ,he had worn all the   
official honors which the nation could  
bestow2 he sought the greater honor of  
serving that nation1 who had now no     
added boon to give4 ,all that he had    
done as ,minister abroad1 as ,senator1  
as ,secretary1 and ,president1 is little
 compared with what he did in the ,house
 of ,representatives2 and while he stood
 there1 with nothing to hope1 with      
nothing to fear1 the hand of ,justice   
wrote his name high up on the walls of  

his country4 ,it was surprising to see  
at his first attendance there1 men who1 
while he was ,president1 had been the   
loudest to call out ,coalition1         
,bargain1 ,intrigue1 ,corruption1 come  
forward and express the involuntary     
confidence they felt in his wisdom and  
integrity1 and their fear1 actual though
 baseless1 that his withdrawal from the 
,committee on ,manufactures would       
endanger the very ,union itself4#cf     
,great questions soon came up3          
nullification was speedily disposed of2 
the ,bank and the tariff got ended or   
compromised1 but slavery lay in the     
consciousness of the nation1 like the   
one dear but appalling sin in a man's   
heart4 ,some wished to be rid of it1    
northern men and southern men4 ,it would
 come up2 to justify that1 or excuse it1
 the ,american sentiment and idea must  
be denied and rejected utterly2 the     
,south1 who had long known the charms of
 ,bathsheba1 was ready for her sake to  
make way with ,uriah himself4 ,to remove

 that monstrous evil1 gradually but     
totally1 and restore unity to the       
nation1 would require a greater change  
than the adoption of the ,constitution4 
,to keep slavery out of sight1 yet in   
existence1 unjustified1 unexcused1      
unrepented of1 a contradiction in the   
national consciousness1 a political and 
deadly sin1 the sin against the ,holy   
,spirit of ,american ,liberty1 known but
 not confessed1 the public secret of the
 people--that would lead to suppressing 
petitions1 suppressing debate in        
,congress and out of ,congress1 to      
silencing the pulpit1 the press1 and the
 people4  ,under these circumstances1   
,mr4 ,adams went to ,congress1 an old   
man1 well known on both sides the water1
 the presidential laurels on his brow1  
independent and fearless1 expecting no  
reward from men for services however    
great4 ,in respect to the subject of    
slavery1 he had no ideas in advance of  
the nation2 he was far behind the       
foremost men4 ,he deprecated all        

discussion of slavery or its abolition1 
in the ,house1 and gave no countenance  
to petitions for the abolition of       
slavery in the ,district of ,columbia or
 the territories4 ,however1 he acquired 
new ideas as he went on1 and became the 
congressional leader in the great       
movement of the ,american mind towards  
universal freedom4  ,here he stood as   
the champion of human rights2 here he   
fought1 and with all his might4 ,in     
#ahcf1 by the celebrated resolution1    
forbidding debate on the subject of     
slavery1 the ,south drove the ,north to 
the wall1 nailed it there into shameful 
silence4 ,a ,northern man with ,southern
 principles1 before entering the        
,president's chair1 declared1 that if   
,congress should pass a law to abolish  
slavery in the ,district of ,columbia1  
he would exercise his veto to prevent   
the law4#cg ,mr4 ,adams stood up        
manfully1 sometimes almost alone1 and   
contended for freedom of speech4 ,did   
obstinate men of the ,north send        

petitions relative to slavery1 asking   
for its abolition in the ,district or   
elsewhere8 ,mr4 ,adams was ready to     
present the petitions4 ,did women       
petition8 ,it made no difference with   
him4 ,did slaves petition8 ,he stood up 
there to defend their right to be heard4
 ,the ,south had overcome many an       
obstacle1 but that one fearless soul    
would not bend1 and could not be broken4
 ,spite of rules of order1 he contrived 
to bring the matter perpetually before  
,congress1 and sometimes to read the    
most offensive parts of the petitions4  
,when ,arkansas was made a ,state1 he   
endeavored to abolish slavery in its    
domain2 he sought to establish          
international relations with ,hayti1 and
 to secure the right of suffrage for the
 colored citizens of the ,district of   
,columbia4 ,the laws which forbid blacks
 to vote in the ,northern ,states he    
held in utter abhorrence4  ,he saw from 
afar the plots of southern politicians1 
plots for extending the area of slavery1

 for narrowing the area of freedom1 and 
exposed those plots4 ,you all remember  
the tumult it excited when he rose in   
his place holding a petition from       
slaves2 that the ,american ,congress was
 thrown into long and disgraceful       
confusion4 ,you cannot have forgotten   
the uproar which followed his presenting
 a petition to dissolve the ,union6#ch  
,i know few speeches more noble and     
manly than his on the right of          
petition1--occasioned by that celebrated
 attempt to stifle debate1 and on the   
annexation of ,texas4 ,some proposed to 
censure him1 some clamored1 expel him1  
some cried out1 burn the petitions6 and 
him with them1 screamed yet others4     
,some threatened to have him indicted by
 the grand jury of the district1 or be  
made amenable to another tribunal1      
hoping to see an incendiary brought to  
condign punishment4 ,my life on it1 said
 a southern legislator1 if he presents  
that petition from slaves1 we shall yet 
see him within the walls of the         

penitentiary4 ,some in secret threatened
 to assassinate him in the streets4     
,they mistook their man2 with justice on
 his side he did not fear all the grand 
juries in the universe4 ,he would not   
curl nor cringe1 but snorted his        
defiance in their very face4 ,in front  
of ridicule1 of desertion1 obloquy1     
rage1 and brutal threats1 stood up that 
old man1 bald and audacious1 and the    
chafed rock of ,cohasset stands not     
firmer mid the yesty waves1 nor more    
triumphant spurns back into the ocean's 
face the broken billows of the storm4   
,that ,new ,england knee bent only      
before his ,god4 ,that unpretending     
man--the whole power of the nation could
 not move him from his post4  ,men      
threatened to increase the slave power4 
,said one of the champions of slavery   
with prophetic speech1 but fatal as     
,cassandra's in the classic tale1       
,americans would come up in thousands to
 plant the lone star of the ,texan      
banner on the ,mexican capital4444 ,the 

boundless wealth of captured towns and  
rifled churches1 and a lazy1 vicious1   
and luxurious priesthood1 would soon    
enable ,texas to pay her soldiery and   
redeem her ,state debt1 and push her    
victorious arms to the very shores of   
the ,pacific4 ,and would not all this   
extend the bounds of slavery8 ,yes1 the 
result would be1 that before another    
quarter of a century the extension of   
slavery would not stop short of the     
,western ocean4 ,against this danger    
,mr4 ,adams armed himself1 and fought in
 the holiest cause--the cause of human  
rights4  ,i know few things in modern   
times so grand as that old man standing 
there in the ,house of ,representatives1
 the compeer of ,washington1 a man who  
had borne himself proudly in kings'     
courts1 early doing service in high     
places1 where honor may be won2 a man   
who had filled the highest office in any
 nation's gift2 a ,president's son1     
himself a ,president1 standing there the
 champion of the neediest of the        

oppressed3 the conquering cause pleased 
others2 him only1 the cause of the      
conquered4 ,had he once been servile to 
the hands that wielded power8 ,no       
thunderbolt can scare him now6 ,did he  
once make a treaty and bind ,mexico to  
bewray the wandering fugitive who took  
his life in his hand and fled from the  
talons of the ,american eagle8 ,now he  
would go to the stake sooner than       
tolerate such a deed6 ,when he went to  
the ,supreme ,court1 after an absence of
 thirty years1 and arose to defend a    
body of friendless negroes torn from    
their home and most unjustly held in    
thrall2 when he asked the judges to     
excuse him at once both for the         
trembling faults of age and the         
inexperience of youth1 the man having   
labored so long elsewhere that he had   
forgotten the rules of court2 when he   
summed up the conclusion of the whole   
matter1 and brought before those        
judicial but yet moistening eyes the    
great men whom he had once met          

there--,chase1 ,cushing1 ,martin1       
,livingston1 and ,marshall himself2 and 
while he remembered them that were gone1
 gone1 all gone1 remembered also the    
,eternal ,justice that is never         
gone1--why the sight was sublime4 ,it   
was not an old patrician of ,rome who   
had been consul1 dictator1 coming out of
 his honored retirement at the ,senate's
 call1 to stand in the forum to levy new
 armies1 marshal them to victory afresh1
 and gain thereby new laurels for his   
brow2--but it was a plain citizen of    
,america1 who had held an office far    
greater than that of consul1 king1 or   
dictator1 his hand reddened by no man's 
blood1 expecting no honors1 but coming  
in the name of ,justice to plead for the
 slave1 for the poor barbarian negro of 
,africa1 for ,cinque and ,grabbo1 for   
their deeds comparing them to ,harmodius
 and ,aristogeiton1 whose classic memory
 made each bosom thrill4 ,that was worth
 all his honors1--it was worth while to 
live fourscore years for that4  ,when he

 stood in the ,house of                 
,representatives1 the champion of the   
rights of a minority1 of the rights of  
man1 he stood colossal4 ,frederick the  
,great seems doubly so1 when1           
single-handed1 that son of the ,dukes of
 ,brandenburg contended against         
,austria1 ,france1 ,england1 ,russia1   
kept them all at bay1 divided by his    
skill1 and conquered by his might4      
,surely he seems great1 when measured   
merely by his deeds4 ,but1 in           
comparison1 ,frederick the ,great seems 
,frederick the little3 for ,adams fought
 not for a kingdom1 nor for fame1 but   
for ,justice and the ,eternal ,right2   
fought1 too1 with weapons tempered in a 
heavenly stream6#ci  ,he had his reward4
 ,who ever missed it8 ,from mythological
 ,cain1 who slew his brother1 down to   
,judas ,iscariot1 and ,aaron ,burr2 from
 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 down to the least 
man that dies or lives--who ever lost   
his reward8 ,none4 ,no2 not one4 ,within
 the wicked heart there dwells the      

avenger1 with unseen hands1 to adjust   
the cord1 to poison the fatal bowl4 ,in 
the impenetrable citadel of a good man's
 consciousness1 unseen by mortal eyes1  
there stands the palladium of justice1  
radiant with celestial light2 mortal    
hands may make and mar1--this they can  
mar not1 no more than they can make4    
,things about the man can others build  
up or destroy2 but no foe1 no tyrant1 no
 assassin1 can ever steal the man out of
 the man4 ,who would not have the       
consciousness of being right1 even of   
trying to be right1 though affronted by 
a whole world1 rather than conscious of 
being wrong1 and hollow1 and false1 have
 all the honors of a nation on his head8
 ,of late years1 no party stood up for  
,mr4 ,adams1 ,the madman of             
,massachusetts1 as they called him1 on  
the floor of ,congress2 but he knew that
 he had1 and in his old age1 done one   
work1--he had contended for the         
unalienable rights of man1 done it      
faithfully4 ,the government of ,god is  

invisible1 ,his justice the more        
certain1--and by that ,mr4 ,adams had   
his abundant reward4  ,but he had his   
poorer and outward rewards1 negative and
 positive4 ,for his zeal in behalf of   
freedom he was called a monarchist in   
disguise1 an alien to the true interests
 of his country1 a traitor4 ,a          
slaveholder from ,kentucky published to 
his constituents that he was sincerely  
desirous to check that man1 for if he   
could be removed from the councils of   
the nation1 or silenced upon the        
exasperating subject to which he had    
devoted himself1 none other1 ,i believe1
 could be found hardy enough or bad     
enough to fill his place4 ,it was worth 
something to have an enemy speak such   
praise as that3 but the slaveholder was 
wrong in his conjecture2 the ,north has 
yet other sons not less hardy1 not more 
likely to be silenced4 ,still more      
praise of a similar sort3--at a fourth  
of ,july dinner at ,walterborough1 in   
,south ,carolina1 this sentiment was    

proposed and responded to with nine     
cheers3 ,may we never want a democrat to
 trip up the heels of a federalist1 or a
 hangman to prepare a halter for ,john  
,quincy ,adams4 ,considering what he had
 done and whence those rewards          
proceeded1 that was honor enough for a  
yet greater man4  ,let me turn to things
 more grateful4 ,mr4 ,adams1 through    
lack of genial qualities1 had few       
personal friends1 yet from good men     
throughout the ,north there went up a   
hearty thanksgiving for his manly       
independence1 and prayers for his       
success4 ,brave men forgot their old    
prejudices1 forgot the ,embargo1 forgot 
the ,hartford ,convention1 forgot all   
the hard things which he had ever said1 
forgot his words in the ,senate1 forgot 
their disappointments1 and said--,for   
this our hearts shall honor thee1 thou  
brave old man6 ,in #ahdc1 when1 for the 
first time1 he visited the ,west1 to    
assist at the foundation of a scientific
 institution1 all the ,west rose up to  

do him reverence4 ,he did not go out to 
seek honors1 they came to seek him4 ,it 
was the movement of a noble people1     
feeling a noble presence about them no  
less than within4 ,when ,cicero1 the    
only great man whom ,rome never feared1 
returned from his exile1 all ,italy rose
 up and went out to meet him2 so did the
 ,north and the ,west welcome this      
champion of freedom1 this venerable old 
man4 ,they came not to honor one who had
 been a ,president1 but one who was a   
man4 ,that alone1 said ,mr4 ,adams1 with
 tears of joy and grief filling his     
eyes1 was reward enough for all that he 
had done1 suffered1 or undertaken4 ,yes1
 it was too much2 too much for one man  
as the reward of one life6  ,you all    
remember the last time he was at any    
public meeting in this city4 ,a man had 
been kidnapped in ,boston1 kidnapped at 
noon-day1 on the high road between      
,faneuil ,hall and old ,quincy1 and     
carried off to be a slave6 ,new ,england
 hands had seized their brother1 sold   

him into bondage for ever1 and his      
children after him4 ,in the presence of 
slavery1 as of arms1 the laws are       
silent1--not always men4 ,then it       
appears who are men1 who not6 ,a meeting
 was called to talk the matter over1 in 
a plain way1 and look in one another's  
faces4 ,who was fit to preside in such a
 case8 ,that old man sat in the chair in
 ,faneuil ,hall2 above him was the image
 of his father1 and his own2 around him 
were ,hancock and the other             
,adams1--,washington1 greatest of all2  
before him were the men and women of    
,boston1 met to consider the wrongs done
 to a miserable negro slave2 the roof of
 the old ,cradle of ,liberty spanned    
over them all4 ,forty years before1 a   
young man and a ,senator1 he had taken  
the chair at a meeting called to consult
 on the wrong done to ,american seamen1 
violently impressed by the ,british from
 an ,american ship of war1 the unlucky  
,chesapeake2 some of you remember that  
event4 ,now1 an old man1 clothed with   

half a century of honors1 he sits in the
 same hall1 to preside over a meeting to
 consider the outrage done to a single  
slave2 a greater outrage--alas1 not done
 by a hostile1 not by an alien hand6    
,one was the first meeting of citizens  
he ever presided over1 the other was the
 last2 both for the same object--the    
defence of the ,eternal ,right4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,but ,i would not weary you4 ,his death 
was noble2 fit ending for such a life4  
,he was an old man1 the last that had   
held a diplomatic office under          
,washington4 ,he had uttered his        
oracles2 had done his work4 ,the highest
 honors of the nation he had worthily   
worn2 but1 as his townsmen tell         
us1--caring little for the ,president1  
and much for the man1--that was very    
little in comparison with his character4
 ,the good and ill of the human cup he  
had tasted1 and plentifully1 too1 as    
son1 husband1 father4 ,he had borne his 
testimony for freedom and the rights of 

mankind2 he had stood in ,congress      
almost alone2 with a few gallant men had
 gone down to the battlefield1 and if   
victory escaped him1 it was because     
night came on4  ,he saw others enter the
 field in good heart1 to stand in the   
imminent deadly breach2 he lived long   
enough for his own welfare1 for his own 
ambition2 long enough to see the seal   
broken1--and then1 this aged ,simeon1   
joyful in the consolation1 bowed his    
head and went home in peace4 ,his feet  
were not hurt with fetters2 he died with
 his armor on2 died like a ,senator in  
the capitol of the nation2 died like an 
,american1 in the service of his        
country2 died like a ,christian1 full of
 immortality2 died like a man1 fearless 
and free6  ,you will ask1 ,what was the 
secret of his strength8 ,whence did he  
gain such power to stand erect where    
others so often cringed and crouched low
 to the ground8 ,it is plain to see3 he 
looked beyond time1 beyond men2 looked  
to the eternal ,god1 and fearing ,him   

forgot all other fear4 ,some of his     
failings he knew to be such1 and        
struggled with them though he did not   
overcome4 ,a man1 not over-modest1 once 
asked him what he most of all lamented  
in his life1 and he replied1 ,my        
impetuous temper and vituperative       
speech2 that ,i have not always returned
 good for evil1 but in the madness of my
 blood have said things that ,i am      
ashamed of before my ,god6 ,as the world
 goes1 it needed some greatness to say  
that4  ,when he was a boy1 his mother1 a
 still woman1 and capable1 deep-hearted1
 and pious1 took great pains with his   
culture2 most of all with his religious 
culture4 ,when1 at the age of ten1 he   
was about to leave home for years of    
absence in another land1 she took him   
aside to warn him of temptations which  
he could not then understand4 ,she bade 
him remember religion and his ,god--his 
secret1 silent prayer4 ,often in his day
 there came the earthquake of party     
strife2 the fire1 the storm1 and the    

whirlwind of passion2 he listened--and  
,god was not there2 but there came1 too1
 the remembrance of his mother's        
whispered words2 ,god came in that      
memory1 and earthquake and storm1 the   
fire and the whirlwind were powerless1  
at last1 before that still small voice4 
,beautifully did she write to her boy of
 ten1 ,great learning and superior      
abilities will be of little value 444   
unless virtue1 honor1 truth1 and        
integrity1 are added to them4 ,remember 
that you are accountable to your ,maker 
for all your words and your actions4    
,dear as you are to me1 says this more  
than ,spartan1 this ,christian mother1  
,dear as you are to me1 ,i would much   
rather you should have found your grave 
in the ocean you have crossed1 or that  
any untimely death cross you in your    
infant years1 than see you an immoral1  
profligate1 or graceless child4 ,let    
your observations and comparisons       
produce in your mind an abhorrence of   
domination and power--the parents of    

slavery1 ignorance1 and barbarism4 ,may 
you be led to an imitation of that      
disinterested patriotism and that noble 
love of your country1 which will teach  
you to despise wealth1 titles1 pomp1 and
 equipage1 as mere external advantages1 
which cannot add to the internal        
excellence of your mind1 or compensate  
for the want of integrity and virtue4   
,she tells him in a letter1 that her    
father1 a plain ,new ,england clergyman1
 of ,braintree1 who had just died1 left 
you a legacy more valuable than gold or 
silver2 he left you his blessing1 and   
his prayers that you might become a     
useful citizen1 a guardian of the laws1 
liberty1 and religion of your           
country4444 ,lay this bequest up in your
 memory and practise upon it2 believe   
me1 you will find it a treasure that    
neither moth nor rust can destroy4  ,if 
a child have such a mother1 there is no 
wonder why he stood fearless1 and bore a
 charmed life which no opposition could 
tame down4 ,i wonder more that one so   

born and by such a mother bred1 could   
ever once bend a servile knee2 could    
ever indulge that fierce and dreadful   
hate2 could ever stoop to sully those   
hands which hers had joined in prayer4  
,it ill accords with teachings like her 
own4 ,i wonder that he could ever have  
refused to deliberate4 ,religion is a   
quality that makes a man independent2   
disappointment will not render such an  
one sour1 nor oppression drive him mad1 
nor elevation bewilder2 power will not  
dazzle1 nor gold corrupt2 no threat can 
silence and no fear subdue4  ,there are 
men enough born with greater abilities  
than ,mr4 ,adams1 men enough in ,new    
,england1 in all the walks of man4 ,but 
how many are there in political life who
 use their gifts so diligently1 with    
such conscience1 such fearless deference
 to ,god8--nay1 tell us one4 ,i have not
 spared his faults2 ,i am no eulogist1  
to paint a man with undiscriminating    
praise4 ,let his follies warn us1 while 
his virtues guide4 ,but look on all his 

faults1 and then compare him with our   
famous men of the ,north or the ,south2 
with the great whigs or the great       
democrats4 ,ask which was the purest    
man1 the most patriotic1 the most       
honest2 which did his nation the        
smallest harm and the greatest good2    
which for his country and his kind      
denied himself the most4 ,shall ,i      
examine their lives1 public and private1
 strip them bare and lay them down      
beside his life1 and ask which1 after   
all1 has the least of blemish and the   
most of beauty8 ,nay1 that is not for me
 to do or to attempt4  ,in one thing he 
surpassed most men1--he grew more       
liberal the more he grew old1 ripening  
and mellowing1 too1 with age4 ,after he 
was seventy years old1 he welcomed new  
ideas1 kept his mind vigorous1 and never
 fell into that crabbed admiration of   
past times and buried institutions1     
which is the palsy of so many a man1 and
 which makes old age nothing but a pity1
 and gray hairs provocative of tears4   

,this is the more remarkable in a man of
 his habitual reverence for the past1 in
 one who judged oftener by the history  
than by the nature of man4  ,times will 
come when men shall look to that vacant 
seat4 ,but the thunder is silent1 the   
lightning gone2 other men must take his 
place and fill it as they can4 ,let us  
not mourn that he has gone from us2 let 
us remember what was evil in him1 but   
only to be warned of ambition1 of party 
strife1 to love more that large charity 
which forgives an enemy1 and1 through   
good and ill1 contends for mankind4 ,let
 us be thankful for the good he has said
 and done1 be guided by it and blessed4 
,there is a certain affluence of        
intellectual power granted to some men1 
which provokes admiration for a time1   
let the man of myriad gifts use his     
talent as he may4 ,such merely cubic    
greatness of mind is matter of          
astonishment rather than a fit subject  
for esteem and praise4 ,of that1 ,mr4   
,adams had little1 as so many of his    

contemporaries had more4 ,in him what   
most commands respect is1 his           
independence1 his love of justice1 of   
his country and his kind4 ,no son of    
,new ,england has been ever so          
distinguished in political life4 ,but it
 is no great thing to be ,president of  
the ,united ,states2 some men it only   
makes ridiculous4 ,a worm on a steeple's
 top is nothing but a worm1 no more able
 to fly than while creeping in congenial
 mud2 a mountain needs no steeple to    
lift its head and show the world what is
 great and high4 ,the world obeys its   
great men1 stand where they may4  ,after
 all1 this must be the greatest praise  
of ,mr4 ,adams3 ,in private he corrupted
 no man nor woman2 as a politician he   
never debauched the public morals of his
 country1 nor used public power for any 
private end2 in public and private he   
lived clean and above board2 he taught a
 fearless love of truth and the right1  
both by word and deed4 ,i wish ,i could 
add1 that was a small praise4 ,but as   

the times go1 as our famous men are1 it 
is a very great fame1 and there are few 
competitors for such renown2 ,i must    
leave him alone in that glory4          
,doubtless1 as he looked back on his    
long career1 his whole life1 motives as 
well as actions1 must have seemed       
covered with imperfections4 ,i will seek
 no further to disclose his merits1 or  
draw his frailties from their dead      
abode4  ,he has passed on1 where        
superior gifts and opportunities avail  
not1 nor his long life1 nor his high    
station1 nor his wide spread fame2 where
 enemies cease from troubling1 and the  
flattering tongue also is still4        
,wealth1 honor1 fame1 forsake him at the
 grave's mouth4 ,it is only the living  
soul1 sullied or clean1 which the last  
angel bears off in his arms to that     
world where many that seem first shall  
be last1 and the last first2 but where  
justice shall be lovingly done to the   
great man full of power and wisdom who  
rules the ,state1 and the feeblest slave

 whom oppression chains down in         
ignorance and vice--done by the         
all-seeing ,father of both ,president   
and slave1 who loves both with equal    
love4 ,the venerable man is gone home4  
,he shall have his praise4 ,but who     
shall speak it worthily8 ,mean men and  
little1 who shrank from him in life1 who
 never shared what was manliest in the  
man1 but mocked at his living nobleness1
 shall they come forward and with mealy 
mouths1 to sing his requiem1 forgetting 
that his eulogy is their own ban8 ,some 
will rejoice at his death2 there is one 
man the less to fear1 and they who      
trembled at his life may well be glad   
when the earth has covered up the son   
she bore4 ,strange men will meet with   
mutual solace at his tomb1 wondering    
that their common foe is dead1 and they 
are met6 ,the ,herods and ,pilates of   
contending parties may be made friends  
above his grave1 and clasping hands may 
fancy that their union is safer than    
before2 but there will come a day after 

to-day6 ,let us leave him to his rest4  
,the slave has lost a champion who      
gained new ardor and new strength the   
longer he fought2 ,america has lost a   
man who loved her with his heart2       
,religion has lost a supporter2 ,freedom
 an unfailing friend1 and ,mankind a    
noble vindicator of our unalienable     
rights4  ,it is not long since he was   
here in our own streets2 three winter   
months have scantly flown3 he set out   
for his toil--but went home to his rest4
 ,his labors are over4 ,no man now      
threatens to assassinate2 none to expel2
 none even to censure4 ,the theatrical  
thunder of ,congress1 noisy but         
harmless1 has ended as it ought1 in     
honest tears4 ,south ,carolina need ask 
no more a halter for that one northern  
neck she could not bend nor break4 ,the 
tears of his country are dropped upon   
his urn2 the muse of history shall write
 thereon1 in letters not to be effaced1 
,,the ,,one ,,great ,,man ,,since       
,,washington1 ,,whom ,,america ,,had    

,,no ,,cause ,,to ,,fear4  ,to-day that 
venerable form lies in the              
,capitol1--the disenchanted dust4 ,all  
is silent4 ,but his undying soul1 could 
we deem it still hovering o'er its      
native soil1 bound to take leave yet    
lingering still1 and loath to part1 that
 would bid us love our country1 love    
man1 love justice1 freedom1 right1 and  
above all1 love ,god4 ,to-morrow that   
venerable dust starts once more to join 
the dear presence of father and mother1 
to mingle his ashes with their ashes1 as
 their lives once mingled1 and their    
souls again4 ,let his native ,state     
communicate her last sad sacrament1 and 
give him now1 it is all she can1 a      
little earth for charity4  ,but what    
shall we say as the dust returns8       
,where slavery's minions cower          
,before the servile power1       ,he    
bore their ban2     ,and like the aged  
oak1     ,that braved the lightning's   
stroke1     ,when thunders round it     
broke1       ,stood up a man4      ,nay1

 when they stormed aloud1     ,and round
 him like a cloud1       ,came thick and
 black1--     ,he single-handed strove1 
,and like ,olympian ,jove1     ,with his
 own thunder drove       ,the phalanx   
back4      ,not from the bloody field1  
,borne on his battered shield1       ,by
 foes o'ercome2--     ,but from a       
sterner fight1     ,in the defence of   
,right1     ,clothed with a conqueror's 
might1       ,we hail him home4         
,his life in labors spent1     ,that    
',old man eloquent'       ,now rests for
 aye2--     ,his dust the tomb may      
claim2--     ,his spirit's quenchless   
flame1     ,his 'venerable name1'#dj    
,pass not away4#da  ,,footnotes3  #ab   
,see ,social ,compact1 etc4 ,providence1
 #ahdh1 p4 #ca1 et al4  #ac ,see        
,address at ,washington1 #dth of ,july1 
#ahba4 ,second ,edition1 ,cambridge1    
passim4  #ad ,reference is made to his  
speech in the ,house of                 
,representatives1 ,may #hth and #ith1   
#ahdj4 7,boston1 #ahdj47 ,it is a little

 remarkable1 that the false principle of
 the common law1 on which ,mr4 ,adams   
was commenting1 as laid down by         
,blackstone1 is corrected by a writer1  
,m4 ,pothier1 who rests on the civil law
 for his authority4 ,see pp4 #f-h1 and  
#bj1 #ba4  #ae ,answer to ,paine's      
,rights of ,man 7,london1 #agic71       
originally published in the ,columbian  
,centinel4 ,the ,london ,edition bears  
the name of ,john ,adams on the         
title-page4  #af ,mr4 ,atherton4  #ag   
,see ,oration at ,quincy1 #ahca1 p4 #ab1
 et seq4 7,boston1 #ahca47  #ah ,the    
,social ,compact1 etc41 etc4            
7,providence1 #ahdb74 p4 #bd4  #ai ,see 
,pickering's ,letter to ,governor       
,sullivan1 on the ,embargo4 ,boston1    
#ahjh4 ,john ,quincy ,adams's ,letter to
 the ,hon4 ,h4 ,g4 ,otis1 etc4 ,boston1 
#ahjh4 ,pickering's ,interesting        
,correspondence1 #ahjh4 ,review of the  
,correspondence between the ,hon4 ,john 
,adams and the late ,william            
,cunningham1 etc4 #ahbd4 ,but see1 also1

 ,mr4 ,adams's ,appendix to the above   
letter1 published sixteen years after   
the vote on the embargo4 ,baltimore1    
#ahbd4 ,mr4 ,pickering's ,brief ,remarks
 on the ,appendix4 ,august1 #ahbd4  #bj 
,reference is here made to ,british     
,orders in ,council of ,nov4 #bb;d1     
#ahjg4 ,they were not officially made   
known to the ,american ,congress till   
,feb4 #gth1 #ahjh4 ,they were1 however1 
published in the ,national              
,intelligencer1 the morning on which the
 ,message was sent to the ,senate1 ,dec4
 #ahth1 #ahjg1 but were not mentioned in
 that document1 nor in the debate4  #ba 
,i copy this from the first letter of   
,mr4 ,pickering4 ,mr4 ,adams wrote a    
letter 7to ,h4 ,g4 ,otis7 in reply to   
this of ,mr4 ,pickering1 but said       
nothing respecting the words charged    
upon him2 but in #ahbd1 in an appendix  
to that letter1 he denies that he       
expressed the sentiment which ,mr4      
,pickering charged him with4 ,but he    
does not deny the words themselves4     

,they rest on the authority of ,mr4     
,pickering1 his colleague in the        
,senate1 a strong party man1 it is true1
 perhaps not much disposed to           
conciliation1 but a man of most         
unquestionable veracity4 ,the sentiment 
speaks for itself4  #bb ,adams's        
,remarks in the ,house of               
,representatives1 ,jan4 #e1 #ahdf4  #bc 
,correspondence between the ,hon4 ,john 
,adams and the late ,william            
,cunningham1 ,esq4 ,boston1 #ahbc1      
,letter xliii4 p4 #aej4  #bd ,march     
#aeth1 #ahbf4  #be ,see ,mr4 ,adams's   
,message1 ,dec4 #b1 #ahbh4 ,the exact   
sum was #a1aig1dbb4ah4  #bf ,see ,mr4   
,clay's ,letter to ,mr4 ,a4 ,h4         
,everett1 ,april #bgth1 #ahbe2 to ,mr4  
,middleton1 respecting the intervention 
of the ,emperor of ,russia1 ,may #ajth1 
and ,dec4 #bfth1 #ahbe2 to ,mr4         
,gallatin1 ,may #ajth1 and ,june #aith1 
#ahbf1 and ,feb4 #bdth1 #ahbg4          
,executive ,documents1 ,second ,session 
of the #bjth ,congress1 ,vol4 ,i4  #bg  

,report of ,mr4 ,adams's ,lecture on the
 ,chinese ,war1 in the ,boston ,atlas1  
for ,dec4 #dth and #eth1 #ahda4  #bh    
,genesis i4 #bf-bh4  #bi ,psalms ii4    
#f-h4  #cj ,see ,mr4 ,adams's ,speech on
 ,oregon1 ,feb4 #ith1 #ahdf4 ,arguments 
somewhat akin to this1 may be found also
 in the oration delivered at            
,newburyport1 before cited4  #ca        
,address on breaking ground for the     
,chesapeake and ,ohio ,canal4  #cb      
,jubilee of the ,constitution1 p4 #ii4  
#cc ,lecture on ,china4  #cd ,see his   
defence of this in his ,address to his  
,constituents at ,braintree1 ,sept4     
#agth1 #ahdb4 ,boston1 #ahdb1 p4 #ef1 et
 seq4  #ce ,in a public address1 ,mr4   
,adams once quoted the well-known words 
of ,tacitus 7,annal ,,vi4 #ci71 ,par    
negotiis neque supra1--applying them to 
a distinguished man lately deceased4 ,a 
lady wrote to inquire whence they came4 
,mr4 ,adams informed her1 and added1    
they could not be adequately translated 
in less than seven words in ,english4   

,the lady replied that they might be    
well translated in five--,equal to1 not 
above1 duty1 but better in three--,,john
 ,,quincy ,,adams4  #cf ,remarks of ,mr4
 ,cambreleng4  #cg ,mr4 ,van ,buren4    
#ch ,see the ,debates of the ,house1    
,january #bc;d and following1 #ahcg2 or 
,mr4 ,adams's own account of the matter 
in his ,letters to his ,constituents1   
etc4 7,boston1 #ahcg47 ,see1 too1 his   
,series of ,speeches on the ,right of   
,petition and the ,annexation of ,texas1
 ,january #adth and following1 #ahch4   
7,printed in a pamphlet4 ,washington1   
#ahch47  #ci ,acer et indomitus1 quo    
spes1 quoque ira vocasset1 ,ferre manum1
 et nunquam temerando parcere ferro2    
,successus urgere suos2 instare favori  
,numinis2 impellens quiequid sibi summa 
petenti ,obstaret1 gaudensque viam      
fecisse ruina4  #dj ,clarum et          
venerabile nomen4  #da ,the above lines 
are from the pen of the ,rev4 ,john     
,pierpont4     ,,vii4  ,,speech ,,at ,a 
,,meeting ,,of ,,the ,,american         

,,anti-,,slavery ,,society1 ,,to        
,,celebrate ,,the ,,abolition ,,of      
,,slavery ,,by ,,the ,,french           
,,republic1 ,,april #f1 #ahdh4   ,,mr4  
,,chairman1--,the ,gentleman before     
me#db has made an allusion to ,rome4    
,let me also turn to that same city4    
,underneath the ,rome of the ,emperors1 
there was another ,rome2 not seen by the
 sun1 known only to a few men4 ,above1  
in the sunlight1 stood ,rome of the     
,caesars1 with her markets and her      
armies1 her theatres1 her temples1 and  
her palaces1 glorious and of marble4 ,a 
million men went through her brazen     
gates4 ,the imperial city1 she stood    
there1 beautiful and admired1 the queen 
of nations4 ,but underneath all that1 in
 caverns of the earth1 in the tombs of  
dead men1 in quarries whence the upper  
city had been slowly hewn1 there was    
another population1 another ,rome1 with 
other thoughts2 yes1 a devout body of   
men1 who swore not by the public altars2
 men whose prayers were forbidden2 their

 worship disallowed1 their ideas        
prohibited1 their very lives illegal4   
,time passed on2 and gradually ,rome of 
the ,pagans disappeared1 and ,rome of   
the ,christians sat there in her place1 
on the ,seven ,hills1 and stretched out 
her sceptre over the nations4  ,so      
underneath the laws and the institutions
 of each modern nation1 underneath the  
monarchy and the republic1 there is     
another and unseen ,state1 with         
sentiments not yet become popular1 and  
with ideas not yet confirmed in actions1
 not organized into institutions1 ideas 
scarcely legal1 certainly not           
respectable4 ,slowly from its depths    
comes up this ideal ,state1 the ,state  
of the ,future2 and slowly to the       
eternal deep sinks down the actual      
,state1 the ,state of the ,present4 ,but
 sometimes an earthquake of the nations 
degrades of a sudden the actual2 and    
speedily starts up the ideal ,kingdom of
 the ,future4 ,such a thing has just    
come to pass4 ,in ,france1 within       

five-and-forty days1 a new ,state has   
arisen from underneath the old4 ,men1   
whose words were suppressed1 and their  
ideas reckoned illegal but two months   
ago1 now hold the sceptre of            
five-and-thirty millions of grateful    
citizens1 hold it in clean and powerful 
hands4 ,a great revolution has taken    
place2 one which will produce effects   
that we cannot foresee4 ,it is itself   
the greatest act of this century4 ,god  
only knows what it will lead to4 ,we are
 here to express the sympathy of        
republicans for a new republic4 ,we are 
here to rejoice over the rising hopes of
 a new ,state1 not to exult over the    
fallen fortunes of the ,bourbons4 ,louis
 ,philippe has done much which we may   
thank him for4 ,he has kept mainly at   
peace the fiercest nation of the world2 
has kept the peace of ,europe for       
seventeen years4 ,let us thank him for  
that4 ,he has consolidated the ,french  
nation1 helped to give them a new unity 
of thought and unity of action1 which   

they had not before4 ,perhaps he did not
 intend all this4 ,since he has brought 
it about1 let us thank him for it1 even 
if his conduct transcended his          
intention4 ,but1 most of all1 ,i would  
thank this ,citizen ,king for another   
thing4 ,his greatest lesson is his last4
 ,he has shown that five-and-thirty     
millions of ,frenchmen1 in this         
nineteenth century1 are only to be ruled
 by ,justice and the ,eternal ,law of   
,right4 ,we have seen this crafty king1 
often wise and always cunning1 driven   
from his throne4 ,he was the richest man
 in ,europe1 and the embodiment of the  
idea of modern wealth4 ,he had an army  
the best disciplined1 probably1 in the  
world1 and1 as he thought1 completely in
 his power4 ,he had a ,chamber of ,peers
 of his own appointment2 a ,chamber of  
,deputies almost of his own election4   
,he ruled a nation that contained three 
hundred thousand office-holders1        
appointed by himself1 and only two      
hundred and forty thousand voters6 ,who 

sat so safe as the citizen king on his  
throne1 surrounded by republican        
institutions6 ,so confident was he1 as  
the journals tell1 that he bade a friend
 stop a day or two1 and see how ,i will 
put down the people6 ,for once1 this    
shrewd calculator reckoned without his  
host4  ,well1 we have seen this man1    
this citizen monarch1 who married his   
children only to kings1 rush from his   
place2 his peers and his deputies were  
unavailing2 his office-holders could not
 sustain him2 his army fraternized with 
the people2 and he1 forgetful of his own
 children1 ignominiously is hustled out 
of the kingdom1 in a street cab1 with   
nothing but a five-franc piece in his   
pocket4 ,for the lesson thus taught1 let
 us thank him most of all4  ,men tell us
 it is too soon to rejoice3 ,perhaps the
 ,revolution will not hold2 it will not 
last2 the kings of ,europe will put it  
down4 ,when a sound1 healthy child is   
born1 the friends of the family         
congratulate the parents then2 they do  

not wait till the child has grown up1   
and got a beard4 ,now this is a live    
child2 it is well born in both senses1  
come of good parentage1 and gives signs 
of a good constitution4 ,let us rejoice 
at its birth1 and not wait to see if it 
will grow up4 ,let us now baptize it in 
the crystal fountain of our own ,hope4  
,in a great revolution1 there are always
 two things to be looked at1 namely1 the
 actions1 and the ideas which produce   
the actions4 ,the actions ,i will say   
little of2 you have all read of them in 
the newspapers4 ,some of the actions    
were bad4 ,it is not true that all at   
once the ,french have become angels4    
,there are low and base men1 who swarm  
in the lanes and alleys of ,paris2 for  
that great city also is like all        
capitals1 girt about with a belt of     
misery1 of vice and of crime1 eating    
into her painful loins4 ,it was a bad   
thing to sack the ,tuileries2 to burn   
bridges1 and chateaux1 and railroad     
stations4 ,property is under the        

insurance of mankind1 and the human race
 must pay in public for private         
depredations4 ,it was a bad thing to    
kill men2 the human race cannot make up 
that loss2 only suffer and be penitent4 
,i am sorry for these bad actions2 but  
,i am not surprised at them4 ,you cannot
 burn down the poor dwelling of a widow 
in ,boston1 but some miserable man will 
steal pot or pan1 in the confusion of   
the fire4 ,how much more should we      
expect pillage and violence in the      
earthquake which throws down a king6  ,i
 have said enough of the actions2 but   
there was one deed too symbolical to be 
passed by4 ,in the garden of the        
,tuileries1 before the great gate of the
 palace1 there stands a statue of       
,spartacus1 a colossal bronze1 his      
broken chain in the left hand1 his      
,roman sword in the right4 ,spartacus   
was a ,roman gladiator4 ,he broke his   
chains2 gathered about him other        
gladiators1 fugitive slaves1 and        
assembled an army4 ,he and his comrades 

fought for freedom2 they cut off four   
consular armies sent against them2 at   
last the hero fell amid a heap of men1  
slain by his own well-practised hand4   
,when the people took the old and       
emblematic ,french throne1 and burned it
 solemnly with emblematic fire1 they    
stripped off some of the crimson        
trappings of the royal seat1 made a     
tiara thereof1 and bound it on the      
gladiator's brazen head6 ,but red is the
 color of revolution1 the color of      
blood2 the unconscious gladiator was an 
image too savage for new ,france4 ,so   
they hid the ,roman sword in his hand1  
and wreathed it all over with a chaplet 
of flowers6  ,let us say a word of the  
ideas4 ,three ideas filled the mind of  
the nation3 the idea of ,liberty1       
,equality and ,fraternity4 ,three noble 
words4 ,liberty meant liberty of all4   
,so1 at one word1 they set free the     
slaves1 and1 if my friend's ciphers are 
correct1 at once three hundred thousand 
souls rise up from the ground           

disenthralled1 free men4 ,that is a     
great act4 ,a population as large as the
 whole family of our sober sister       
,connecticut1 all at once find their    
chains drop off1 and they are free3 not 
beasts1 but men4 ,this may not hold4    
,our ,declaration of ,independence was  
not the ,confederation of '#gh--still   
less was it the ,constitution of '#hg4  
,the ,french may be as false as the     
,americans to their idea of liberty4 ,at
 any rate1 it is a good beginning4 ,let 
us rejoice at that4  ,equality means    
that all are equal before the law2 equal
 in rights1 however unequal in mights4  
,so all titles of nobility come at once 
to the ground4 ,the royal family is like
 the family of our ,presidents4 ,the    
,chamber of ,peers is abolished4        
,universal suffrage is decreed2 all men 
over twenty-one are voters4 ,men here in
 ,america say1 ,the ,french are not     
ready for that4 ,no doubt the king      
thought so4 ,at any rate1 he was not    
ready for it4 ,but it is not a thing    

altogether unknown in ,france4 ,it has  
been tried several times before4 ,the   
,french ,constitution was accepted by   
the whole people in #ahjj2 ,napoleon was
 made ,consul by the whole people2 made 
,emperor by the whole people4 ,even in  
#ahae1 the acte additionelle to the     
,charte was accepted by the whole       
people4 ,to decree universal suffrage   
was the most natural thing in the world4
 ,those two ideas1 liberty and equality1
 have long been ,american ideas2 they   
were never ,american facts4 ,america    
sought liberty only for the whites4 ,our
 fathers thought not of universal       
suffrage4  ,but ,france has not only    
attempted to make our ideas into facts2 
she has advanced an idea not hinted at  
in the ,american ,declaration2 the idea 
of ,fraternity4 ,by this she means human
 brotherhood4 ,this points not merely to
 a political1 but to a social           
revolution4 ,it is not easy for us to   
understand how a government can effect  
this4 ,here1 all comes from the people1 

and the people have to take care of the 
government1 meaning thereby the men in  
official power2 have to furnish them    
with ideas1 and tell them what          
application to make thereof4 ,there all 
comes from the government4 ,so the new  
provisional government of ,france must  
be one that can lead the nation2 have   
ideas in advance of the nation4         
,accordingly1 it proposes many plans    
which with us could never have come from
 any party in power4 ,here1 the         
government is only the servant of the   
people4 ,there1 it aims to be the father
 and teacher thereof2 a patriarchal     
government with ,christian thoughts and 
feelings4 ,but as an eloquent man is to 
come after me1 whose special aim is to  
develop the idea of human brotherhood   
into social institutions1 ,i will not   
dwell on this1 save to mention an act of
 the provisional authorities4 ,they have
 abolished the punishment of death for  
all political offences4 ,you remember   
the guillotine1 the massacres of        

,september1 the drowning in the ,loire  
and the ,seine1 the dreadful butchery in
 the name of the law4  ,put this new    
decree side by side with the old1 and   
you see why ,spartacus1 though crowned  
by a revolution1 bears peaceful blossoms
 in his hand4  ,but let us hasten on2   
time would fail me to speak of the cause
 or point out the effect of this        
movement of the people4 ,only a word    
concerning the objections made to it4   
,some say1 ,it is only an extempore     
affair4 ,men drunk with new power are   
telling their fancies1 and trying in    
their heat to make laws thereof4 ,it is 
not so4 ,the ideas ,i have hinted at    
have been long known and deeply         
cherished by the best minds in ,france4 
,last autumn1 ,m4 ,lamartine1 in his own
 newspaper1 for the deputy for ,macon is
 an editor1 published the ,programme and
 confession of his political faith4#dc  
,others say1 ,the whole thing seems     
rash4 ,well1 so it does2 so does any    
good thing seem rash to all except the  

man who does it1 and such as would do it
 if he did not4 ,what is rash to one is 
not to another4 ,it is dangerous for an 
old man to run1 fatal for him to leap1  
while his grandson jumps over wall and  
ditch without hurt4 ,the ,american      
,revolution was a rash act2 the ,english
 ,revolution a rash act2 the ,protestant
 ,reformation was a rash act4 ,was it   
safe to withstand the ,revolution8 ,did 
the king of the ,french find it so8 ,yet
 others say1 ,the leaders are unknown1  
,lamartine1 you might as well put any   
man in the street at the head of the    
nation4 ,but when the ,american         
,revolution begun1 who1 in ,england1 had
 ever heard of ,john ,hancock1          
,president of the ,congress8 ,to the men
 who knew him1 ,john ,hancock was a     
country trader1 the richest man in a    
town of ten thousand inhabitants3 ,that 
did not sound very great at ,london4    
,samuel ,adams1 and ,john ,adams1 and   
,thomas ,jefferson1 and all the other   
men1 what did the world know of them8   

,only that they had been christened with
 ,hebrew names4 ,why1 ,george           
,washington was only1 as ,gen4 ,braddock
 called him1 ,a young ,buckskin4 ,but   
the world heard of these men afterwards4
 ,let us leave the ,french statesmen to 
make to the future what report of       
themselves they can6 ,let me tell a     
story of ,dupont de l',eure1 the head of
 the government at this moment4 ,he was 
one of the movers of the ,revolution of 
#ahcj4 ,he dined with the citizen king1 
once1 in some council4 ,at the table1 he
 and the king differed2 the king        
affirmed1 and ,dupont denied4 ,said the 
king1 ,do you tell me ,i lie8 ,said     
,dupont1 ,when the king says yes1 and   
,dupont de l',eure replies no1 ,france  
will know which to believe6 ,the king   
said1 ,yes1 we will put the people down2
 ,dupont said1 ,no1 you shall not put   
the people down2 and now ,france knows  
which to believe4  ,again1 say others   
yet1 ,war may come2 royalty may come    
back1 despotism may come back4 ,other   

kings will interpose1 and put down a    
republic4 ,other kings interpose to put 
down the ,french6 ,perhaps they will4   
,they tried it in #agic1 but did not    
like the experiment very well4 ,they    
will be well off if they do not find it 
necessary to put down a republic a      
little nearer at hand2 their            
anti-revolutionary work may begin at    
home4 ,war followed the ,american       
,revolution4 ,it cost money1 it cost    
men4 ,but if we calculate the value of  
,american ideas1 they are worth what    
they cost4 ,even the ,french            
,revolution1 with all its carnage1      
robbery and butchery1 is worth what it  
cost4 ,but it is possible that war will 
not come4 ,from a foreign war1 ,france  
has little to fear4 ,there seems little 
danger that it will come at all4 ,what  
monarchy will dare fight republican     
,france8 ,internal trouble may indeed   
come4 ,it is to be expected that the new
 republic will make many a misstep4 ,but
 is it likely that all the old tragedies

 will be enacted again8 ,surely not2 the
 burnt child dreads the fire4 ,besides1 
the ,france of '#dh is not the ,france  
of '#hi4 ,there is no triple despotism  
weighing on the nation's neck1 a trinity
 of despotic powers--the throne1 the    
nobility1 the church4 ,the king has     
fled2 the nobles have ceased to be2 the 
church seems republican4 ,there is no   
hatred between class and class1 as      
before4 ,the men of '#hi sought freedom 
for the middle class1 not for all       
classes1 neither for the high1 nor for  
the low4 ,religion pervades the church  
and the people1 as never before4 ,better
 ideas prevail4 ,it is not the gospel of
 ,jean ,jaques1 and the scoffing        
negations of ,voltaire1 that are now    
proclaimed to the people2 but the broad 
maxims of ,christian men2 the words of  
human brotherhood4 ,the men of terror   
knew no weapon but the sword2 the       
provisional government casts the sword  
from its hands1 and will not shed blood 
for political crimes4  ,still1 troubles 

may come2 war may come from without1    
and1 worse still1 from within2 the      
republic may end4 ,but if it lasts only 
a day1 let us rejoice in that day4      
,suppose it is only the dream of the    
nation2 it is worth while to dream of   
liberty1 of equality1 of fraternity2 and
 to dream that we are awake1 and trying 
to make them all into institutions and  
common life4 ,what is only a dream now1 
will be a fact at last4  ,next ,sunday  
is the election day of ,france2 six     
millions of voters are to choose nine   
hundred representatives6 ,shall not the 
prayers of all ,christian hearts go up  
with them on that day1 a great deep     
prayer for their success8 ,the other    
day1 the birthday of ,washington1 the   
calm1 noiseless spirit of death came to 
release the soul of the patriarch of    
,american statesmen4 ,while his sun was 
slowly sinking in the western sky1 the  
life-star of a new nation was visibly   
rising there1 far off in the east4 ,a   
pagan might be pardoned for the thought1

 that the intrepid soul of that old man 
foresaw the peril1 and1 slowly quitting 
its hold of the worn-out body1 went     
thither to kindle anew the flames of    
liberty he fanned so often here4 ,that  
is but a pagan thought4 ,this is a      
,christian thought3 ,the same ,god who  
formed the world for man's abode1       
presides also in the movements of       
mankind1 and directs their voluntary    
march4 ,see how this earth has been     
brought to her present firm and settled 
state4 ,by storm and earthquake1        
continent has been rent from continent2 
oceans have swept over the mountains1   
and the scars of ancient war still mark 
our parent's venerable face4 ,so is it  
in the growth of human ,society3 it is  
the child of pain2 revolutions have     
rocked its cradle1 war and violence     
rudely nursed it into hardy life4 ,good 
institutions1 how painfully1 how slowly 
have they come6      ,slowly as spreads 
the green of earth       ,o'er the      
receding ocean's bed1     ,dim as the   

distant stars come forth1               
,uncertain as a vision slow1     ,has   
been the old world's toiling pace1      
,ere she can give fair freedom place4   
,let us welcome the green spot1 when it 
begins to spread2 let us shout as the   
sterile sea of barbarism goes back2 let 
us rejoice in the vision of good things 
to come2 let us welcome the distant and 
rising orb1 for it is the ,bethlehem    
star of a great nation1 and they who    
behold it may well say--,peace on earth1
 and good-will to men4  ,,footnotes3    
#db ,mr4 ,wendell ,phillips4  #dc ,see  
the ,courier des ,etats ,unis1 for ,nov4
 #bd1 #ahdg1 which contains passages    
from ,m4 ,lamartine's programme1 which  
set forth all the schemes that the      
provisional government had afterwards   
tried to carry out4     ,,viii4         
,,speech ,,at ,,faneuil ,,hall1 ,,before
 ,,the ,,new ,,england ,,anti-,,slavery 
,,convention1 ,,may #ca1 #ahdh4   ,the  
design of the ,abolitionists is         
this1--to remove and destroy the        

institution of slavery4 ,to accomplish  
this well1 two things are needed1 ideas 
and actions4 ,of the ideas first1 and   
then a word of the actions4  ,what is   
the idea of the abolitionists8 ,only    
this1 ,that all men are created free1   
endowed with unalienable rights2 and in 
respect of those rights1 that all men   
are equal4 ,this is the idea of         
,christianity1 of human nature4 ,of     
course1 then1 no man has a right to take
 away another's rights2 of course1 no   
man may use me for his good1 and not my 
own good also2 of course1 there can be  
no ownership of man by man2 of course1  
no slavery in any form4 ,such is the    
idea1 and some of the most obvious      
doctrines that follow from it4  ,now1   
the abolitionists aim to put this idea  
into the minds of the people1 knowing   
that if it be there1 actions will follow
 fast enough4  ,it seems a very easy    
matter to get it there4 ,the idea is    
nothing new2 all the world knows it4    
,talk with men1 democrats and whigs1    

they will say they like freedom in the  
abstract1 they hate slavery in the      
abstract4 ,but you find that somehow    
they like slavery in the concrete1 and  
dislike abolitionism when it tries to   
set free the slave4 ,slavery is the     
affair of the whole people2 not         
,congress1 but the nation1 made slavery2
 made it national1 constitutional4 ,not 
,congress1 but the voters1 must unmake  
slavery2 make it un-constitutional1     
un-national4 ,they say ,congress cannot 
do it4 ,well1 perhaps it is so2 but they
 that make can break4 ,if the people    
made slavery1 they can unmake it4  ,you 
talk with the people2 the idea of       
freedom is there4 ,they tell you they   
believe the ,declaration of             
,independence--that all men are created 
equal4 ,but somehow they contrive to    
believe that negroes now in bondage are 
an exception to the rule1 and so they   
tell us that slavery must not be meddled
 with1 that we must respect the         
compromises of the ,constitution4 ,so we

 see that respect for the ,constitution 
overrides respect for the inalienable   
rights of three millions of negro men4  
,now1 to move men1 it is necessary to   
know two things--first1 ,what they      
think1 and next1 ,why they think it4    
,let us look a little at both4  ,in ,new
 ,england1 men over twenty-one years old
 may be divided into two classes4       
,first1 the men that vote1 and secondly1
 the men that choose the ,governor4 ,the
 voters in ,massachusetts are some      
hundred and twenty thousand2 the men    
that choose the ,governor1 who tell the 
people how to vote1 whom to vote for1   
what laws to make1 what to forbid1 what 
policy to pursue--they are not very     
numerous4 ,you may take one hundred men 
out of ,boston1 and fifty men from the  
other large towns in the ,state--and if 
you could get them to be silent till    
next ,december1 and give no counsel on  
political affairs1 the people would not 
know what to do4 ,the democrats would   
not know what to do1 nor the whigs4 ,we 

are a very democratic people1 and       
suffrage is almost universal2 but it is 
a very few men who tell us how to vote1 
who make all the most important laws4   
,do ,i err in estimating the number at  
one hundred and fifty8 ,i do not like to
 exaggerate--suppose there are six      
hundred men1 three hundred in each      
party2 that six hundred manage the      
political action of the ,state1 in      
ordinary times4  ,i need not stop to ask
 what the rest of the people think about
 freedom and slavery4 ,what do the men  
who control our politics think thereof8 
,i answer1 ,they are not opposed to     
slavery2 to the slavery of three        
millions of men4 ,they may not like     
slavery in the abstract1 or they may    
like it1 ,i do not pretend to judge2 but
 slavery in the concrete1 at the ,south1
 they do like2 opposition to that       
slavery1 in the mildest form1 or the    
sternest1 they do hate4  ,that is a     
serious charge to bring against the     
prominent rulers of the ,state4 ,let me 

call your attention to a few facts which
 prove it4 ,look at the men we send to  
,congress4 ,there are thirty-one ,new   
,england men in ,congress4 ,by the most 
liberal construction you can only make  
out five anti-slavery men in the whole  
number4 ,who ever heard of an           
anti-slavery ,governor of ,massachusetts
 in this century8 ,men know what they   
are about when they select candidates   
for election4 ,do the voters always know
 what they are about when they choose   
them8  ,then these men always are in    
favor of a pro-slavery ,president4 ,the 
,president must be a slaveholder4 ,there
 have been fifteen presidential         
elections4 ,men from the free ,states   
have filled the chair twelve years1 or  
three terms2 men from the slave ,states 
forty-four years1 or eleven terms4      
,during one term1 the chair was filled  
by an amphibious presidency1 by ,general
 ,harrison1 who was nothing but a       
concrete availability1 and ,john ,tyler1
 who was--,john ,tyler4 ,they called him

 an accident2 but there are no accidents
 in politics4 ,a slaveholder presides   
over the ,united ,states forty-eight    
years out of sixty6 ,do those men who   
control the politics of ,new ,england   
not like it8 ,it is no such thing4 ,they
 love to have it so4 ,we have just seen 
the democratic party1 or their leaders1 
nominate ,general ,cass for their       
candidate--and ,general ,cass is a      
northern man2 but on that account is he 
any the less a pro-slavery man8 ,he did 
oppose the ,south once1 but it was in   
pressing a war with ,england4 ,everybody
 knows ,general ,cass1 and ,i need say  
no more about him4 ,but the northern    
whigs have their leaders--are they      
anti-slavery men8 ,not a whit more4     
,next week you will see them nominate1  
not the great ,eastern whig1 though he  
is no opponent of slavery1 only an      
,expounder and ,defender of the         
,constitution2 not the great ,western   
whig1 the ,compromiser1 though steeped  
to the lips in slavery2 no1 they will   

nominate ,general ,taylor1 a man who    
lives a little further south1 and is at 
this moment dyed a little more scarlet  
with the sin of slavery4  ,but go a step
 further as to the proof4 ,those men who
 control the politics of ,massachusetts1
 or ,new ,england1 or the whole ,north1 
they have never opposed the aggressive  
movements of the slave power4 ,the      
annexation of ,texas1 did they oppose   
that8 ,no1 they were glad of it4 ,true1 
some earnest men came up here in        
,faneuil ,hall1 and passed resolutions1 
which did no good whatever1 because it  
was well known that the real controllers
 of our politics thought the other way4 
,then followed the ,mexican war4 ,it was
 a war for slavery1 and they knew it2   
they like it now--that is1 if a man's   
likings can be found out by his doings1 
not his occasional and exceptional      
deeds1 but his regular and constant     
actions4 ,they knew that there would be 
a war against the currency1 a war       
against the tariff1 or a war against    

,mexico4 ,they chose the latter4 ,they  
knew what they were about4  ,the same   
thing is shown by the character of the  
,press4 ,no respectable paper is opposed
 to slavery2 no whig paper1 no          
democratic paper4 ,you would as soon    
expect a ,catholic newspaper to oppose  
the ,pope and his church1 for the slave 
power is the ,pope of ,america1 though  
not exactly a pious ,pope4 ,the churches
 show the same thing2 they also are in  
the main pro-slavery1 at least not      
anti-slavery4 ,there are some forty     
denominations or sects in ,new ,england4
 ,mr4 ,president1 is one of these       
anti-slavery8 ,not one6 ,the land is    
full of ministers1 respectable men1     
educated men--are they opposed to       
slavery8 ,i do not know a single man1   
eminent in any sect1 who is also eminent
 in his opposition to slavery4 ,there   
was one such man1 ,dr4 ,channing2 but   
just as he became eminent in the cause  
of freedom1 he lost power in his own    
church1 lost caste in his own little    

sect2 and though men are now glad to    
make sectarian capital out of his       
reputation after he is dead1 when he    
lived1 they cursed him by their gods6   
,then1 too1 all the most prominent men  
of ,new ,england fraternize with        
slavery4 ,massachusetts received such an
 insult from ,south ,carolina as no     
,state ever before received from another
 ,state in this ,union2 an affront which
 no nation would dare offer another1    
without grinding its sword first4 ,and  
what does ,massachusetts do8 ,she       
does--nothing4 ,but her foremost man    
goes off there1 ,the schoolmaster that  
gives no lessons1#dd to accept the      
hospitality of the ,south1 to take the  
chivalry of ,south ,carolina by the     
hand2 the ,defender of the ,constitution
 fraternizes with the ,state which      
violates the ,constitution1 and         
imprisons his own constituents on       
account of the color of their skin4     
,put all these things together1 and they
 show that the men who control the      

politics of ,massachusetts1 of all ,new 
,england1 do not oppose or dislike      
slavery4         99       99       99   
99       99  ,so much for what they     
think2 and now for the ,why they think  
so4  ,first1 there is the general       
indifference to what is absolutely      
right4 ,men think little of it4 ,the    
,anglo-,saxon race1 on both sides of the
 water1 have always felt the instinct of
 freedom1 and often contended stoutly   
enough for their own rights4 ,but they  
never cared much for the rights of other
 men4 ,the slaves are at a distance from
 us1 and so the wrong of this           
institution is not brought home to men's
 feelings as if it were our own wrong4  
,then the pecuniary interests of the    
,north are supposed to be connected with
 slavery1 so that the ,north would lose 
dollars if the ,south lost slaves4 ,no  
doubt this is a mistake2 still1 it is an
 opinion currently held4 ,the ,north    
wants a market for its fabrics1 freight 
for its ships4 ,the ,south affords it2  

and1 as men think1 better than if she   
had manufactures and ships of her own1  
both of which she could have1 were there
 no slaves4 ,all this seems to be a     
mistake4 ,freedom1 ,i think1 can be     
shown to be the interest of both ,north 
and ,south4  ,yet another reason is     
found in devotion to the interests of a 
party4 ,tell a whig he could make whig  
capital out of anti-slavery1 he would   
turn abolitionist in a moment1 if he    
believed you4 ,tell a democrat that he  
can make capital out of abolition1 and  
he also will come over to your side4    
,but the fact is1 each party knows it   
would gain nothing for its political    
purposes by standing out for the rights 
of man4 ,the time will come1 and sooner 
too than some men think1 when it will be
 for the interest of a party to favor   
abolition2 but that time is not yet4 ,it
 does seem strange1 that while you can  
find men who will practise a good deal  
of self-denial for their sect or their  
party1 lending1 and hoping nothing in   

return1 you so rarely find a man who    
will compromise even his popularity for 
the sake of mankind4  ,then again1 there
 is the fear of change4 ,men who control
 our politics seem to have little       
confidence in man1 little in truth1     
little in justice1 and the eternal      
right4 ,therefore1 while it is never out
 of season to do something for the      
tariff1 for the moneyed interests of    
men1 they think it is never in time to  
do much for the great work of elevating 
mankind itself4 ,they have no confidence
 in the people1 and take little pains to
 make the people worthy of confidence4  
,so any change which gives a more       
liberal government to a people1 which   
gives freedom to the slave1 they look on
 with distrust1 if not alarm4 ,in #ahcj1
 when the ,french expelled the despotic 
king who encumbered their throne1 what  
said ,massachusetts1 what said ,new     
,england1 in honor of the deed8         
,nothing4 ,your old men8 ,nothing4 ,your
 young men8 ,not a word4 ,what did they 

care for the freedom of thirty millions 
of men8 ,they were looking at their     
imports and exports4 ,in #ahch1 when    
,england set free eight hundred thousand
 men in a day1 what did ,massachusetts  
say about that8 ,what had ,new ,england 
to say8 ,not a word in its favor from   
these political leaders of the land4    
,nay1 they thought the experiment was   
dangerous1 and ever since that it is    
with great reluctance you can get them  
to confess that the scheme works well4  
,in #ahdh1 when ,france again expels her
 king1 and all the royalty in the       
kingdom is carted off in a one-horse    
cab--when the broadest principles of    
human government are laid down1 and a   
great nation sets about the difficult   
task of moving out of her old political 
house1 and into a new one1 without      
tearing down the old1 without butchering
 men in the process of removal1--why1   
what has ,boston to say to that8 ,what  
have the political leaders of           
,massachusetts1 of ,new ,england1 to    

say8 ,they have nothing to say for      
liberty2 they are sorry the experiment  
was made2 they are afraid the ,french   
will not want so much cotton2 they have 
no confidence in man1 and fear every    
change4  ,such are their opinions1 to   
judge by what they do2 such the reasons 
thereof1 judging by what they say4      
99       99       99       99       99  
,but now how can we change this1 and get
 the idea of freedom into men's minds8  
,something can be done by the gradual   
elevation of men1 by schools and        
churches1 by the press4 ,the churches   
and colleges of ,new ,england have not  
directly aided us in the work of        
abolishing slavery4 ,no doubt by their  
direct action they have retarded that   
work1 and that a good deal4 ,but        
indirectly they have done much to hasten
 the work4 ,they have helped educate    
men2 helped make men moral1 in a general
 way2 and now this moral power can be   
turned to this special business1 though 
the churches say1 ,no1 you shall not4 ,i

 see before me a good and an earnest    
man1#de who1 not opening his mouth in   
public against slavery1 has yet done a  
great service in this way3 he has       
educated the teachers of the            
,commonwealth1 has taught them to love  
freedom1 to love justice1 to love man   
and ,god4 ,that is what ,i call sowing  
the seeds of anti-slavery4 ,the honored 
and excellent ,secretary of             
,education1#df who has just gone to     
stand in the place of a famous man1 and 
,i hope to fill it nobly1 has done much 
in this way4 ,i wish in his reports on  
education he had exposed the wrong which
 is done here in ,boston1 by putting all
 the colored children in one school1 by 
shutting them out of the ,latin ,school 
and the ,english ,high ,school4 ,i wish 
he had done that duty1 which plainly    
belongs to him to do4 ,but without      
touching that1 he has yet done1         
indirectly1 a great work towards the    
abolition of slavery4 ,he has sown the  
seeds of education wide spread over the 

,state4 ,one day these seeds will come  
up2 come up men1 men that will both vote
 and choose the ,governor2 men that will
 love right and justice2 will see the   
iniquity of ,american slavery1 and sweep
 it off the continent1 cost what it may 
cost1 spite of all compromises of the   
,constitution1 and all compromisers4 ,i 
look on that as certain4 ,but that is   
slow work1 this waiting for a general   
morality to do a special act4 ,it is    
going without dinner till the wheat is  
grown for your bread4  ,so we want      
direct and immediate action upon the    
people themselves4 ,the idea must be set
 directly before them1 with all its     
sanctions displayed1 and its obligations
 made known4 ,this can be done in part  
by the pulpit4 ,dr4 ,channing shows how 
much one man can do1 standing on that   
eminence4 ,you all know how much he did 
do4 ,i am sorry that he came so late1   
sorry that he did not do more1 but      
thankful for what he did do4 ,however1  
you cannot rely on the pulpit to do     

much4 ,the pulpit represents the average
 goodness and piety2 not eminent        
goodness and piety4 ,it is unfair to    
call ordinary men to do extraordinary   
works4 ,i do not concur in all the hard 
things that are said about the clergy1  
perhaps it is because ,i am one of them2
 but ,i do not expect a great deal from 
them4 ,it is hard to call a class of men
 all at once to rise above all other    
classes of men1 and teach a degree of   
virtue which they do not understand4    
,but you may call them to be true to    
their own consciences4  ,so the pulpit  
is not to be relied on for much aid4 ,if
 all the ministers of ,new ,england were
 abolitionists1 with the same zeal that 
they are ,protestants1 ,universalists1  
,methodists1 ,calvinists1 or            
,unitarians1 no doubt the whole ,state  
would soon be an anti-slavery ,state1   
and the day of emancipation would be    
wonderfully hastened4 ,but that we are  
not to look for4  ,much can be done by  
lecturers1 who shall go to the people   

and address them1 not as whigs or       
democrats1 not as sectarians1 but as    
men1 and in the name of man and ,god    
present the actual condition of the     
slaves1 and show the duty of the ,north 
and the ,south1 of the nation1 in regard
 to this matter4 ,for this business1 we 
want money and men1 the two sinews of   
war2 money to pay the men1 men to earn  
the money4 ,they must appeal to the     
people in their primary capacity1 simply
 as men4  ,much also may be done by the 
press4 ,how much may be done by these   
two means1 and that in a few years1     
these men#dg can tell2 all the ,north   
and ,south can tell4 ,men of the most   
diverse modes of thought can work       
together in this cause4 ,here on my     
right is ,mr4 ,phillips1 an             
old-fashioned ,calvinist1 who believes  
all the five points of ,calvinism4 ,i am
 rather a new-fashioned ,unitarian1 and 
believe only one of the five points1 the
 one ,mr4 ,phillips has proved--the     
perseverance of the saints2 but we get  

along without any quarrel by the way4   
,some men will try political action4    
,the action of the people1 of the       
nation1 must be political action4 ,it   
may be constitutional1 it may be        
un-constitutional4 ,i see not why men   
need quarrel about that4 ,let not him   
that voteth1 condemn him that voteth    
not2 nor let not him that voteth not1   
condemn him that voteth1 but let every  
man be faithful to his own convictions4 
,it is said1 the abolitionists waste    
time and wind in denunciation4 ,it is   
partly true4 ,i make no doubt it        
inspires the slaveholder's heart to see 
division amongst his foes4 ,i ought to  
say his friends1 for such we are4 ,he   
thinks the day of justice is deferred1  
while the ministers thereof contend4 ,i 
do not believe a revolution is to be    
baptized with rose-water4 ,i do not     
believe a great work is to be done      
without great passions4 ,it is not to be
 supposed that the ,leviathan of        
,american ,slavery will allow himself to

 be drawn out of the mire in which he   
has made his nest1 and grown fat and    
strong1 without some violence and       
floundering4 ,when we have caught him   
fairly1 he will put his feet into the   
mud to hold on by2 he will reach out and
 catch hold of every thing that will    
hold him4 ,he has caught hold of ,mr4   
,clay and ,mr4 ,webster4 ,he will catch 
hold of ,general ,cass and ,general     
,taylor4 ,he will die1 though slowly1   
and die hard4 ,still it is a pity that  
men who essay to pull him out1 should   
waste their strength in bickerings with 
one another1 or in needless denunciation
 of the leviathan's friends4 ,call      
slaveholding1 slaveholding2 let us tell 
all the evils which arise from it1 if we
 can find language terrible enough2 let 
us show up the duplicity of the nation1 
the folly of our wise men1 the          
littleness of our great men1 the        
baseness of our honorable men1 if need  
be2 but all that with no unkind feelings
 toward any one4 ,virtue never appears  

so lovely as when destroying sin1 she   
loves the sinner1 and seeks to save him4
 ,absence of love is absence of the     
strongest power4 ,see how much ,mr4     
,adams lost of his influence1 how much  
he wasted of his strength1 by the       
violence with which he pursued persons4 
,i am glad to acknowledge the great     
services he performed4 ,he wished to    
have every man stand on the right side  
of the anti-slavery line2 but ,i believe
 there were some men whom he would like 
to have put there with a pitch-fork4 ,on
 the other hand1 ,dr4 ,channing never   
lost a moment by attacking a personal   
foe2 and see what he gained by it6      
,however1 ,i must say this1 that no     
great revolution of opinion and practice
 was ever brought about before with so  
little violence1 waste of force1 and    
denunciation4 ,consider the greatness of
 the work3 it is to restore three       
millions to liberty2 a work1 in         
comparison with which the ,american     
,revolution was a little thing4 ,yet    

consider the violence1 the denunciation1
 the persecution1 and the long years of 
war1 which that ,revolution cost4 ,i do 
not wonder that abolitionists are       
sometimes violent2 ,i only deplore it4  
,remembering the provocation1 ,i wonder 
they are not more so and more often4    
,the prize is to be run for1 not without
 dust and heat4  ,working in this way1  
we are sure to succeed4 ,the idea is an 
eternal truth4 ,it will find its way    
into the public mind1 for there is that 
sympathy between man and the truth1 that
 he cannot live without it and be       
blessed4 ,what allies we have on our    
side6 ,true1 the cupidity1 the tyranny1 
the fear and the atheism of the land are
 against us4 ,but all the nobleness1 all
 the honor1 all the morality1 all the   
religion1 are on our side4 ,i was sorry 
to hear it said1 that the religion of   
the land opposed us4 ,it is not true4   
,religion never opposed any good work4  
,i know what my friend meant1 and ,i    
wish he had said it1 calling things by  

their right names4 ,it is the irreligion
 of the land that favors slavery2 it is 
the idolatry of gold2 it is our atheism4
 ,of speculative atheism there is not   
much2 you see how much of the practical6
  ,we are certain of success2 the spirit
 of the age is on our side4 ,see how the
 old nations shake their tyrants out of 
the land4 ,see how every steamer brings 
us good tidings of good things2 and do  
you believe ,america can keep her       
slaves8 ,it is idle to think so4 ,so all
 we want is time4 ,on our side are      
,truth1 ,justice1 and the ,eternal      
,right4 ,yes1 on our side is religion1  
the religion of ,christ2 on our side are
 the hopes of mankind1 and the great    
power of ,god4  ,,footnotes3  #dd ,this 
was a sentiment offered at a public     
dinner given by the citizens of         
,charleston1 ,s4 ,c41 to ,hon4 ,daniel  
,webster4  #de ,rev4 ,cyrus ,pierce1    
,teacher of the ,normal ,school at      
,newton4  #df ,hon4 ,horace ,mann4  #dg 
,messrs4 ,garrison1 ,phillips and       

,quincy4     ,,ix4  ,,some ,,thoughts   
,,on ,,the ,,free ,,soil ,,party ,,and  
,,the ,,election ,,of ,,general         
,,taylor4 ,,december1 #ahdh4   ,the     
people of the ,united ,states have just 
chosen an officer1 who1 for the next    
four years1 will have more power than   
any monarch of ,europe2 yet three years 
ago he was scarcely known out of the    
army in ,florida1 and even now has      
appeared only in the character of a     
successful general4 ,his supporters at  
the ,north intend1 by means of his      
election1 to change the entire          
commercial policy of the country1 and   
perhaps1 also1 its financial policy2    
they contemplate1 or profess to         
contemplate1 a great change4 ,yet the   
election has been effected without      
tumult or noise2 not a soldier has drawn
 his bayonet2 scarcely has a constable  
needed his official rod to keep order   
withal4 ,in ,europe1 at the same time1  
the beginning of a change in the        
national dynasty or the national policy 

is only attempted by violence1 by       
soldiers with arms ready for fight1 by  
battle and murder4 ,one day or another1 
men will be wise enough to see the cause
 of this difference1 and insular        
statesmen in ,england1 who now sneer at 
the new government in ,america1 may     
learn that democracy has at least one   
quality--that of respecting law and     
order1 and may live to see ours the     
oldest government in the whole          
,caucasian race4  ,since the election is
 now over1 it is worth while to look a  
moment at the politics and political    
parties of the country1 that we may gain
 wisdom for the future1 and perhaps     
hope2 at any rate1 may see the actual   
condition of things4 ,each political    
party is based on an ,idea1 which       
corresponds to a ,truth1 or an          
,interest4 ,it commonly happens that the
 idea is represented as an interest1 and
 the interest as an idea1 before either 
becomes the foundation of a large party4
 ,now when a new idea is introduced to  

any party1 or applied to any            
institution1 if it be only auxiliary to 
the old doctrines incarnated therein1 a 
regular growth and new development take 
place2 but when the new idea is hostile 
to the old1 the development takes place 
under the form of a revolution1 and that
 will be greater or less in proportion  
to the difference between the new idea  
and the old doctrine2 in proportion to  
their relative strength and value4 ,as  
,aristotle said of seditions1 a         
revolution comes on slight occasions1   
but not of slight causes2#dh the        
occasion may be obvious and obviously   
trivial1 but the cause obscure and      
great4 ,the occasion of the ,french     
,revolution of #ahdh was afforded by the
 attempt of the king to prevent a       
certain public dinner3 he had a legal   
right to prevent it4 ,the cause of the  
,revolution was a little different2 but 
some men in ,america and ,england1 at   
first1 scarcely looked beyond the       
occasion1 and1 taking that for the      

cause1 thought the ,frenchmen fools to  
make so much ado about a trifle1 and    
that they had better eat their soupe    
maigre at home1 and let their victuals  
stop their mouths4 ,the occasion of the 
,american ,revolution may be found in   
the ,stamp-,act1 or the ,sugar-,act1 the
 ,writs of ,assistance1 or the ,boston  
,port-,bill2 some men1 even now1 see no 
further1 and logically conclude the     
colonists made a mistake1 because for a 
dozen years they were far worse off than
 before the ,rebellion1 and have never  
been so lightly taxed since4 ,such men  
do not see the cause of the ,revolution1
 which was not an unwillingness to pay  
taxes1 but a determination to govern    
themselves4  ,at the present day it is  
plain that a revolution1 neither slow   
nor silent1 is taking place in the      
political parties of ,america4 ,the     
occasion thereof is the nomination of a 
man for the presidency who has no       
political or civil experience1 but who  
has three qualities that are important  

in the eyes of the leading men who have 
supported and pushed him forward3 one   
is1 that he is an eminent slaveholder1  
whose interests and accordingly whose   
ideas are identical with those of the   
slaveholders2 the next1 that he is not  
hostile to the doctrines of northern    
manufacturers respecting a protective   
tariff2 and the third1 that he is an    
eminent and very successful military    
commander4 ,the last is an accidental   
quality1 and it is not to be supposed   
that the intelligent and influential men
 at the ,north and ,south who have      
promoted his election1 value him any    
more on that account1 or think that mere
 military success fits him for his high 
office1 and enables him to settle the   
complicated difficulties of a modern    
,state4 ,they must know better2 but they
 must have known that many men of little
 intelligence are so taken with military
 glory that they will ask for no more in
 their hero2 it was foreseen1 also1 that
 honest and intelligent men of all      

parties would give him their vote       
because he had never been mixed up with 
the intrigues of political life4 ,thus  
far-sighted politicians of the ,north   
and ,south saw that he might be fairly  
elected1 and then might serve the       
purposes of the slaveholder1 or the     
manufacturer of the ,north4 ,the        
military success of ,general ,taylor1 an
 accidental merit1 was only the occasion
 of his nomination by the whigs2 his    
substantial merit was found in the fact1
 that he was supposed1 or known1 to be  
favorable to the peculiar institution of
 the ,south1 and the protective policy  
of the manufacturers at the ,north3 this
 was the cause of his formal nomination 
by the ,whig ,convention of             
,philadelphia1 and his real nomination  
by members of the whig party at         
,washington4 ,the men of property at the
 ,south wanted an extension of slavery2 
the men of property at the ,north1 a    
high protective tariff2 and it was      
thought ,general ,taylor could serve    

both purposes1 and promote the interests
 of the ,north and ,south4  ,such is the
 occasion of the revolution in political
 parties3 the cause is the introduction 
of a new idea into these parties        
entirely hostile to some of their former
 doctrines4 ,in the electioneering      
contest1 the new idea was represented by
 the words ,free ,soil4 ,for present    
practice it takes a negative form3 ,no  
more ,slave ,states1 no more ,slave     
,territory1 is the motto4 ,but these    
words and this motto do not adequately  
represent the idea1 only so much thereof
 as has been needful in the present     
crisis4  ,before now there has been much
 in the political history of ,america to
 provoke the resentment of the ,north4  
,england has been ruled by various      
dynasties2 the ,american chair has been 
chiefly occupied by the ,southern       
,house1 the ,dynasty of ,slaveholders3  
now and then a member of the ,northern  
,house has sat on that seat1 but        
commonly it has been a ,northern man    

with ,southern principles1 never a man  
with mind to see the great idea of      
,america1 and will to carry it out in   
action4 ,still the spirit of liberty has
 not died out of the ,north2 the attempt
 to put an eighth slaveholder in the    
chair of ,the model republic1 gave      
occasion for that spirit to act again4  
,the new idea is not hostile to the     
distinctive doctrine of either political
 party2 neither to free trade1 nor to   
protection2 so it makes no revolution in
 respect to them3 it is neutral1 and    
leaves both as it found them4 ,it is not
 hostile to the general theory of the   
,american ,state1 so it makes no        
revolution there2 this idea is assumed  
as self-evident1 in the ,declaration of 
,independence4 ,it is not inimical to   
the theory of the ,constitution of the  
,united ,states1 as set forth in the    
preamble thereto1 where the design of   
the ,constitution is declared to be ,to 
form a more perfect union1 establish    
justice1 insure domestic tranquillity1  

provide for the common defence1 promote 
the general welfare1 and secure the     
blessings of liberty to ourselves and   
our posterity4  ,there are clauses in   
the ,constitution1 which are exceptions 
to this theory1 and hostile to the      
design mentioned above2 to such1 this   
idea will one day prove itself utterly  
at variance1 as it is now plainly       
hostile to one part of the practice of  
the ,american government1 and that of   
both the parties4  ,we have had several 
political parties since the ,revolution3
 the federalists1 and                   
anti-federalists1--the latter shading   
off into republicans1 democrats1 and    
loco focos2 the former tapering into    
modern whigs1 in which guise some of    
their fathers would scarcely recognize  
the family type4 ,we have had a         
protective party and an anti-protective 
party2 once there was a free-trade      
party1 which no longer appears in       
politics4 ,there has been a ,national   
,bank party1 which seems to have gone to

 the realm of things lost on earth4 ,in 
the rise and fall of these parties1     
several dramas1 tragic and comic1 have  
been performed on the ,american boards1 
where ,one man in his time plays many   
parts1 and stout representatives of the 
,hartford ,convention find themselves on
 the same side with worshippers of the  
,gerrymander1 and shouting the same cry4
 ,it is kindly ordered that memory      
should be so short1 and brass so common4
 ,none of the old parties is likely to  
return2 the living have buried the dead4
 ,we are all federalists1 said ,mr4     
,jefferson1 we are all democrats1 and   
truly1 so far as old questions are      
concerned4 ,it is well known that the   
present representatives of the old      
federal party1 have abjured the         
commercial theory of their predecessors2
 and the men who were ,jacobins at the  
beginning of the century1 curse the new 
,french ,revolution by their gods4 ,at  
the presidential election of #ahdj1     
there were but two parties in the       

field--democrats and whigs4 ,as they    
both survive1 it is well to see what    
interests or what ideas they represent4 
,they differ accidentally in the        
possession and the desire of power2 in  
the fact that the former took the       
initiative1 in annexing ,texas1 and in  
making the ,mexican war1 while the      
latter only pretended to oppose either1 
but zealously and continually cooperated
 in both4 ,then1 again1 the democratic  
party sustains the sub-treasury system1 
insisting that the government shall not 
interfere with banking1 shall keep its  
own deposits1 and give and take only    
specie in its business with the people4 
,the whig party1 if we understand it1   
has not of late developed any           
distinctive doctrine1 on the subject of 
money and financial operations1 but only
 complained of the action of the        
sub-treasury2 yet1 as it sustained the  
late ,bank of the ,united ,states1 and  
appropriately followed as chief mourner 
at the funeral thereof1 uttering        

dreadful lamentations and prophecies    
which time has not seen fit to          
accomplish1 it still keeps up a show of 
differing from the democrats on this    
matter4 ,these are only accidental or   
historical differences1 which do not    
practically affect the politics of the  
nation to any great degree4  ,the       
substantial difference between the two  
is this3 ,the whigs desire a tariff of  
duties which shall directly and         
intentionally protect ,american         
industry1 or1 as we understand it1 shall
 directly and intentionally protect     
manufacturing industry1 while the       
commercial and agricultural interests   
are to be protected indirectly1 not as  
if they were valuable in themselves1 but
 were a collateral security to the      
manufacturing interest3 a special       
protection is desired for the great     
manufactures1 which are usually         
conducted by large capitalists--such as 
the manufacture of wool1 iron1 and      
cotton4 ,on the other hand1 the         

democrats disclaim all direct protection
 of any special interest1 but1 by       
raising the national revenue from the   
imports of the nation1 actually afford a
 protection to the articles of domestic 
origin to the extent of the national    
revenue1 and much more4 ,that is the    
substantial difference between the two  
parties--one which has been much        
insisted on at the late election1       
especially at the ,north4  ,is this     
difference of any practical importance  
at the present moment8 ,there are two   
methods of raising the revenue of a     
country3 first1 by direct taxation1--a  
direct tax on the person1 a direct tax  
on the property2 second1 by indirect    
taxation4 ,to a simple-minded man direct
 taxation seems the only just and equal 
mode of collecting the public revenue3  
thereby1 the rich man pays in proportion
 to his much1 the poor to his little4   
,this is so just and obvious1 that it is
 the only method resorted to1 in towns  
of the ,north1 for raising their        

revenue4 ,but while it requires very    
little common sense and virtue to       
appreciate this plan in a town1 it seems
 to require a good deal to endure it in 
a nation4 ,the four direct taxes levied 
by the ,american government since #aghg 
have been imperfectly collected1 and    
only with great difficulty and long     
delay4 ,to avoid this difficulty1 the   
government resorts to various indirect  
modes of taxation1 and collects the     
greater part of its revenue from the    
imports which reach our shores4 ,in this
 way a man's national tax is not        
directly in proportion to his wealth1   
but directly in proportion to his       
consumption of imported goods1 or       
directly to that of domestic goods1     
whose price is enhanced by the duties   
laid on the foreign article4 ,so it may 
happen that an ,irish laborer1 with a   
dozen children1 pays a larger national  
tax than a millionnaire who sees fit to 
live in a miserly style4 ,besides1 no   
one knows when he pays or what4 ,at     

first it seems as if the indirect mode  
of taxation made the burden light1 but  
in the end it does not always prove so4 
,the remote effect thereof is sometimes 
remarkable4 ,the tax of one per cent1   
levied in ,massachusetts on articles    
sold by auction1 has produced some      
results not at all anticipated4  ,now   
since neither party ventures to suggest 
direct taxation1 the actual question    
between the two is not between free     
trade and protection1 but only between a
 protective and a revenue tariff4 ,so   
the real and practical question between 
them is this3 ,shall there be a high    
tariff or a low one8 ,at first sight a  
man not in favor of free trade might    
think the present tariff gave sufficient
 protection to those great manufactures 
of wool1 cotton1 and iron1 and as much  
as was reasonable4 ,but the present duty
 is perhaps scarcely adequate to meet   
the expenses of the nation1 for with new
 territory new expenses must come2 there
 is a large debt to be discharged1 its  

interest to be paid2 large sums will be 
demanded as pensions for the soldiers4  
,since these things are so1 it is but   
reasonable to conclude that1 under the  
administration of the whigs or          
democrats1 a pretty high tariff of      
duties will continue for some years to  
come4 ,so the great and substantial     
difference between the two parties      
ceases to be of any great and           
substantial importance4  ,in the mean   
time another party rises up1            
representing neither of these interests2
 without developing any peculiar views  
relative to trade or finance1 it        
proclaims the doctrine that there must  
be no more slave territory1 and no more 
slave ,states4 ,this doctrine is of     
great practical importance1 and one in  
which the free soil party differs       
substantially from both the other       
parties4 ,the idea on which the party   
rests is not new2 it does not appear    
that the men who framed the             
,constitution1 or the people who        

accepted it1 ever contemplated the      
extension of slavery beyond the limits  
of the ,united ,states at that time2 had
 such a proposition been then made1 it  
would have been indignantly rejected by 
both4 ,the principle of the ,wilmot     
,proviso boasts the same origin as the  
,declaration of ,independence4 ,the     
state of feeling at the ,north          
occasioned by the ,missouri ,compromise 
is well known1 but after that there was 
no political party opposed to slavery4  
,no ,president has been hostile to it2  
no ,cabinet2 no ,congress4 ,in #ahje1   
,mr4 ,pickering1 a ,senator from        
,massachusetts1 brought forward his bill
 for amending the ,constitution1 so that
 slaves should not form part of the     
basis of representation2 but it fell to 
the ground1 not to be lifted up by his  
successors for years to come4 ,the      
refusal of ,john ,quincy ,adams1 while  
,president1 to recognize the            
independence of ,hayti1 and his efforts 
to favor the slave power1 excited no    

remark4 ,in #ahdd1 for the first time   
the anti-slavery votes began seriously  
to affect the presidential election4 ,at
 that time the whigs had nominated ,mr4 
,clay as their candidate1 a man of great
 powers1 of popular manners1 the friend 
of northern industry1 but still more the
 friend of southern slavery1 and more   
directly identified with that than any  
man in so high a latitude4 ,the result  
of the anti-slavery votes is well known4
 ,the bitterest reproaches have been    
heaped on the men who voted against him 
as the incarnation of the slave power2  
the annexation of ,texas1 though        
accomplished by a whig senate1 and the  
,mexican war1 though only sixteen       
members of ,congress voted against it1  
have both been laid to their charge2 and
 some have even affected to wonder that 
men conscientiously opposed to slavery  
could not forget their principle for the
 sake of their party1 and put a most    
decided slaveholder1 who had treated not
 only them but their cause with scorn   

and contempt1 in the highest place of   
power4  ,the whig party renewed its     
attempt to place a slaveholder in the   
,president's chair1 at a time when all  
,europe was rising to end for ever the  
tyranny of man4 ,general ,taylor was    
particularly obnoxious to the           
anti-slavery men4 ,he is a slaveholder1 
holding one or two hundred men in       
bondage1 and enlarging that number by   
recent purchases2 he employs them in the
 worst kind of slave labor1 the         
manufacture of sugar2 he leaves them to 
the mercy of overseers1 the dregs and   
refuse of mankind2 he has just returned 
from a war undertaken for the extension 
of slavery2 he is a southern man with   
southern interests1 and opinions        
favorable to slavery1 and is uniformly  
represented by his supporters at the    
,south1 as decidedly opposed to the     
,wilmot ,proviso1 and in favor of the   
extension of slavery4 ,we know this has 
been denied at the ,north2 but the      
testimony of the ,south settles the     

question4 ,the convention of democrats  
in ,south ,carolina1 when they also     
nominated him1 said well1 ,his interests
 are our interests3444 we know that on  
this great1 paramount1 and leading      
question of the rights of the ,south to 
extend slavery over the new territory1  
he is for us and he is with us4 ,said a 
newspaper in his own ,state1 ,general   
,taylor is from birth1 association1 and 
conviction1 identified with the ,south  
and her institutions1 being one of the  
most extensive slaveholders in          
,louisiana1 and supported by the        
slaveholding interest2 is opposed to the
 ,wilmot ,proviso1 and in favor of      
procuring the privilege to the owners of
 slaves to remove with them to newly    
acquired territory4  ,the southerners   
evidently thought the crisis an         
important one4 ,the following is from   
the distinguished whig senator1 ,mr4    
,berrien4       ,i consider it the most 
important ,presidential election1       
especially to southern men1 which has   

occurred since the      foundation of   
the government4       ,we have great and
 important interests at stake4 ,if we   
fail      to sustain them now1 we may be
 forced too soon to decide      whether 
we will remain in the ,union1 at the    
mercy of a band      of fanatics or     
political jugglers1 or reluctantly      
retire      from it for the preservation
 of our domestic institutions1      and 
all our rights as freemen4 ,if we are   
united1 we can      sustain them2 if we 
divide on the old party issues1 we must 
be victims4       ,with a heart devoted 
to their interests on this great        
question1 and without respect to party1 
,i implore my      fellow-citizens of   
,georgia1 whig and democratic1 to forget
      for the time their party          
divisions3 to know each other only      
as southern men3 to act upon the truism 
uttered by ,mr4      ,calhoun1 that on  
this vital question1--the preservation  
of      our domestic institutions1--the 
southern man who is furthest      from  

us1 is nearer to us than any northern   
man can be2 that      ,general ,taylor  
is identified with us1 in feeling and   
interest1 was born in a slaveholding    
,state1 educated in a      slaveholding 
,state1 is himself a slaveholder2 that  
his slave      property constitutes the 
means of support to himself and         
family2 that he cannot desert us without
 sacrificing his      interest1 his     
principle1 the habits and feelings of   
his      life2 and that with him1       
therefore1 our institutions are         
safe4 ,i beseech them1 therefore1 from  
the love which they      bear to our    
noble ,state1 to rally under the banner 
of      ,zachary ,taylor1 and1 with one 
united voice1 to send him by            
acclamation to the executive chair4     
,all this has been carefully kept from  
the sight of the people at the ,north4  
,there have always been men in ,america1
 who were opposed to the extension and  
the very existence of slavery4 ,in      
#aghg1 the best and the most celebrated 

statesmen were publicly active on the   
side of freedom4 ,some thought slavery a
 sin1 others a mistake1 but nearly all  
in the ,convention thought it an error4 
,south ,carolina and ,georgia were the  
only ,states thoroughly devoted to      
slavery at that time4 ,they threatened  
to withdraw from the ,union1 if it were 
not sufficiently respected in the new   
,constitution4 ,if the other ,states had
 said1 ,you may go1 soon as you like1   
for hitherto you have been only a curse 
to us1 and done little but brag1 it     
would have been better for us all4      
,however1 partly for the sake of keeping
 the peace1 and still more for the      
purpose of making money by certain      
concessions of the ,south1 the ,north   
granted the southern demands4 ,after the
 adoption of the ,constitution1 the     
anti-slavery spirit cooled down2 other  
matters occupied the public mind4 ,the  
long disasters of ,europe2 the alarm of 
the ,english party1 who feared their    
sons should be conscripts in the armies 

of ,napoleon1 and the violence of the   
,french party1 who were ready to        
compromise the dignity of the nation1   
and add new elements to the confusion in
 ,europe2 the subsequent conflict with  
,england1 and then the efforts to       
restore the national character1 and     
improve our material condition1--these  
occupied the thought of the nation1 till
 the ,missouri ,compromise again        
disturbed the public mind4 ,but that was
 soon forgotten2 little was said about  
slavery4 ,in the eighteenth century1 it 
was discussed in the colleges and       
newspapers1 even in the pulpits of the  
,north2 but1 in the first quarter of the
 nineteenth1 little was heard of it4    
,manufactures got established at the    
,north1 and protected by duties2 at the 
,south1 cotton was cultivated with      
profit1 and a heavy duty protected the  
slave-grown sugar of ,louisiana4 ,the   
pecuniary interests of ,north and ,south
 became closely connected1 and both     
seemed dependent on the peaceable       

continuance of slavery4 ,little was said
 against it1 little thought1 and nothing
 done4 ,southern masters voluntarily    
brought their slaves to ,new ,england1  
and took them back1 no one offering the 
,african the conventional shelter of the
 law1 not to speak of the natural       
shelter of justice4 ,we well remember   
the complaint made somewhat later1 when 
a ,judge decided that a slave1 brought  
here by his master's consent1 became1   
from that moment1 free6  ,but where sin 
abounded1 grace doth much more abound4  
,there rose up one man who would not    
compromise1 nor be silent1--who would be
 heard4#di ,he spoke of the evil1 spoke 
of the sin--for all true reforms are    
bottomed on religion1 and while they    
seem adverse to many interests1 yet     
represent the idea of the ,eternal4 ,he 
found a few others1 a very few1 and     
began the anti-slavery movement4 ,the   
platform of the new party was not an    
interest1 but an idea--that ,all men are
 created equal1 and endowed by their    

,creator with certain unalienable       
rights4 ,every truth is also a fact2    
this was a fact of human consciousness1 
and a truth of necessity4  ,the time has
 not come to write the history of the   
abolitionists1--other deeds must come   
before words2 but we cannot forbear     
quoting the testimony of one witness1 as
 to the state of anti-slavery feeling in
 ,new ,england in #ahca4 ,it is the late
 ,hon4 ,harrison ,gray ,otis1 a former  
mayor of ,boston1 who speaks in his     
recent letter4       ,the first         
information received by me1 of a        
disposition to      agitate this subject
 in our ,state1 was from the ,governors 
of      ,virginia and ,georgia1         
severally remonstrating against an      
incendiary newspaper1 published in      
,boston1 and1 as they      alleged1     
thrown broadcast among their            
plantations1 inciting      to           
insurrection and its horrid results4 ,it
 appeared1 on      inquiry1 that no     
member of the city government of ,boston

      had ever heard of the publication4
 ,some time afterwards it      was      
reported to me by the city officers1    
that they had      ferreted out the     
paper and its editor2 that his office   
was      an obscure hole1 his only      
visible auxiliary a negro boy1 and      
his supporters a very few insignificant 
persons of all      colors4 ,this       
information4444 ,i communicated to the  
above-named governors1 with an assurance
 of my belief that      the new         
fanaticism had not made1 nor was likely 
to make1      proselytes among the      
respectable classes of our people4      
,such was the state of things in #ahca4 
,anti-slavery had an obscure hole for   
its head-quarters2 the one agitator1 who
 had filled the two doughty ,governors  
of ,virginia and ,georgia with          
uncomfortable forebodings1 had a negro  
boy for his only visible auxiliary1 and 
none of the respectable men of ,boston  
had heard of the hole1 of the agitator1 
of the negro boy1 or even of the        

agitation4 ,one thing must be true3     
either the man and the boy were pretty  
vigorous1 or else there was a great     
truth in that obscure hole2 for1 in     
spite of the governors and the mayors1  
spite of the many able men in the ,south
 and the ,north1 spite1 also1 of the    
wealth and respectability of the whole  
land1 it is a plain case that the       
abolitionists have shaken the nation1   
and their idea is the idea of the time2 
and the party which shall warmly welcome
 that is destined before long to        
override all the other parties4  ,one   
thing must be said of the leaders of the
 anti-slavery movement4 ,they asked for 
nothing but justice2 not justice for    
themselves--they were not ,socratic     
enough to ask that1--but only justice   
for the slave2 and to obtain that1 they 
forsook all that human hearts most love4
 ,it is rather a cheap courage that     
fought at ,monterey and ,palo ,alto1 a  
bravery that can be bought for eight    
dollars a month2 the patriotism which   

hurras for our side1 which makes        
speeches at ,faneuil ,hall1 nay1 which  
carries torch-lights in a procession1 is
 not the very loftiest kind of          
patriotism2 even the man who stands up  
at the stake1 and in one brief hour of  
agony anticipates the long torment of   
disease1 does not endure the hardest1   
but only the most obvious kind of       
martyrdom4 ,but when a man1 for         
conscience' sake1 leaves a calling that 
would insure him bread and              
respectability2 when he abjures the     
opinions which give him the esteem of   
honorable men2 when1 for the sake of    
truth and justice1 he devotes himself to
 liberating the most abused and despised
 class of men1 solely because they are  
men and brothers2 when he thus steps    
forth in front of the world1 and        
encounters poverty and neglect1 the     
scorn1 the loathing1 and the contempt of
 mankind--why1 there is something not   
very common in that4 ,there was once a  
,man who had not where to lay his head1 

who was born in an obscure hole1 and had
 not even a negro boy for his auxiliary2
 who all his life lived with most       
obscure persons--eating and drinking    
with publicans and sinners2 who found no
 favor with mayors or governors1 and yet
 has had some influence on the history  
of the world4 ,when intelligent men mock
 at small beginnings1 it is surprising  
they cannot remember that the greatest  
institutions have had their times which 
tried men's souls1 and that they who    
have done all the noblest and best work 
of mankind1 sometimes forgot            
self-interest in looking at a great     
truth2 and though they had not always   
even a negro boy to help them1 or an    
obscure hole to lay their heads in1 yet 
found the might of the universe was on  
the side of right1 and themselves       
workers with ,god6  ,the abolitionists  
did not aim to found a political party2 
they set forth an idea4 ,if they had set
 up the interest of the whigs or the    
democrats1 the manufacturers or the     

merchants1 they might have formed a     
party and had a high place in it1 with  
money1 ease1 social rank and a great    
name in the party--newspapers4 ,some of 
them had political talents1 ideas more  
than enough1 the power of organizing    
men1 the skill to manage them1 and a    
genius for eloquence4 ,with such        
talents1 it demands not a little        
manliness to keep out of politics and in
 the truth4  ,to found a political party
 there is no need of a great moral idea3
 the whig party has had none such this  
long time2 the democratic party pretends
 to none and acts on none2 each         
represents an interest which can be     
estimated in dollars2 neither seems to  
see that behind questions of political  
economy there is a question of political
 morality1 and the welfare of the nation
 depends on the answer we shall give6   
,so long as the abolitionists had       
nothing but an idea1 and but few men had
 that1 there was no inducement for the  
common run of politicians to join them2 

they could make nothing by it1 so       
nothing of it4 ,the guardians of        
education1 the trustees of the popular  
religion1 did not like to invest in such
 funds4 ,but still the idea went on1    
spite of the most entire1 the most      
bitter1 the most heartless and          
unrelenting opposition ever known in    
,america4 ,no men were ever hated as the
 abolitionists2 political parties have  
joined to despise1 and sectarian        
churches to curse them4 ,yet the idea   
has gone on1 till now all that is most  
pious in the sects1 most patriotic in   
the parties1 all that is most ,christian
 in modern philanthropy1 is on its side4
 ,it has some representative in almost  
every family1 save here and there one   
whose ,god is mammon alone1 where the   
parents are antediluvian and the        
children born old and conservative1 with
 no faculty but memory to bind them to  
mankind4 ,it has its spokesmen in the   
,house and the ,senate4 ,the tide rises 
and swells1 and the compact wall of the 

whig party1 the tall ramparts of the    
democrats1 are beginning to cave in4    
,as the idea has gained ground1 men have
 begun to see that an interest is       
connected with it1 and begun to look    
after that4 ,one thing the ,north knows 
well--the art of calculation1 and of    
ciphering4 ,so it begins to ask         
questions as to the positive and        
comparative influence of the slave power
 on the country4 ,who fought the        
,revolution8 ,why the ,north1 furnishing
 the money and the men1 ,massachusetts  
alone sending fourteen thousand soldiers
 more than all the present slave        
,states4 ,who pays the national taxes8  
,the ,north1 for the slaves pay but a   
trifle4 ,who owns the greater part of   
the property1 the mills1 the shops1 the 
ships8 ,the ,north4 ,who writes the     
books--the histories1 poems1            
philosophies1 works of science1 even the
 sermons and commentaries on the ,bible8
 ,still the ,north4 ,who sends their    
children to school and college8 ,the    

,north4 ,who builds the churches1 who   
founds the ,bible societies1 ,education 
societies1 ,missionary societies1 the   
thousand-and-one institutions for making
 men better and better off8 ,why the    
,north4 ,in a word1 who is it that in   
seventy years has made the nation great1
 rich1 and famous for her ideas and     
their success all over the world8 ,the  
answer is1 still the ,north1 the ,north4
  ,well1 says the calculator1 but who   
has the offices of the nation8 ,the     
,south4 ,who has filled the             
,presidential chair forty-eight years   
out of sixty8 ,nobody but slaveholders4 
,who has held the chief posts of honor8 
,the ,south4 ,who occupy the chief      
offices in the army and navy8 ,the      
,south4 ,who increases the cost of the  
post-office and pays so little of its   
expense8#ej ,the ,south4 ,who is most   
blustering and disposed to quarrel8 ,the
 ,south4 ,who made the ,mexican war8    
,the ,south4 ,who sets at nought the    
,constitution8 ,the ,south4 ,who would  

bring the greatest peril in case of war 
with a strong enemy8 ,why the ,south1   
the ,south4 ,but what is the ,south most
 noted for abroad8 ,for her three       
million slaves2 and the ,north8 for her 
wealth1 freedom1 education1 religion6   
,then the calculator begins to remember 
past times--opens the account-books and 
turns back to old charges3 five slaves  
count the same as three freemen1 and the
 three million slaves1 which at home are
 nothing but property1 entitle their    
owners to as many representatives in    
,congress as are now sent by all the one
 million eight hundred thousand freemen 
who make the entire population of       
,maine1 ,new ,hampshire1 ,vermont1      
,rhode ,island1 and ,massachusetts1 and 
have created a vast amount of property  
worth more than all the slave ,states   
put together6 ,then the ,north must     
deliver up the fugitive slaves1 and     
,ohio must play the traitor1 the        
kidnapper1 the bloodhound1 for          
,kentucky6 ,the ,south wanted to make   

two slave ,states out of ,florida1 and  
will out of ,texas2 she makes slavery   
perpetual in both2 she is always        
bragging as if she made the ,revolution1
 while she only laid the ,embargo1 and  
began the late war with ,england1--but  
that is going further back than is      
needful4 ,the ,south imprisons our      
colored sailors in her ports1 contrary  
to justice1 and even contrary to the    
,constitution4 ,she drove our           
commissioners out of ,south ,carolina   
and ,louisiana1 when they were sent to  
look into the matter and legally seek   
for redress4 ,she affronts the world    
with a most odious despotism1 and tried 
to make the ,english return her runaway 
slaves1 making the nation a reproach    
before the world2 she insists on        
kidnapping men even in ,boston2 she     
declares that we shall not abolish      
slavery in the capital of the ,union2   
that she will extend it in spite of us  
from sea to sea4 ,she annexed ,texas for
 a slave-pasture1 and then made the     

,mexican war to enlarge that pasture1   
but the ,north must pay for it2 she     
treads the ,constitution under her feet1
 the ,north under her feet1 justice and 
the unalienable rights of man under her 
feet4  ,the ,north has charged all these
 items and many more2 now they are      
brought up for settlement1 and1 if not  
cancelled1 will not be forgot till the  
,muse of ,history gives up the ghost2   
some ,northern men have the ,american   
sentiment1 and the ,american idea1 put  
the man before the dollar1 counting man 
the substance1 property the accident4   
,the sentiment and idea of liberty are  
bottomed on ,christianity1 as that on   
human nature2 they are quite sure to    
prevail2 the spirit of the nation is on 
their side--the spirit of the age and   
the everlasting right4  ,it is          
instructive to see how the political    
parties have hitherto kept clear of     
anti-slavery4 ,it is no part of the whig
 doctrine2 the democrats abhor it4 ,mr4 
,webster1 it is true1 once claimed the  

,wilmot ,proviso as his thunder1 but he 
cannot wield it1 and so it slips out of 
his hands1 and runs round to the chair  
of his brother senator from ,new        
,hampshire4#ea ,no leading politician in
 ,america has ever been a leader against
 slavery4 ,even ,mr4 ,adams only went as
 he was pushed4 ,true1 among the whigs  
there are ,giddings1 ,palfrey1 ,tuck1   
,mann1 ,root1 and ,julian2 among the    
democrats there is ,hale--and a few     
others2 but what are they among so many8
 ,the members of the family of ,truth   
are unpopular1 they make excellent      
servants but hard masters1 while the    
members of the family of ,interest are  
all respectable1 and are the best       
company in the world2 their livery is   
attractive2 their motto1 ,the almighty  
dollar1 is a passport everywhere4 ,now  
it happens that some of the more        
advanced members of the family of ,truth
 fight their way into good society1 and 
make matrimonial alliances with some of 
the poor relations of the family of     

,interest4 ,straightway they become     
respectable2 the church publishes the   
banns2 the marriage is solemnized in the
 most ,christian form2 the attorney     
declares it legal4 ,so the gospel and   
law are satisfied1 ,truth and ,interest 
made one1 and many persons after this   
alliance may be seen in the company of  
,truth who before knew not of her       
existence4  ,the free soil party has    
grown out of the anti-slavery movement4 
,it will have no more slave territory1  
but does not touch slavery in the       
,states1 or between them1 and says      
nothing against the compromises of the  
,constitution2 the time has not come for
 that4 ,the party has been organized in 
haste1 and is composed1 as are all      
parties1 of most discordant materials1  
some of its members seeming hardly      
familiar with the idea2 some are not yet
 emancipated from old prejudices1 old   
methods of action1 and old interests2   
but the greater part seem hostile to    
slavery in all its forms4 ,the immediate

 triumph of this new party is not to be 
looked for2 not desirable4 ,in          
,massachusetts they have gained large   
numbers in a very short period1 and     
under every disadvantage4 ,what their   
future history is to be1 we will not now
 attempt to conjecture2 but this is     
plain1 that they cannot remain long in  
their present position2 either they will
 go back1 and1 after due penance1       
receive political absolution from the   
church of the whigs1 or the             
democrats1--and this seems              
impossible1--or else they must go       
forward where the idea of justice impels
 them4 ,one day the motto ,no more slave
 territory will give place to this1 ,no 
slavery in ,america4 ,the revolution in 
ideas is not over till that is done1 nor
 the corresponding revolution in deeds  
while a single slave remains in         
,america4 ,a man who studies the great  
movements of mankind feels sure that    
that day is not far off2 that no        
combination of northern and southern    

interest1 no declamation1 no violence1  
no love of money1 no party zeal1 no     
fraud and no lies1 no compromise1 can   
long put off the time4 ,bad passions    
will ere long league with the holiest   
love of right1 and that wickedness may  
be put down with the strong hand which  
might easily be ended at little cost and
 without any violence1 even of speech4  
,one day the democratic party of the    
,north will remember the grievances     
which they have suffered from the       
,south1 and1 if they embrace the idea of
 freedom1 no constitutional scruple will
 long hold them from destroying the     
peculiar institution4 ,what slavery is  
in the middle of the nineteenth century 
is quite plain2 what it will be at the  
beginning of the twentieth it is not    
difficult to foresee4 ,the slave power  
has gained a great victory3 one more    
such will cost its life4 ,south         
,carolina did not forget her usual craft
 in voting for a northern man that was  
devoted to slavery4         99       99 

99       99       99  ,let us now speak 
briefly of the conduct of the election4 
,it has been attended1 at least in ,new 
,england1 with more intellectual action 
than any election that ,i remember1 and 
with less violence1 denunciation1 and   
vulgar appeals to low passions and      
sordid interest4 ,massachusetts has     
shown herself worthy of her best days2  
the free soil vote may be looked on with
 pride1 by men who conscientiously cast 
their ballot the other way4 ,men of     
ability and integrity have been active  
on both sides1 and able speeches have   
been made1 while the vulgarity that     
marked the ,harrison campaign has not   
been repeated4  ,in this contest the    
democratic party made a good confession1
 and owned up to the full extent of     
their conduct4 ,they stated the question
 at issue1 fairly1 clearly1 and         
entirely2 the point could not be        
mistaken4 ,the ,baltimore ,convention   
dealt honestly in declaring the         
political opinions of the party2 the    

opinions of their candidate on the great
 party questions1 and the subject of    
slavery1 were made known with exemplary 
clearness and fidelity4 ,the party did  
not fight in the dark2 they had no      
dislike to holding slaves1 and they     
pretended none4 ,in all parts of the    
land they went before the people with   
the same doctrines and the same         
arguments2 everywhere they repudiated   
the ,wilmot ,proviso4 ,this gave them an
 advantage over a party with a different
 policy4 ,they had a platform of        
doctrines2 they knew what it was2 the   
party stood on the platform2 the        
candidate stood on it4  ,the whig party 
have conducted differently2 they did not
 publish their confession of faith4 ,we 
know what was the whig platform in #ahdj
 and in #ahdd4 ,but what is it in #ahdh8
 ,particular men may publish their      
opinions1 but the doctrines of the party
 are not communicated to the public4    
,for once in the history of ,america    
there was a whig convention which passed

 no ,resolutions2 it was the ,convention
 at ,philadelphia4 ,but on one point1 of
 the greatest importance too1 it        
expressed the opinions of the whigs3 it 
rejected the ,wilmot ,proviso1 and ,mr4 
,webster's thunder1 which had fallen    
harmless and without lightning from his 
hands1 was kicked out of the meeting6   
,as the party had no platform1 so their 
candidate had no political opinions4    
,what6 says one1 ,choose a ,president   
who does not declare his opinions1--then
 it must be because they are perfectly  
well known6 ,not at all3 ,general       
,taylor is raw in politics1 and has not 
taken his first drill6 ,then he must be 
a man of such great political and moral 
ability1 that his will may take the     
place of reason6 ,not at all3 he is     
known only as a successful soldier1 and 
his reputation is scarcely three years  
old4 ,mr4 ,webster declared his         
nomination not fit to be made1 and      
nobody has any authentic statement of   
his political opinions2 perhaps not even

 ,general ,taylor himself4  ,in the     
electioneering campaign there has been a
 certain duplicity in the supporters of 
,general ,taylor3 at the ,north it was  
maintained that he was not opposed to   
the ,wilmot ,proviso1 while at the      
,south quite uniformly the opposite was 
maintained4 ,this duplicity had the     
appearance of dishonesty4 ,in ,new      
,england the whigs did not meet the     
facts and arguments of the free soil    
party2 in the beginning of the campaign 
the attempt was made1 but was afterwards
 comparatively abandoned2 the matter of 
slavery was left out of the case1 and   
the old question of the sub-treasury and
 the tariff was brought up again1 and a 
stranger would have thought1 from some  
whig newspapers1 that that was the only 
question of any importance4 ,few men    
were prepared to see a man of the       
ability and experience of ,mr4 ,webster 
in his electioneering speeches pass     
wholly over the subject of slavery4 ,the
 nation is presently to decide whether  

slavery is to extend over the new       
territory or not2 even in a commercial  
and financial point of view1 this is far
 more important than the question of    
banks and tariffs2 but when its         
importance is estimated by its relation 
to freedom1 right1 human welfare in     
general1--we beg the pardon of ,american
 politicians for speaking of such       
things1--one is amazed to find the whig 
party of the opinion that it is more    
important to restore the tariff of #ahdb
 than to prohibit slavery in a country  
as large as the thirteen ,states which  
fought the ,revolution6 ,it might have  
been expected of little1 ephemeral      
men--minute politicians1 who are the    
pest of the ,state1--but when at such a 
crisis a great man rises1#eb amid a sea 
of upturned faces1 to instruct the      
lesser men1 and forgets right1 forgets  
freedom1 forgets man1 and forgets ,god1 
talking only of the tariff and of banks1
 why a stranger is amazed1 till he      
remembers the peculiar relation of the  

great man to the moneyed men1--that he  
is their attorney1 retained1 paid1 and  
pensioned to do the work of men whose   
interest it is to keep the question of  
slavery out of sight4 ,if ,general      
,cavaignac had received a pension from  
the manufacturers of ,lyons and of      
,lisle1 to the amount of half a million 
of francs1 should we be surprised if he 
forgot the needy millions of the land8  
,nay1 only if he did not forget them6   
,it was a little hardy to ask the       
anti-slavery men to vote for ,general   
,taylor2 it was like asking the members 
of a temperance society to choose an    
eminent distiller for president of their
 association4 ,still1 we know that      
honest anti-slavery men did honestly    
vote for him4 ,we know nothing to       
impeach the political integrity of      
,general ,taylor2 the simple fact that  
he is a slaveholder1 seems reason enough
 why he should not be ,president of a   
nation who believe that ,all men are    
created equal1 and endowed by their     

,creator with certain unalienable       
rights4 ,men will be astonished in the  
next century to learn that the model    
republic1 had such an affection for     
slaveholders4 ,here is a remarkable     
document1 which we think should be      
preserved3       ,,deed ,,of ,,sale4    
,,john ,,hagard1 ,,sr4 ,,to ,,zachariah 
,,taylor4       ,received for ,record1  
#ahth ,feb41 #ahdc4       ,this         
,indenture1 made this twenty-first day  
of ,april1      eighteen hundred and    
forty-two1 between ,john ,hagard1 ,sr41 
of      the ,city of ,new ,orleans1     
,state of ,louisiana1 of one part1      
and ,zachariah ,taylor1 of the other    
part1 ,witnesseth1 that      the said   
,john ,hagard1 ,sr41 for and in         
consideration of the      sum of        
,ninety-,five ,thousand ,dollars to him 
in hand paid1      and secured to be    
paid1 as hereafter stated by the said   
,zachariah ,taylor1 at and before the   
sealing and delivering      of these    
presents1 has this day bargained1 sold1 

and      delivered1 conveyed1 and       
confirmed1 and by these ,presents       
does bargain1 sell1 deliver1 and confirm
 unto the said      ,zachariah ,taylor1 
his heirs and assigns1 forever1 all that
      plantation and tract of land3444  
,,also1 all the following               
,slaves--,nelson1 ,milley1 ,peldea1     
,mason1 ,willis1 ,rachel1 ,caroline1    
,lucinda1 ,ramdall1 ,wirman1            
,carson1 ,little ,ann1 ,winna1 ,jane1   
,tom1 ,sally1 ,gracia1 ,big      ,jane1 
,louisa1 ,maria1 ,charles1 ,barnard1    
,mira1 ,sally1 ,carson1      ,paul1     
,sansford1 ,mansfield1 ,harry ,oden1    
,harry ,horley1 ,carter1                
,henrietta1 ,ben1 ,charlotte1 ,wood1    
,dick1 ,harrietta1 ,clarissa1      ,ben1
 ,anthony1 ,jacob1 ,hamby1 ,jim1        
,gabriel1 ,emeline1 ,armstead1          
,george1 ,wilson1 ,cherry1 ,peggy1      
,walker1 ,jane1 ,wallace1               
,bartlett1 ,martha1 ,letitia1 ,barbara1 
,matilda1 ,lucy1 ,john1      ,sarah1    
,bigg ,ann1 ,allen1 ,tom1 ,george1      

,john1 ,dick1 ,fielding1      ,nelson1  
or ,isom1 ,winna1 ,shellod1 ,lidney1    
,little ,cherry1      ,puck1 ,sam1      
,hannah or ,anna1 ,mary1 ,ellen1        
,henrietta1 and two      small          
children3--,also1 all the ,horses1      
,mules1 ,cattle1 ,hogs1      ,farming   
,utensils1 and ,tools1 now on said      
,plantation--together with all and      
singular1 the      hereditaments1       
appurtenances1 privileges1 and          
advantages      unto the said ,land and 
,slaves belonging or appertaining4 ,to  
have and to hold the said ,plantation   
and tract of ,land and      ,slaves1 and
 other property above described1 unto   
the said      ,zachariah ,taylor1 his   
heirs and assigns1 for ever1 and to     
his and to their only proper use1       
benefits1 and behoof1 for      ever4    
,and the said ,john ,hagard1 ,sr41 for  
himself1 his heirs1      executors1 and 
administrators1 does covenant1 promise1 
and      agree to and with said         
,zachariah ,taylor1 his heirs and       

assigns1 that the aforesaid ,plantation 
and tract of ,land and      ,slaves1 and
 other property1 with the appurtenances1
 unto the      said ,zachariah ,taylor1 
his heirs1 and assigns against the      
claim or claims of all persons          
whomsoever claiming or to      claim the
 same1 or any part or parcel thereof1   
shall and      will warrant1 and by     
these ,presents for ever defend4        
,in ,testimony ,whereof1 the said ,john 
,hagard1 ,sr41 has      hereunto set his
 hand and seal1 the day and year first  
above      written4  ,if this document  
had been discovered among some ,egyptian
 papyri1 with the date #ahdh before     
,christ1 it would have been remarkable  
as a sign of the times4 ,in a republic1 
nearly four thousand years later1 it has
 a meaning which some future historian  
will appreciate4  ,the free soil party  
have been plain and explicit as the     
democrats2 they published their creed in
 the celebrated ,buffalo platform4 ,the 
questions of sub-treasury and tariff are

 set aside2 ,no more slave territory is 
the watchword4 ,in part they represent  
an interest1 for slavery is an injury to
 the ,north in many ways1 and to a      
certain extent puts the ,north into the 
hands of the ,south2 but chiefly an     
idea4 ,nobody thought they would elect  
their candidate1 whosoever he might be2 
they could only arrest public attention 
and call men to the great questions at  
issue1 and so1 perhaps1 prevent the evil
 which the ,south was bent on           
accomplishing4 ,this they have done1 and
 done well4 ,the result has been highly 
gratifying4 ,it was pleasant and        
encouraging to see men ready to         
sacrifice their old party attachments   
and their private interests1 oftentimes1
 for the sake of a moral principle4 ,i  
do not mean to say that there was no    
moral principle in the other parties--,i
 know better4 ,but it seems to me that  
the free soilers committed a great error
 in selecting ,mr4 ,van ,buren as their 
candidate4 ,true1 he is a man of        

ability1 who has held the highest       
offices and acquitted himself honorably 
in all2 but he had been the ,northern   
man1 with ,southern principles2 had     
shown a degree of subserviency to the   
,south1 which was remarkable1 if not    
singular or strange3 his promise1 made  
and repeated in the most solemn manner1 
to veto any act of ,congress1 abolishing
 slavery in the capital1 was an insult  
to the country1 and a disgrace to       
himself4 ,he had a general reputation   
for instability1 and want of political  
firmness4 ,it is true1 he had opposed   
the annexation of ,texas1 and lost his  
nomination in #ahdd by that act2 but it 
is also true that he advised his party  
to vote for ,mr4 ,polk1 who was         
notoriously in favor of annexation4 ,his
 nomination1 ,i must confess1 was       
unfortunate2 the ,buffalo ,convention   
seems to have looked at his availability
 more than his fitness1 and1 in their   
contest for a principle1 began by making
 a compromise of that very principle    

itself4 ,it was thought he could carry  
the ,state of ,new ,york2 and so a man  
who was not a fair representative of the
 idea1 was set up4 ,it was a bad        
beginning4 ,it is better to be defeated 
a thousand times1 rather than seem to   
succeed by a compromise of the principle
 contended for4 ,still1 enough has been 
done1 to show the nation that the dollar
 is not almighty2 that the ,south is not
 always to insult the ,north1 and rule  
the land1 annexing1 plundering1 and     
making slaves when she will2 that the   
,north has men who will not abandon the 
great sentiment of freedom1 which is the
 boast of the nation and the age4       
,general ,taylor is elected by a large  
popular vote2 some voted for him on     
account of his splendid military        
success2 some because he is a           
slaveholder1 and true to the interests  
of the slave power2 some because he is a
 ,good whig1 and wants a high tariff of 
duties4 ,but we think there are men who 
gave him their support1 because he has  

never been concerned in the intrigues of
 a party1 is indebted to none for past  
favors1 is pledged to none1 bribed by   
none1 and intimidated by none2 because  
he seems to be an honest man1 with a    
certain rustic intelligence2 a plain    
blunt man1 that loves his country and   
mankind4 ,we hope this was a large      
class4 ,if he is such a man1 he will    
enter upon his office under favorable   
auspices1 and with the best wishes of   
all good men4  ,but what shall the free 
soil party do next8 they cannot go      
back1--conscience waves behind them her 
glittering wings and bids them on2 they 
cannot stand still1 for as yet their    
measures and their watchword do not     
fully represent their idea4 ,they must  
go forward1 as the early abolitionists  
went1 with this for their motto3 ,no    
slavery in ,america4 ,he that would lead
 men1 must walk but one step before     
them2 says somebody4 ,well1 but he must 
think many steps before them1 or they   
will presently tread him under their    

feet4 ,the present success of the idea  
is doubtful2 the interests of the ,south
 will demand the extension of           
slavery2#ec the interests of the party  
now coming into power1 will demand their
 peculiar boon4 ,so another compromise  
is to be feared1 and the extension of   
slavery yet further ,west4 ,but the     
ultimate triumph of the genius of       
freedom is certain4 ,in ,europe1 it     
shakes the earth with mighty tread2     
thrones fall before its conquering feet4
 ,while in the eastern continent1 kings1
 armies1 emperors1 are impotent before  
that power1 shall a hundred thousand    
slaveholders stay it here with a bit of 
parchment8  ,,footnotes3  #dh ,greek3   
,greek3 ,gignontai men oun hai staseis  
ou peri mikron all' ek mikron1          
stasiazousi de peri                     
megalon4--,aristotle's ,polit41 ,lib4   
,v4 ,chap4 #d1 ,sec4 #a4  #di ,william  
,lloyd ,garrison4  #ej ,the following   
table shows the facts of the case3--    
,cost of post-office in slave ,states   

for the year ending ,july #ast1 #ahdg1  
#a1cah1eda  ,receipts from post-office1 
#fbd1chj  ,cost of post-office in free  
,states for the year ending ,july #ast1 
#ahdg1                  #a1jch1bai      
,receipts from post-office1             
#a1dei1fca  ,so the ,southern           
post-office cost the nation #fid1afa1   
and the ,northern post-office paid the  
nation #dba1dab1 making a difference of 
#a1aae1egc against the ,south4  #ea ,mr4
 ,john ,p4 ,hale4  #eb ,hon4 ,daniel    
,webster4  #ec ,the following extract1  
from the ,charleston ,mercury1 shows the
 feeling of the ,south4 ,pursuant to a  
call1 a meeting of the citizens of      
,orangeburg ,district was held to-day1  
#fth ,november1 in the court-house1     
which was well filled on the            
occasion4444 ,gen4 ,d4 ,f4 ,jamison then
 rose1 and moved the appointment of a   
committee of twenty-five1 to take into  
consideration the continued agitation by
 ,congress of the question of           
slavery2444 the committee1 through their

 chairman1 ,gen4 ,jamison1 made the     
following report3--  ,the time has      
arrived when the slaveholding ,states of
 the confederacy must take decided      
action upon the continued attacks of the
 ,north against their domestic          
institutions1 or submit in silence to   
that humiliating position in the        
opinions of mankind1 that longer        
acquiescence must inevitably reduce them
 to4444 ,the agitation of the subject of
 slavery commenced in the fanatical     
murmurings of a few scattered           
abolitionists1 to whom it was a long    
time confined2 but now it has swelled   
into a torrent of popular opinion at the
 ,north2 it has invaded the fireside and
 the church1 the press and the halls of 
legislation2 it has seized upon the     
deliberations of ,congress1 and at this 
moment is sapping the foundations1 and  
about to overthrow the fairest political
 structure that the ingenuity of man has
 ever devised4  ,the overt efforts of   
abolitionism were confined for a long   

period to annoying applications to      
,congress1 under color of the pretended 
right of petition2 it has since directed
 the whole weight of its malign         
influence against the annexation of     
,texas1 and had wellnigh cost to the    
country the loss of that important      
province2 but emboldened by success and 
the inaction of the ,south1 in an unjust
 and selfish spirit of national         
agrarianism it would now appropriate the
 whole public domain4 ,it might well    
have been supposed that the undisturbed 
possession of the whole of ,oregon      
,territory would have satisfied the     
non-slaveholding ,states4 ,this they now
 hold1 by the incorporation of the      
ordinance of #aghg into the bill of the 
last session for establishing a         
territorial government for ,oregon4     
,that provision1 however1 was not       
sustained by them from any apprehension 
that the territory could ever be settled
 from the ,states of the ,south1 but it 
was intended as a gratuitous insult to  

the southern people1 and a malignant and
 unjustifiable attack upon the          
institution of slavery4  ,we are called 
upon to give up the whole public domain 
to the fanatical cravings of            
abolitionism1 and the unholy lust of    
political power4 ,a territory1 acquired 
by the whole country for the use of all1
 where treasure has been squandered like
 chaff1 and southern blood poured out   
like water1 is sought to be appropriated
 by one section1 because the other      
chooses to adhere to an institution held
 not only under the guaranties that     
brought this confederacy into existence1
 but under the highest sanction of      
,heaven4 ,should we quietly fold our    
hands under this assumption on the part 
of the non-slaveholding ,states1 the    
fate of the ,south is sealed1 the       
institution of slavery is gone1 and its 
existence is but a question of time4444 
,your committee are unwilling to        
anticipate what will be the result of   
the combined wisdom and joint action of 

the southern portion of the confederacy 
on this question2 but as an initiatory  
step to a concert of action on the part 
of the people of ,south ,carolina1 they 
respectfully recommend1 for the adoption
 of this meeting1 the following         
resolutions3--  ,resolved1 ,that the    
continued agitation of the question of  
slavery1 by the people of the           
non-slaveholding ,states1 by their      
legislatures1 and by their              
representatives in ,congress1 exhibits  
not only a want of national courtesy1   
which should always exist between       
kindred ,states1 but is a palpable      
violation of good faith towards the     
slaveholding ,states1 who adopted the   
present ,constitution 'in order to form 
a more perfect union4'  ,resolved1 ,that
 while we acquiesce in adopting the     
boundary between the slaveholding and   
non-slaveholding ,states1 known as the  
,missouri ,compromise line1 we will not 
submit to any further restriction upon  
the rights of any southern man to carry 

his property and his institutions into  
territory acquired by southern treasure 
and by southern blood4  ,resolved1 ,that
 should the ,wilmot ,proviso1 or any    
other restriction1 be applied by        
,congress to the territories of the     
,united ,states1 south of #cf deg4 #cj  
min4 north latitude1 we recommend to our
 representative in ,congress1 as the    
decided opinion of this portion of his  
district1 to leave his seat in that     
body1 and return home4  ,resolved1 ,that
 we respectfully suggest to both houses 
of the legislature of ,south ,carolina1 
to adopt a similar recommendation as to 
our senators in ,congress from this     
,state4  ,resolved1 ,that upon the      
return home of our senators and         
representatives in ,congress1 the       
legislature of ,south ,carolina should  
be forthwith assembled to adopt such    
measures as the exigency may demand4    
,the resolutions were then submitted1   
seriatim1 and1 together with the report1
 were unanimously adopted4