?m, y n "
The Commoner.
JULY 3, 19 03.
Bancroft's Address.
(Continued from Pago 3.)
tate the. form of the loveliest woman of his age,
l)ut ho gleaned the several lineaments of his fault
less work from the many. And so it is that a
perfect judgment Is the result of a comparison
where error eliminates error and truth is estab
lished by concurring witnesses. The organ of
truth is the invisible decision of the unbiased
world; she pleads before no tribunal Tjut public
opinion; she owes no safe interpreter but the com
mon mind; she knows no court of appeals but the
feoul of humanity. It is when the multitude give
counsel that right purposes find safety; theirs is
the heart of which the largeness is as tho sand on
the seashore.
It is not by vast armies, by immense natural
resources, by accumulations of treasure, that the
greatest results In modern civilization have been
accomplished. The traces of the career of con
quest pass away, hardly leaving a scar on the
national intelligence. Famous battle-grounds of
victory are most of them comparatively indiffer
ent to the human race; barren fields of blood, the
scourges of their times, but affecting tho social
condition as little as the gaging of a pestilence.
Not one benevolent institution, not one amelior
ating principle in the Roman state was a volun
tary concession of the aristocracy; iach useful
element was borrowed from the democracies of
Greece or was a reluctant concession to the de
mands of the people. The same is true in modern
political life. It is the confesion of an enemy to
democracy that "all the great .and noble institu
tions of the world have come from popular ef
forts." It is the uniform tendency of the popular ele
ment to elevate and bless humanity. The exact
measure of the progress of civilization is the de
gree in which the intelligence of tho common
mind has prevailed over wealth and brute force;
in other words, the measure of the progress of
civilization Is the progress of the people. Every
great object connected with tho benevolent exer
tions of the day, has reference to the culture of
those powers which are alone the common Inherit
ance. For this the envoys of a religion cross seas
and visit remotest isles; for this Ue press in its
freedom teems with the productions of maturest
thought; for this philanthropists plan new
schemes of education; for this halls in every city
and village are open to the public instructor. Not
that we view with Indifference the glorious efforts
of material industry; the increase in the facility
of internal intercourse, the accumulations of
thrifty labor, the varied results .of concentrated
action. But even there it is mind that achieves the
triumph. It is the genius of the architect that
gives beauty to the work of human hands and
makes the temple, the dwelling, or the public
edifice an outward representation of the spirit of
pTopriety and order. It is science that guides the
zeal of cupidity to the construction of the vast
channels of communication which are fast bind
ing the world into one family. And it is as a
method of moral improvement that this swifter
moans of intercourse derives its greatest value.
Mind becomes universal property; the poem that
is published on the soil of England finds its" re
sponse en the shores of Lake Erie and the banks
of the Missouri, and is admired near the sources
of the Ganges. The defense of public liberty in
our own halls of legislation penetrates to the
plains of Poland, is echoed along the mountains
of Greece and pierces the darkest night of easfc
ern despotism.
The universality of tho intellectual and moral
powers and the necessity of their development for
the progress of the race proclaim the great doc
trine of the natural right of every human being
to moral and Intellectual culture. It is the glory
of our fathers to have established in their laws
the equal claims of every child to the public care
of its morals and its mind. From this principle
we may deduce the universal right to leisure; that
is, to time not appropriate to material purposes,
but reserved for the culture of the moral affec
tions and the mind. It does not tolerate the ex
clusive enjoyment of leisure by a privileged class,
but defending the rights of labor would suffer
none to sacriuce the higher purposes or existence
in unceasing, toil for that which. Js not life. Such
1b the voice of nature, such Is the conscious claim
of the human mind. The universe opens its pages
to every eye, the music of creation resounds in
every ear, the glorious lessons of Immortal truth
that are written in the sky and on the earth ad
dress themselves to every mind and claim atten
tion from every human being. God"has made
man upright that he might lool: before and after.
and Ho calls upon every one not moroly to labor,
but to reflect, not mcroly to practico the rovola
. tlons of divine will, but to contcmplato the dis
plays of divine power. Nature claims for every
man leisure, for she claims every man as a wit
ness to tho divine glory manii:sted in tho created
world.
"Yet evermore, through years renewed
In undisturbed vicissitudo
The seasons balancing their flight
On tho swlf wings of day and night,
Kind nature keeps a heavenly door
Wide open for the scattered poor,
Where flower-breathed incense to tho skies
Is wafted in loud harmonics;
And ground fresh clovon by tho plow
Is fragrant with a humbler vow;
Where birds and brooks from living dells
Chime forth unwearied canticles,
And vapors magnify and spread
The glory of tho sun's bright head;
Still constant in her worship, still
Conforming to tho Almighty will,
Whether men sow or reap the Holds,
Hef admonitions nature yields; ;
That not by bread alone wo live,
Or what a hand of flesh can give;
That every day should leave some part,
Free for a Sabbath of the -heart;
So shall the seventh be truly blest,
From morn to eve with hallowed rest"
Tho right to universal education being thus
acknowledged by our conscience not Jess than., by
our laws, it follows that tho people Is the trua
recipient of truth. Do not seek to conciliate Indi
viduals, do not dread tho frowns of a sect, do not
yield to the prescription, of a party, but pour out
truth Into the common mind. Let the waters of
intelligence like tho rains of heaven descend on
the whole earth, and be not discouraged by the
dread of encountering Ignorance. Tho prejudiced
of Ignorance are more easily removed than tho
prejudices of Interest; tho first are blindly
adopted, tho second wilfully preferred. Intelli
gence must be diffused among tho whole people,
truth must be scattered among those who have no
interest to suppress its growth. The seeds that
fall on the exchange or in tho hum of business
may bo choked by the thorns that spring up in
the hotbed of avarice; the seeds that are let fall
in the saloon may be like those dropped by tho
wayside which take no root Let the young as
pirant after glory scatter see's of truth broad
cast on the wide bosom of humanity, in the deep
fertile soil of the public mind. There It will
strike deep root and spring up and bear a hun
dredfold and blcom forages and ripen fruit
through remote generations.
It is alone by Infusing great principles into
tho common mind that revolutions in human so
ciety are brought about They never have been,
they never can be effected by superior individual
excellence. The ago of the Antonines is the ago
of the greatest glory of tho Roman empire. Men
distinguished by every accomplishment of culture
and science for a century in succession possessed
undisputed sway over more than one hundred mil
lions of men, until, at last, in tho person of Mark
Aurellan, philosophy herself seemed to mount
the throne. And did she stay the downward ten
dencies of the Roman empire t Did she infuse new
elements of life Into the decaying constitution?
Did she commence one great beneficent reform?
Not one permanent amelioration was effected.
Philosophy was clothed with absolute power; and
yet absolute power accomplished nothing for hu
manity. It could accomplish nothing. Had it
been possible, Aurellan woald have wrought a
change. Society can be regenerated, the human
race can be advanced, only br moral principles
diffused through the multitude.
And now let us take an opposite Instance; let
us see If amelioration follows when, in despite of
tyranny, truth finds access -to the common people.
Christianity itself shall furnish me the example.
When Christianity first made its way into
Rome the Imperial city was the seat of wealth,
philosophy, and luxury. Absolute government was
already established; and bad the will of Claudius
been gained or tho conscience of Messallna been
roused, or the heart of Narcissus, once a slave,
then prime minister,. been touched by tho recol
lections of his misfortunes, the aid of the sovereign
of the civilized world would have been engaged.
And the messenger of divine truth making his
appeal to them was his mission to the emperor
and his minions? To the empress and her flatter
ers? To the servile senators? To wealthy fav
orites? Paul preserves for us the names of the
first converts: the Roman Mcry and Junia, Julia
and Nerea, and the beloved brother, all plebeian
names unknown to history. "Criet them," he
adds, "that be of the household of Narcissus."
Now overy Roman household was a community of
slaves. Narcissus, himself a freodraan, was the
chief minister of tho Roman empire; his ambi
tion had left hira no moments for tho envoy from
Calvary; tho friends of Paul were a freedman's
slaves. When God selected a channel by which
Christianity should mako its way in tho city of
Romo, and assuredly bo carried forward to ac
knowledged supremacy in the Roman empire, he
gavo to tho apostio of tho Gontlles favor In the
housohold of Narcissus; ho planted tho truth deep
in tho common soil. Had Christianity been re
ceived at court it would have been stifled or cor
rupted by tho prodigal vices of tho ago; it lived
in tho hearts of tho common people; It sheltered
itself against oppression in the catacombs and
among tombs; it mndo misfortune its comfort and
sorrow its companion, and labor its state. It
rested on a rock, for it rested on tho people; it
was gifted with Immortality, for it struck root In
tho hearts of the million.
So completely was this greatest of all re
forms carried forward In tho valo of life, that tho
great moral revolution, tho great stop of God's
providenco In the education of tho human race,
was not observed by tho Roman historians. Onco
indeed at this early period tho Christians are men
tioned, for, in tho reign of Nero, their purity be
ing hatoful to tho corrupt, Noro abandoned them
to persecution. In tho darkness of midnight they
woro covered with pitch and set on fire to light
tho streets of Rome, and this singularity has been
recorded. But thoir system of morals and relig
ion, though it was tho new birth of the world,
escaped all notice.
Paul, who was a Roman citizen, wan beheaded
just outside tho walls of the eternal city; and
Peter, who was a plebeian and could not claim
the distinction oZ the ax and block, was executed
on tho cross, with his head downwards to in
crease Uio pain of the Indignity. Do you think
the Roman emperor took notice of tho names of
these men when ho signed 'heir death warrants?
And yet, as they poured truth into the common
mind, what series of kings, what lies of emperors,
can compare with them in their Influence on tho
destinies of mankind?
Yes, reforms in society aro only effected
through the masses of tho people, and through
them have continually taken place. Now truths
have been successively developed and aro becom
ing the common property of tho human family for
Improving its condition. This progress is ad
vanced by overy sect precisely because each sect
obtained vitality, Itself of necessity embodied a
truth; by every political party, for tho conflicts
of party are the war of Ideas; by every nation
ality, for a nation cannot exist as such until
humanity makes It special trustee of some part
of Its wealth for tho ultlmato benefit of all.
The irresistible tendency of tho human race is
therefore to advancement, for absolute power has
never succeeded and can never succeed in sup
pressing a single truth. An Idea onco revealed
may find its admission into every living breast and
live there. Like God, it becomes Immortal and
omnipresent The movement of tho species is up
ward, Irresistibly upward. The individual Is often
lost; Providenco never disowns the race. No
principle once promulgated has ever been for
gotten. No "timely tramp" of a despot's foot
ever trod out ono Idea. The world cannot retro
grade; the dark aces cannot return. Dynasties
perish, states are burled, nations have been vic
tims of error, martyrs for right; humanity has
always been on the advar.ee, gaining maturity,
universality and power.
Yes, truth is Immortal; It cannot he de
stroyed; It Is Invincible; It cannot long be resisted.
Not overy great principle has yet been generated,
but when once proclaimed and diffused It lives
without end in tho safe custody of the race.
States may pass away, every just principle of leg
islation which has been onco" established will en
dure. Philosophy has sometimes forgotten God,
a great people never did. Tho scepticism of the
last century could not uproot Christianity because
it lived in the hearts of the millions. Do you
think that infidelity is spreading? Christianity
never lived in tho hearts of so many millions as
at this moment The forms under which it is
professed may decay, for they like all that is the
work of men's hands, are subject to changes and
chances of mortal being but the spirit of truth is
incorruptible; it may be developed, illustratedr and.
applied; It never can die, never can decline.
No truth can perish, no truth can pass away;
the flame Is undying, though generations disap
pear. Wherever moral truth has struck Into be
ing, humanity claims and guards the greatest be
quest. Each generation gathers together imperish
able children of the past, and increases them by
new sons of light alike radiant with Immortality.
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