OCR Text |
Show The Spirit ol Freedom. Isaac M. Wise was editor of the American Isrealite from 1854 to the time of his death, last March. Among his papers was found a lecture, delivered probably in 187G, about the time of the Centennial exposition. The Israelite publishes it. His theme was, "Our Country's Place in History." His-tory." It is a marvelous production, coming from one foreign-born and of a race that is looking look-ing back upon a time when their forefathers wore making sublime history centuries before the European races learned the first lessons' of civilization. civ-ilization. We have space for only a brief synopsis of the lecture. He begins by analyzing the profound mystery of nature, notes the limitations and still the mighty scope of the human mind; the natural egotism of man but also the contradiction In as much as despite his egotism he has hope? aspirations aspir-ations and desires and likes to be well considered; he likes to be, like the stars, "a shining body, among the stars, however, and not among pebbles, peb-bles, and possesses the threefold affection for home, country and his fellowmen, the first two broadening and softening his nature into the third; now men influence each other; how nations na-tions innfluenco nations. Then he traces the world up and conludes that -in the fifteenth century "personal freedom was fairly submerged in the huge power of state and church." From and after theCrusaders the small sov- oroignltles vanishes and with them the last traces of politcial liberty; hung and centralized empires em-pires with a fair beginning of standing armies swayed despotic sceptres. The serf, the peasant, the burghers, the Jew was a beast of burden, an -Lm object of dirision, the commodity of knights, rude HWw ruffians, whose property and persons were prop- iH erly of the reigning dynasty. Then he gives a mWm graphic picture of the situation in every country of Europe. Then the state of the church was 'mm given at the time and the conclusion is that it 'H 'was no better than the state, and says, "a few iWu men shaped the destinies of mankind, the human family had become a farce." Then the Genius of History commonly called Providence came. Two unconscious passions poized upon thousands of 'H men a blind love of knowledge, and an indomita- ''H ble desire to discover unknown islands, and j9 countries. Columbus impelled by an irresistable LW passion found a new world and the love of knowl- 'mW edge forced the revival of letters. The discovery LM of the New World and the description of it is a LM portrayal as superb as can be found in our lan- lLX guage, which closes with these words: "The km great promiso of a new redemption, a readjust- .9 ment of human affairs, a fresh promise of pros- 'H perity, equality and lib.ejcty." 9 Then he tells how for a century7" the now land L was robbed. "Mexico, Peru, the West Indies were 'LU thinly colonized to find gold, to acquire new do- :9 minions for old crowns, virgin territory for do- 9 funct inhabitants and perishing systems." . -JLl Then he tells of the settlement of the north- LM em half where Puritans, English Catholics, 'jH French Huguenots, German, Dutch and Slavonic sects joined to find bread and liberty and they 'LM succeeded." 'Lm Then came the discipline of the frontier until 'LW finally the determination to bo free culminated in the great revolution, and says: mW "The hearts of a great people are the inde- 'Lm structable materials of the monuments of George Washington and his compatriots. The millions jL of oppressed men and women in all countries Lm where prisons have been razed and where chains jH have been broken, are the grand chorus, to sing 'jLX the praise cf the American Revolution, and wo the 'H lords and ladies of this broad land of freedom reach the hallelujah." JH Of the Constitution he says: "It is the solution fl of the important problem of free government, in H which all savants of former days failed." Thon fl comes this striking paragraph: H "Under all forms of government beginning with 9 Roman Imperialism, man was trained up to be a proper subject of State and Church, an obedient fl servant of the powers that be and a pitiable link B in the social chain. No human being could freely 9 and naturally develop his capabllites, hence the 9 civilized world consisted of artificially shaped 9 subjects, of thrones and crosses, adapted to the :,9 public institutions and the lords thereof." 9 Then the advance of a hundred years Is pic- 9 tured in winsome words. Then he declares that 9 "since the American government has existed, 9 there has been no peace in Europe. Tho spirit of fl freedom battles continually against the old giant 9 despotism which loses ground with every de- 9 cade." 9 Then the changes in all European countries Is 9 noted and of Russia he says: "Russia is a rest- 9 ing volcano." He adds: "Europe is on Freedom's 9 path. There has been no peace in Europe since 9 the American Revolution; there shall not be. No 9 I'IhSRb ' peace can be made between freedom and despo- jJjjfMMBB tism- Tll last -hrono -will be overthrown, the HJff?SlH i last septer broken, the last prince exiled and ' xMotIbbBIIh uPn tnG ruins of crowns, thrones, forts nnd royal iHHraE castles the banner of freedom shall be unfurled li'l'mlHyi and tne lossInSs of equality and justice shall be j yWHH extended to all human beings." He 'closed with tymBtttimm an apostrophe to labor and a demand that the la- 1 ''lfflSM uorer under our flag shall have full recognition j'iPffllfflffI was a won(1erul creation for forty years |