In my opinion, there is not a single event in history so distinctly
marked to be providential--and providential with reference to all
humanity--as the colonization, revolution, and republicanism of the now
United States of America.
This immense continent being peopled with elements of European
civilization, could not remain a mere appendix to Europe. But when it is
connected with Europe by a thousand social, moral, and material ties, by
blood, religion, language, science, civilization, and commerce, to
believe that it can rest isolated in politics from Europe, would be just
such a fault as it was that England did not believe in time the
necessity of America's independence. Yes, gentlemen, this is so sure to
me, that I would pledge life, honour, and everything dear to man's heart
and honourable to man's memory, that either America must take her
becoming part in the political regeneration of Europe, or she herself
must yield to the pernicious influence of European politics. There was
never yet a more fatal mistake, than it would be to believe, that by not
caring about the political condition of Europe, America may remain
unaffected by the condition of Europe. I could perhaps understand such
an opinion, if you would or could be entirely isolated from Europe; but
as you are not isolated, as you cannot be, as you cannot even have the
will to be (for that very will would be a paradox, a logical absurdity,
impossible to be carried out, being contrary to the eternal laws of God,
which he for nobody's sake will change); therefore to believe that you
can go on to be connected with Europe in a thousand respects, and still
remain unaffected by its social and political condition, would be indeed
a fatal delusion.
You stretch out your gigantic hands a thousandfold every day over the
waves; your relations with Europe are not only commercial as with Asia,
they are also social, moral, spiritual, intellectual; you take Europe
every day by the hand. How then could you believe, that if that hand of
Europe, which you grasp every day, remains dirty, you can escape from
soiling your own hands? The cleaner they are, all the more will the
filth of old Europe stick to them. There is no possible means to escape
from being soiled, than to help us, Europeans, to wash the hands of our
old world.
You have heard of the ostrich, that when persecuted by an enemy, it is
wont to hide its head, leaving its body exposed; it believes that by not
regarding it, it will not be seen by the enemy. That curious aberration
is worthy of reflection. It is _typical_.
Yes, gentlemen, either America will _re_generate the condition of
the old world, or it will be _de_generated by the condition of the
old world.
Sir, I implore you (Mr. Emerson), give me the aid of your philosophical
_analysis_, to impress the conviction upon the public mind of your
nation that the Revolution, to which CONCORD was the preface, is full of
a higher destiny--of a destiny broad as the world, broad as humanity
itself. Let me entreat you to apply the analytic powers of your
penetrating intellect, to disclose the character of the American
Revolution, as you disclose the character of self-reliance, of spiritual
laws, of intellect, of nature, or of politics. Lend the authority of
your judgment to the truth, that the destiny of American revolution is
not yet fulfilled; that the task is not yet completed; that to stop half
way, is worse than would have been not to stir: repeat those words of
deep meaning which once you wrote about the monsters that looked
backward, and about the walking with reverted eye, while the voice of
the Almighty says, "_up and onward for ever more_," while moreover
the instinct of your people, which never fails to be right, answered the
call of destiny by taking for its motto the word _ahead_.
Indeed, gentlemen, the monuments you raised to the heroic martyrs who
fertilized with their hearts' blood the soil of liberty--these monuments
are a fair tribute of well-deserved gratitude, gratifying to the spirits
who are hovering around us and honourable to you. Woe to the people
which neglect to honour its great and good men; but believe me,
gentlemen, those blessed spirits would look down with saddened brows to
this free and happy land, if ever they were doomed to see that the happy
inheritors of their martyrdom imagined that the destiny to which that
martyr blood was consecrated, is accomplished, and its price fully paid
in the already achieved results, because the living generation dwells
comfortably and makes TWO DOLLARS out of _one_.
No, gentlemen, the stars in the sky have a higher aim than merely to
illumine the night-path of some lonely wanderer. The course your nation
is called to run, is not yet half performed. Mind the fable of
Atalanta: it was a golden apple thrown into her way which made her fall
short in her race.
Two things I have met here in these free and mighty United States, which
I am at a loss how to make concord. The two things I cannot harmonize
are:--First, that all your historians, all your statesmen, all your
distinguished orators, who wrote or spoke, characterize it as AN ERA in
mankind's history, destined to change the condition of the world, upon
which it will rain an everflowing influence. And secondly, in
contradiction to this universally adopted creed, I have met in many
quarters a propensity to believe that it is conservative wisdom not to
take any active part in the regulation of the outward world.
These two things do not agree. If that be the destiny of America, which
you all believe to be, then that destiny can never be fulfilled by
acting the part of passive spectators, and by this very passivity
granting a charter to ambitious Czars to dispose of the condition of the
world.
I have met distinguished men trusting so much to the operative power of
your institutions and of your _example_, that they really believe
they will make their way throughout the world merely by their _moral
influence_. But there is one thing those gentlemen have disregarded
in their philanthropic reliance; and that is, that the ray of the sun
never yet made its way by itself through well-closed shutters and
doors--they must be drawn open, that the blessed rays of the sun may get
in. I have never yet heard of a despot who yielded to the moral
influence of liberty. The ground of Concord itself is an evidence of it;
the doors and shutters of oppression must be opened by bayonets, that
the blessed rays of your institutions may penetrate into the dark
dwelling-house of oppressed humanity.
There are men who believe the position of a power on earth will come to
you by itself; but oh! do not trust to this fallacy; a position never
comes by itself; it must be taken, and taken it never will be by
passivity.
The martyrs who have hallowed by their blood the ground of Concord,
trusted themselves and occupied the place Divine Providence assigned
them. Sir, the words are yours which I quote. You have told your people
that they are now men, and must accept in the highest mind the same
destiny, that they are not minors and invalids in a protected corner;
but guides, redeemers, and benefactors, advancing on chaos and on the
dark.
I pray God to give to your people the sentiment of the truth you have
taught.
Your people, fond of its prosperity, loves peace. Well, who would not
love peace; but allow me again, sir, to repeat with all possible
emphasis, the great word you spoke, "Nothing can bring you peace but the
triumph of principles."
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