Historic Progress and American Democracy
An Address delivered before the New York Historical Society at their SixtyFourth Anniversary, December 16, 1868. By . New York : Charles Scribner & Co.
THERE is always something invigorating and inspiring in the tone of Mr. Motley’s philosophy, and here he utters only a little more directly and explicitly what is to be gathered from any of his histories; he affirms the sufficiency of man to the civil needs and duties of men, and teaches that the hope of the world lies in the Americanization of the world, enforcing all with a fervid faith in democracy, and a patriotism enlightened and confirmed by studies that have made the past of Europe part of his own experience. He warns us that grand destinies are accomplished only with worthy and willing means, but he believes in us, and his tone is exultant. “ I have never remarked,” he says, “that the nations by whom our tendency to boastfulness is sometimes rebuked, are absolutely overwhelmed with bashfulness themselves, or ready to sink into the earth with shame when alluding to their own advantages or achievements..... It is sometimes as well to appreciate as to despise in national selfcontemplation. And certainly we are never likely to pine for want of sharp criticism on this or the other side of the water ; for if ever nation survived perpetual vivisection, especially during the last half-dozen years, and grew fat and strong upon it, that nation is America. Not a quivering muscle, not a thrilling nerve, even in moments of tension and agony, but has been laid bare before the world, and serenely lectured upon by the learned doctors of Privilege; but when the long sigh of relief has been drawn from the spectators at the demonstrated death of Democracy, behold the monster on its feet again, and very much more alive than ever.”
The close alliance which existed in the nature of things between Privilege in Europe and the late proslavery Oligarchy in this country, is a part of his subject which Mr. Motley touches with a scornful lightness and brightness very agreeable to those loving neither; and he ends his passing notice of the war and its immediate effects, in words which the South might take to heart as the clearest and briefest expression of the truth of the whole matter : “ Let its ‘ bruised arms be hung up for monuments,’ along with the trophies of the triumphant North ; for the valor, the endurance and self-sacrifice were equal on both sides, and the defeated party was vanquished because neither pride of color nor immortal hate can successfully struggle against the inexorable law of Freedom and Progress.”
It is a like fatality which has brought about the friendship of the Hungarians and the Germans at last under the Austrian empire, and has carried liberal principles into the stronghold of European despotism. The pages of Mr. Motley’s address devoted to the consideration of the great change thus wrought in the polity of Austria have peculiar interest from the fact that he here speaks from his personal knowledge of events. These were indeed more worthy his study than any other recent occurrences in European affairs, and the reader will turn from it with the best conception of the great things which have been peacefully done for the popular cause where so few years since there was no popular cause. The English revolution, still in process of bloodless accomplishment, is noticed as onlyless remarkable than that of Austria, and even more important and significant to us as the more direct result of the triumph of democracy here, for, “after all,” says Mr. Motley, “the English household suffrage bill is the fruit of the Appomattox appletree,” and to that potent growth is due the reforms effected in the British Parliament, which was but a little while ago merely “the best club in London, exclusive, full of distinguished and eloquent gentlemen; delightfully situated on the Thames, with charming terraces and bay-windows on the river ; an excellent library, within five minutes’ walk of all the public offices, and with the privilege of governing a splendid empire into the bargain.”
Mr. Motley, more than any other historian, has made the people his hero, and it is the heroical humanity of the past and future that he celebrates in his recognition of our present success and greatness. American democracy, in his view, is not more admirable as chief among the results of progress than as the prime agency of further advance ; it is always with some deeper sense, with a warmer homage to man than to country, that he is patriotic. To add that he has handled his theme here with eloquence as little as possible like the eloquence it commonly evokes, that he has treated it with force and clearness and every charm of his picturesque style,—this is only saying that he wrote the present address.