516 [Assembly 



©f men J the other is the natitral government of the material world, 

 or the laws of nature. The one is the mere embodiment of the will 

 and wisdom of man, subject to all the vicissitudes and changes inci- 

 dent to unsettled opinion; the other is an embodiment of the will and 

 wisdom of God, as displayed in his works, and is as unalterable as 

 the architecture of the eternal heavens. 



"Whenever the expanding soul of an individual carries his thoughts 

 and hopes beyond the contracted sphere of mere self, and he begins 

 to realize the high and dignified rank which he holds in the order of 

 created beings — to feel the responsibility which a preception of his 

 relation to God and his creatures involves, and with philanthropic 

 enthusiasm, looks forth in search of a mode of discharging his high 

 duty, he will next be found attaching himself to one or the other of 

 these classes of public benefactors. The champions, of one of these 

 classes, are known as statesmen and jurists ; those of the other are 

 known as naturalists and inventors. The former prove the correct- 

 ness of their opinions by the opinions of others ; the latter disclose 

 new facts and verify the truth of them by the production of tangible 

 things. The former propagate theories which may be demolished by 

 a single sweep of the mere opinion of successors; the latter disinter 

 and expose to human understanding hidden parts of the permanent 

 and abiding works of Deity. The former are making and revising a 

 temporary code; the latter are engaged in unfolding the grand, com- 

 plicated and voluminous code of nature, which, on the day of crea- 

 tion, and for the government thereof, was enacted and ratified by 

 God himself, and which man may use and enjoy, but can never re- 

 peal, alter or amend. 



Would time permit, a more detailed discussion of the nature and 

 relation, of these two objects, might better show their relative im- 

 portance, how intimately they are connected with each other, and to 

 what extent, civil and political institutions should be rendered sub- 

 servient to the encouragement of inventive genius, and to foster and 

 advance the arts and sciences. But as our limited time will be re- 

 quired for other purposes, I will barely say, as illustrative of that 

 point, that political and civil institutions had their origin in the 

 propensity of mankind to do wrong. The chief object, therefore, of 

 these institutions was to restrain positive evil, and to serve as a mere 

 external protection to orderly citizens, while they might be variously 

 engaged in advancing the work of genuine and positive improve- 

 ments, by means otherwise independent of civil institutions. 



