Monmouth College - Ravelings Yearbook (Monmouth, IL)

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RAVELINGS. 7 power. Its ultimate fruition will be character of the Compromiser should the crowning of the lowly Nazarene as seem uninteresting and uninspiring, king in the hearts of men throughout We have come to associate with the the world. word Compromise the idea of insta- The greater the advancement in civ- bility and weakness. It immediately ilization. the more true liberty is ac- suggests political trickery and in- corded the individual man. the greater trigue; men without foundation who is the need of agitation, the stronger are striving to achieve success by i s the agitator ' s power. He has been cringing to both parties in contest, an important factor in modern prog- Is this conception of the Compro- ress. At his touch, unjust penal codes miser altogether right and just? Corn- have been blotted from the statute promise is defined as an agreement book, and slaves have breathed the air based upon the mutual concessions of of freedom. By his efforts the demon persons or parties holding irreconcila- of intemperance flees before the scien- ble opinions, or having conflicting tific temperance instruction of a thou- rights. There is nothing unnatural in sand schools. What he conceived on such a principle. It is exhibited not yesterday, is today the sober judg- only in social but also in physical ment of an enlightened people, and laws. The starry hosts of the firma- tomorrow the charter of a nation. As ment, each attracting and being at- long as there is a wrong inflicted, as tracted by each of the myriad suns, long as a single right is granted to the stars, and worlds; all their individual strong and denied the weak, his mis- forces and motions combined to pro- sion will continue. It will continue duce one grand, sublime x - esultant — until the lower classes have been ele- what is the eternal swing, the stately vated to a plane of decency and self- march of the universe, but a divine respect. It will continue until capital expression of the principle of Compro- and. labor shall clasp hands in unity mise! Compromise is the foundation and friendship. Moral agitation will of all society. It was born when man lead to that power, which, emanating ceased to live alone. No one is absol- from Calvary ' s holy cross, permeating utely free and independent. Every the masses, elevating- and ennobling, man. however solitary may seem his will one day lift them into the sun- occupation, is a member of a vast in- light of truth divine. dustrial partnership as large as the nation, as large as humanity. In the THE HERO OF COMPROMISE. language of Burke: ••All government. C. A. iiauehkach. knox college, indeed every human benefit and enjoy- First Prize Oration, Illinois Inter-Collegiate ment - ever - v virtue and ever y P radent Contest, Held at Jacksonville. act is founded on Compromise. With- October. 5, 1894. out it might becomes right, and we Our ideas of heroism are naturally have the tyrant and the slave! associated with bravery and fortitude. But it is objected that concession He who has most often won the plau- wherein moral principles are involved dits of the world has been the man of will lead to deplorable results — the iron will and unyielding courage. It promoting of wrong and the retarding is not strange, then, that in contrast of right. Thus bitter criticism has to such a conception of the heroic, the been heaped upon our Compromisers

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6 UAVELINGS, had set them free! Destroy a time- The agitator has a province distinc- honored institution, the corner stone tively his own. Courage, purpose, en- of our material and commercial pros- durance, are the qualities which test perity! From legislative bodies and his power. His mission is to change the halls of congress came the answer, opinion. Change in opinion comes No! From north and south, from east slowly. Thus it has ever been. Ev- and west, from church and school, ery step in the onward march of civili- from village and hamlet came the an- zation has been impeded by opposing swer, No! Did he falter? Did he forces. Every author of reform has pause to count the cost? Not, though been denounced as a fanatic. No man a misguided public thrust him behind who has dax ' ed present a new idea has prison walls. Not, though the pulpit at first met with public approbation, denounced him as an enemy of Chris- Galileo giving his life to scientific re- tian truth. Not, thoug ' h ,n infuriate search; Savonarola reforming the cor- mob dragged him through the streets ruptions of the church: Daniel O ' Con- of Boston. He believed that opposi- nell pleading for his country ' s liberty; tion would only spread the truth. Phillips giving his life and talents to And the breath of hissing mobs but the freeing- of a down-trodden race; all fanned reform ' s bright flame, which have worked in opposition to public spread on every side, mounting higher opinion. Even in the closing days of and higher with ever-increasing bril- the nineteenth century, social and pol- liancy, until an enlightened public itical ostracism awaits the man who sentiment guided the pen of Lincoln, dares oppose the popular will, broke the fetters of four million slaves .The agitator must stand on principle and made them free. and shun expediency. Devotion to In a land of constitutional liberty, principle is the secret of his power. It public opinion finds expression in leg- has been the secret of power in every islative enactments. ' Tis thus the reform. It led John Huss and Jerome best interests of society are conserved, of Prag ' ue as martyrs to the stake; The sanction of law adds dignity and their noble example g-ave to the world power. But seldom are the qualities a Luther and a Melancthon. Devotion of agitator and of statesman found to principle! It led the Ironsides of combined. The statesman must feel Cromwell to a victory which saved the the pulse of public opinion, must liberties of England, and g ' ave an im- watch with eager eye the tendency of pulse to the g ' rowth of freedom on affairs: with calm deliberation he American soil. It led the Revolution- awaits the coming change. The agi- ary fathers to lay their lives a sacrifice tator must create public sentiment, upon the altar of their country. Devo- Regardless of consequences he de- tion to principle! It inspired the Cov- clares what people should believe; the enanters of Scotland with courage to statesman that alone which they are resist the unjiist decrees of a corrupt ready to believe. In the role of king and court: their heroic stand pre- statesman the agitator ' s action would served relig-ious freedom to the Anglo- be premature. While Phillips sows Saxon race. Devotion to principle! the seed and tills the soil, the fruits The songs of redeeming love from ev- must be conserved and garnered by a ery land and every clime, ascending Lincoln ' s master hand. daily to the throne above, attest its

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8 J! A VELINGS. before the civil war for making more victions of a wise majority can be en- terrible the strife they tried to avoid, forced. Is such criticism altogether merited? Not only has Compromise created In questions of moral right and wrong ' , our nation, but it has been the pre- the practice of Compromise may, no server of our nation ' s life. We are doubt, be greatly abused. An evil disposed to say that the blood of the may often be removed by a single ex- civil war redeemed our nation: but, af- posure: when Compromise would be ter all, was the union saved when the folly. But even in questions where war ceased? Did the contest for ciyil moral principles are at stake, the Com- liberty end there? Far from it! promiser need not stand in the way of When Secession died, then arose that reform. Great social changes are not malign spirit which had hovered in wrought in a day. Although indeed the rear of conflict. It came to gloat truth must conquer, it should not over the prostrate Southern land! It be forgotten that truth may also be asked no right but that of conquest crushed to earth. Extreme meas- and spoliation. Now, indeed, -was the ures are not always pi ' actieable in the union rent in twain! But in those beginning of reform. Opinions, how- dark times of reconstruction, when en- ever right and just, cannot be forced vy, hate, and passion threatened to upon the world, and, in an attempt to plunge the wounded nation into deep- do so, more enemies than friends are er gloom, the voice of Compromise g ' ained. Evils eradicated by sudden counseling forgiveness, amnesty and force often result in still greater evils, peace, rose above the wrang ' lings of Belief is strengthened and deepened the petty spoilsman of the North, and by oppression and persecution. So the ' bitter, vindictive mntterings of has it been with the followers of every the proud Southerner, conquered but faith since history began, for men al- unsubuded, to verify in the most glor- ways believe themselves right, and ious reconciliation of all time, that when forced to give up their opinions prophecy of old — good tidings shall thoughts become convictions, and a bind up the broken-hearted, and to spirit of antagonism is ai ' oused. Fan- them that mourn give beauty for aticism is reform ' s most treacherous ashes, the oil of joy for mourning ' , and ally! Hence, when a reformer endeav- the g ' arment of praise for the spirit of ors to uproot some public sentiment or heaviness. conviction, however wrong, he cannot A nation is prone to glorify its suc- aft ' ord to lay aside the spirit of for- cessful general rather than him who. bearance. Men can be lead — never in legislative halls, quietty guards his driven! Thus the Compromiser has country ' s liberties. Is it true that all proved to be not only one of the ablest the elements of courage and virtue be- but the safest champion of reform. long- to martial success? It is indeed History teaches that some of the a thrilling scene — the conqueror re- greatest strides in progress have been splendent in crimson robe and victor ' s the direct results of Compromise. To crown, cheered by shouts of victory it we owe the birth of ova- constitution, and songs of triumph. But to a nine- Without it, democracy is impossible, teenth century civilization this picture In a country of free opinions like ours, never appears alone. It recalls another it is the only means whereby the con- scene. Mingled with the notes of tri-