366 THE YOUNG AMERICAN.

llihich should lead that movement, if not New Eng-
land? WVho should lead the leaders, but the Young
American? The people, and the World, are now
suffering from the want of religion and honor in
its public mind. 1n America, out-of-doors all
seems a market; in-doors an air-tight stove of con-
ventionalism. Every body who comes into our
houses savors of these habits; the men, of the mar-
ket ; the women, of the custom. I find no expres-
sion in our state papers or legislative debate, in our
lyceums or churches, especially in our newspapers,
of a high national feeling, no lofty counsels that
rightfully stir the blood. I speak of those organs
which can be presumed to speak a popular sense.
They recommend conventional virtues, whatever
will earn and preserve property; always the capi-
talist; the college, the church, the hospital, the
theatre, the hotel, the road, the ship of the capital-
ist, -— whatever goes to secure, adorn, enlarge these
is good; what jeopardizes any of these is damna-
ble. The ‘ opposition ’ papers, so called, are on the
same side. They attack the great capitalist, but
with the aim to make a capitalist of the poor man.
The opposition is against those who have money,
from those who wish to have money. But who an-
nounces to us in journal, or in pulpit, or in the
street, the secret of heroism ?

“ Man alone
Can perform. the impossible.”