~~~As early as 1758, during the Seven Years War, Benjamin Franklin wrote to Joseph Galloway.....The Nation....knows and feels itself so universally corrupt and rotten from Head to Foot, that it has little Confidence in any publick Men or publick Measures. .......(speaking of the corruption and venality of English life at the time. The capitalization and spelling is of Franklins). ~~~Ten years later he quoted with horror Beckfords bland question to the House of Commons: Pray does that gentleman imagine there is any member of this House that does not Know what corruption is?.....Franklin added, which occasioned only a roar of laughter, for they are so hardened in the practice, that they are very little ashamed of it. ...... ~~~Corruption, error, and a tendency toward artificiality were mans weaknesses, but his reason and his innate moral sense were more powerful in the long run, and through periodic revolutions (or restorations), sometimes even violent revolutions, man got back on the right track and continued his pilgrims progress toward perfection and harmony with God. ***************************************************************************************** Quoted from BEYOND THE REVOLUTION....A History of American Thought from Paine to Pragmatism by William H. Goetzmann (copyright 2009). Currently reading; above is all before page 30.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 03:16:29 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015