Doings Future.

—

MR. EDITOR:—Of the future, in an abso
lute sense, we know nothing. No man can
tell with absolute certainty what will be the
event of the next hour, much less of the next
age. Hence, when we venture to speak of
the future, it is by analogy, or comparison
with the past.

We perceive that the universe exists, and
that all its operaitons proceed according to
fixed laws. We perceive, also, in these laws,
such a harmony and design, as tend in their
operation to produce certain great ends.
The existence of the universe, the evidences
of design in its construction, the laws by
which it is governed, and the ends produced
by their operation, lead us to infer that it
has an Author, that this Author has attri
butes, or character, and that his character is
to be inferred from his works.

Moreover, observation teaches that noth
ing in the operations of the universe is left
to change; but that everything, from the
rising of an empire to the falling of a hair,
is directed by the good providence of its
great Author. It also teaches us that He, as
well as is laws, His unchangeable, and that
like causes, circumstances being equal, will
always produce like effects. And hence, if
certain causes have produced certain effects
in the past, similar causes, circumstances be
ing equal, will produce similar effects in the
future. History informs us of the opera
tions of Providence, in His administration of
the laws of the universe; and it is by the
laws of light, and analogy of history, that
we attempt to speak of the future.

Our past history consists almost entirely
of tradition and fable. Of the writings of
ancient Hamitish authors, scarcely nothing
has descended to our times; and the writ
ings of such authors of modern times, are so
very modern, and generally relate to subjects
of such a nature, as to afford us but little
light in reference to the future. Hence,
when we need the aid of historical light, we
must look for it among other races than our
own. But, admitting the unity of the hu-

man race, we lose nothing by this, so far as
the more light of history is concerned.
Hence, then, the light of the history of oth
er men is to guide us in planning measures
for our future welfare in this country.

Proceeding, then, as directed by our light,
the first thing which we have to do, in refer
ence to our future welfare, is to become
settled—settled in residence, settled in pur
pose. No people has ever yet prospered
without the sentiment, as well as the fact, of
a fixed, a settled residence, and a settled pur
pose. The apostle Paul began the preach
ing of Christianity to the Arabians, almost
two centuries ago, yet they never have be
come eminent Christians, because they nev
er have been a settled people. Our own
American Indians, are another example of
the same proposition; the efforts of mis
sionaries have almost been lost upon the
mass of them, because they never have been
settled. And whatever of Christiantiy is
now found among the different tribes, is in
a direct ratio with the permanence of their
settlement. And these nations are just as
deficient in learning and wealth, as they are
in religion, so that we see their want of a
permanent settlement operates in every way
against their prosperity. There is not a
single well-founded reason why we should
entertain a thought adverse to a permanent
settlement in this country. Here we are by
the good providence of God, and here if we
so decide, may we ever expect to remain.
History furnishes no example of four mill
ions of men of the same religion, laws, and
language, of those with whom they dwell,
being violently expelled from the country of
their birth and choice; and as such a thing
has never been done in the past, the infer
ence is warrantable that it will never be done
in the future.

Having become settled in residence, we
must also become settled in purpose we
must decide what sort of residence it shall
be, whether useful, honorable, and happy, or
worthless, degraded, and miserable. In this
decision is involved the question of our
whole future being—the conducting of our
household, and business affairs, in such a
manner as to ensure competence and happi
ness; the training of our children in relig
ion, literature, the arts of industry and econ
omy; and the fulfilling of all the obligations
of good citizenship. If we would so decide,

such a residence is entirely within our reach.
Difficulties which now appear in the distance,
like mountains of adamant, would, when ap
proached, be found to be nothing but moun
tains of fog, which the sun of the morning,
of the day, of prosperity, would dissipitate.
This great work of improving, perfecting,
and perpetuating our residence in this coun
try, necessarily calls for plans.

The plans devised by the two meetings
mentioned in a former letter, are so nearly
perfect as to admit of but little amendment.
We now enjoy all the advantages which plans
can confer. It only remains for us to ad
here to them and carry them out. They
have been tried and found effectual in the
improvement and elevation of others; and
if fairly tried by us, the result will be the
same. Our vascilation [sic] and change of plans
heretofore has, doubtless, been a great hind
rance to our prosperity. Then let us aban
don this pernicious habit; and not that we
have wise, good and practical plans of im
provement, resolutely adhere to them in the
future, and carry them out to their legitimate
issue.

In carrying out our plans of improvement,
we will necessarily require leaders. It is a
law of nature, that all congregating and
herding animals shall have leaders. The
bee, the beaver, the turkey, the wild-goose,
&c., &c., are congregating animals, and all
have leaders. Man is a congregating animal,
and he too must have a leader. To carry out
our plans of improvement, in future, we
must have leaders of our own race. Moses,
the leader of the Israelites, was himself an
Israelite. The same may be said of Wash
ington, the leader of the Americans. The
bees are never led by a hornet, nor the beav
ers by a fox, but each by individuals of their
own race. Can we not learn from these ex
amples, where to look for those who are in
future to lead us?

Next to having good leaders, is the im
portance of following and sustaining them.
In the past, our improvement has been shock
ingly hindred from our want of a disposition
to follow our leaders. Nature has ordained
that everybody there shall be a head, with
out which it cannot exist. Hence, if we ev
er expect to become a happy and effcient

body of people, we must have a suitable
head. We must subdue the rebellious and
intractable spirit which has beset us in the
past; and in the future, rally around our
good and faithful leaders, and render them
a hearty and cordial support.

Another thing which we have to do, in or
der to promote our future prosperity, is to
establish among ourselves union. Our dis
cords hitherto has been our curse. They
have arisen mainly from two causes—the
want of wise and good leaders, and the want
of a fixed aim or purpose. We have never
seriously felt the necessity of being or doing
something—hence we have never felt the ne
cessity of union. Before we can have union,
we must, among other things, have a fixed
purpose, aim, or design of doing something.
We must undertake something which we
cannot accomplish alone, and then the very
necessities of the case will compel us to a
union. If the reader has a good heart and
mourns over the discords, and hear hum
mings of his own community, let him go to
work and get up a Sunday school, a tempe
rance, tract, and literary society, and see to
it that all are well sustained, and I can as
sure him that three-fourths of all over which
he now mourns, will have vanished before
the expiration of one year.

But the great instrumentality of our fu
ture elevation is the PRESS. It has done
most to degrade us, it must do most to ele
vate us. It is our artillery to guard the cit
adel of liberty, our light-house on the shore
of time, our sentinel on the great watch
tower of life, our messenger to bear our
communications to the ends of the earth.
The PRESS is our great leader, and like him,
to do us any real good, must be our own.
Around it we must rally with the greatest
alacrity, and to it we must yield the most
cordial and united support. No sacrifice
should be considered too dear, no effort too
great, to ensure to us the incalculable bene
fits of our own PRESS.

That more has not resulted from the do
ings of the past, is not because so little has
been done, but because we have labored un
der such unfavorable circumstances. Hith
erto we have been compelled to labor under
the darkness of ignorance, the rains of dis
couragement, amidst the fires of persecu
tion, and the frosts of prejudice. But a bet
ter day is beginning to dawn. The fires

have spent their force, the rains have ceased
to fall, the clouds are clearing away, and the
rays of the sun of science are melting the
frosts, and driving the darkness to its na
tive abode. The hope of the future is bright
er, and more promising than it ever was be
fore.

If we have not been entirely successful in
the past, we are not discouraged; and this is
another bright omen of the future. We are
still active, still vigorous, still doing; and I
hope we may ever continue, until the great
work of our entire enfranchisement in this
nation is done.

L. WOODSON.

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 2, 1853.