be--they are not
_essentially_ irreconcilable. Slavery, bad as it is, represents a truth
in the larger Compound Truth of an Integral Social Philosophy. A deeper
understanding of the whole problem of human society, possessed by the
leading personages, North and South, would have saved the necessity of
this war--would at this day even, adjust it peaceably, harmoniously, and
perfectly, and would render unnecessary the whole view of the subject
which we are now taking. The world, however, is not yet quite prepared
for the peaceable intervention of scientific and truly philosophic
methods in the settlement of its disputes; and the knowledge of the
existence, even, of such methods, is as yet too little diffused to make
them in any sense available for the purposes of the hour. The point of
view from which these papers are being written, is, indeed, as stated in
the last preceding number, higher than that of the ordinary politician,
the constitutional lawyer, or even that of common statesmanship and
patriotic devotion. It is a point of view from which the interests of
all mankind are taken into the account, and hence pertains, in a sense,
to the domain of practical philosophy, or the universal aspect of
politics; the politics of the globe and of all humanity, in all time.
But it offers still a presentation of the subject toned down to the
actual state of readiness in the world to hear reason, and to be
influenced or governed by the suggestions contained in the writing. It
is therefore an adaptation to an imperfect order of things, a mixed or
concrete phase of political practical philosophy, which is the most that
can now be aspired to. The point of view in question is therefore far
lower than that of a final social philosophy having its basis in a
perfect scientific theory, and working out from that basis into
practical life. Perhaps, as will be again suggested in the course of
this article, the events of this war may conduce to a readiness on this
continent, or may create an earnest demand even, for higher solutions
and the thorough treatment, by some competent mind, of all our Political
and Sociatory problems. The day, however, for such a radical diagnosis
and treatment of the disease of human society has not yet arrived.

In the mean time we must content ourselves with partial remedies,
alleviations, best temporary resorts, and even desperate expedients. It
is from this stand-point that the writer of these articles now speak