Southern telegraph., 1838-11-07

would increase tneir dignity or bliss, they |
have only to will it, aud it shall be DONE
This is beautiful in theory and forms the
beau ideal Of human government; because
il gives 10 every man choice in relation 10
the laws by which he shall be governed, and
makes every cession of individual rights. for
the general good, matter Of compromise
between the citizens themselves. Beautiful
however as it is, and while no freeborn A.
merican citizen would have il otherwise, in
theory at least, vet who does not see tho i'm
mense amount of responsibility deyolyed
thereby upon every Voting citizen Of the
United States? Our destinies, and the des-
TIMES of all our institutions may be strictly
said to be, under God in our own hands
And who shall say that the united princi-
Piles ofihtelligence and virtue are not neces-
sary to their proper controI9 The colossal
statue Of our practical forms may be shifted
from its original basis before we are aware.
Like some vast pyramid Of material con
struction, leaning TO its fall But unlike all
great masses Of matter whose final downfall
is usually sudden and with startling crash,
we may, through our own ignorance and
negligence, and the aspiring ambition of un-
principled demagogues, glide so gradually
and imperceptibly through all the forms and
changes, from pure republicanism to abso-
lutte despotism, as to be the degraded and
wretched slaves ofa relentless tyrant, while
yet with banners waving, and with drum and
roaring, we may be laundering forth
the praises and applauses Of that hallowed
liberty, whose seeds were planted and nur-
.ured in the blood of the glorious Reyolu-
ton. And this is what every monarch un-
der heaven, who is acquainted with our pres
ent condition and past history, is confident
ly expecting and anxiously wishing and ho-
ping; and every devotee and admirer of mo-
forms is perpctualiy goading and
taunting us with. And this is what every
pure American statesman has been and is
now trembling for. And this is that at
the apprehension Of which every patriotic
heart on earth, in its reflections on the sub
ject, bleeds at every pore. And ifthere be
any thing that could disturb the calm re-
pose and the rational felicity of the depart
ed spirits of the Revolution it would be the
announcement in their ears Of such intel
igence as this.
But again-it is not enough that we even
retain and transmit our political and social
institutions to posterity as perfect as we
have received them. While this indeed is
our duty, it is not however the whole of our
duty. Every science is progressive, and Of
course the knowledge Of it Is imperfect at
any particular stage Of its developement, in
the minds ofmen And if, according to the
suggestion of an accomplished and philo-
sophie writer, each element in particular
science may hereafter become, by the more
profound Investigations Of future genius, it.
self separate and Independent science, and
may therefore bring corresponding adyanta-
ges TO the human rice; SO also the science
of government, and the political Institutions
of men, may be susceptible of modification
and improvement progressively and indcti-
nitely. '
Wlllany man suppose for moment, that
the government and institutions of the Uni
ted States are perfect? If so, then what
means those violent and jarring controver-
sizes about Tariff and Anti-T Tarif, States
Rights and Notification, which have but SO
recently threatened the Union with dissolu-
ton? Aud what mean those violent agita-
lions on the subject Of aboliiionisrn, and the
wild rawlings Of lawless mobocracv, which
evenn threaten the integrity of the Union
and render life and limb and properly in
some parts OF our country almost as Insecure
as amidst Il horde of pirates or mountain
bandtti and shall yet, and il is to be feared
speedily, accomplish our downfall as a Re-
public, unless the CONSERVATIVE principles of
intelligence and virtue shall be speedily and
more extensively lifldsed among the people
generally? gii N'''''' Z.
1t would be strange indeed if every vaIn-
able elementof every other science must be
brought to lightaftcr long continued, patient
and painful enquiry and application; and
that the science Of government, the most
complex and difficult Of all the sciences, hav-
ing wandered about and passed through ev-
cry form and fashion oftyranny and oppres-
sion forsix thousand years, should finally
sIcken and be disgusted at its own love Of
dominion, and all upon a sudden, in the wilds
of America and amidst a handful OF people,
throw off is robesof state and spring into the
humble form ofa perfect RepubIicanisin,
where the people govern themselves. 1t
would require, we deem, more than the pow
er Of Alladin's Lamp, or Gyges' Magical
Ring to work a change like this. But it is
a dream, an idle Utopian dream. Our gov
ernmeAt, its laws and institutions are still
imperfect. And five have virtuous, en-,
lighiened, patriotic, and active minded peo-
pie, who.shall narrowly watch the opera
tions all the principles in every depart
ment Of the great social compact, these er-
rors will be detected, and ofcoutse, viii be
The subjects Of correction. And this, to-
gether with the implied preservation of our
Liberties, is the great politicaluse Of gener-
al Education. This, as well posterity, as the
spirits Of our Fathers, who, under God, a.
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