The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-08-11

SG6Ta, Sqbdtll2kys REFUSES heE iebtefs ioT
him.
"That mind which thinks on what it can
not express, can scarcely think on him.
An hyperbole for mesnness would be an
eclipse for Cay"
ABsTRAcrIoss.-There is great deal
said recently about "abstraciions." The
word is fippantly used !y hundreds, who
understand its meaning just about as we'll
as they do the hieroglyphics on the ruined
become the ruling word among the polisi.
clans who 60 for expediency without re.
gard to principles. When they meet one
, who refuses to join .hemin promoting mea.
sures whichiiowever expedient and plau-
s:bIe they ysmsy appear, are nevertheless
yiolaidns Of grea. and salutary principles.
ssiheyiatz tzonee denounce him as visionary
and impfassicable ess.sbsirncsionist."
suchmen are treading upon dangerous
ground, and we caution them to beware
how they proceed. They would be horri-
fed at the idea Of becoming "levellers"
and"disorg ganizers,' 'ye. they are striking
blows in the dark which may overlurn all
law, and level societytand its institutions
with the dust. BY denouncing whatever
stands in the way oftemporary expediency
as an" abstraction," they bring into con.
tempt those sacred barriers of eternal
principle which have been erected to pro-
tect the rights and liberties of all people,
whether in the majority or minority.
We admit that theories may be spun out
to degree of fneness that will render
them useless and absurd. Some men are
very apt to indulge their minds in thus
celebrating and drawing out single prin-
ciple until they destroy its proper effect
BY detaching it from the grea. and univer-
sal system Of which it is component part.
This is an evil which should be guarded
against by all who desire to confer sub.
s.antial benefits upon their race.
But this is not the greatest evil to which
a government Of the people is exposed,
indeed, it is triAing compared te that
which lies at the opposite extreme, Turing
us on to all abandonment Of all principles
To one who rightly views it, this danger
appears appalling-and the more so from
the fact that men are SO prone 10 run into
it. Whilst but few will be found devo-
ting their minds to wire drawn and drea.
my speculations, nearly all will have the
vanity to believe that they can see very
clearly wha, is right and proper. and they
will Of course think that any principle, no
matter in wha. form established, is very
/ worthless, mere abstraction" provided
it stands in their way. They will. there
fore, heedlessly scramble over it; and in
this way, one by one, all these high and
holy principles to which the best blood of
America has been sacrificed, and which
have been solemnly incorporated in our
constitution, will be broken down ana we
shall be driven out upon the rough ana
boisterous sea Of eGpedency, to be tossed
about at the mercy of the winds and waves
until we are engulfed in one common ruin.
To guard us against this danger, the
mighty minds that organised our govern:
ment adopted certain fixed principles,
which should always control its action, and
keep it, like the planets, in obedience to
the laws the solar system, revolving
with regularity in its proper orbit. 1t
may be inconvenient always to, submit to
The control Of those first principles; we
may often find ourselves surrounded BY
circumstances which would render il! very
expedientfor the time to have them out of
the way But shall we ever dare TO violate
ihem2 Shall we, for the sake Of accom-
Eplishing what we may consider q tempora.
Try good, set SO dangerous an example!-|
EIfso, our constitution is bnta rope of sand
and the fragile chain which binds the u