Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1842-09-15

means to uphold. For the defence of these
principles, the most perfect reliance is placed
on the intelligence Of the American people,
and on their firmness and patriotism, in what
ever touches the honour of the country, or its
JOHN TYLER. !
WASHINGTON, August IL, 1912.
The following eloquent article from The Utica Dali
ly Gazette, is from tho pen Of profound statesman
and elegant scholar, who in olen time was for many
years leading member Of the House of Representa-
tives in the Congress of the u s. and chairman offs
most important committee.
The prophetic visions Of our sages will be read
with intense interest," and are calculated to awaken
the most gloomy apprehensions
"THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.
The writer of this is by no means prone to
be carried away with the idea that we are
always living in the midst Of some particular
and portentous crisis. He has lived 10 see too
many such alleged or predicted ones, both
in The affairs of the world, the nation and the
state, pass off, without any very essential or
wonderful change in the existing state of
things, to expect much from their occurrence
or effect uponthe general state of human af-
fairs at any particular time. Whether it be
owing to a somewhat different habit of
viewing things. growing out of more advan-
cling years, and increased infrmity OF nerves
he will not affirm; but from general view
OF the great movements of the age, and the
strange "signs of the times" at the present
day, it would seem as though the new and
developments which have of late
years, and are now, manifesting themselves
in the elements and powers both of the
physical and moral world, have natural and
tendency to lead, as they have al
ready in many instances led, to some new
and surprising results in the future condition
of human affairs, and the state and destiny
Of man.
Through new combination and applica-
lion of the natural elements, the resistless
agency OF the printing press, and the almest
power Of steam, have made of ci-
v't'zed man, as it were, a neao race of giants,-
ooth tor the purpose ofuseful productiveness,
mo for that OF mutual destruction and an
1oyance, multiplied more than a thousand
fold. Contemporaneously with the increased
md unprecedented power of these natural
lgents and servants to man, the mind of man
''msey seems to have received some new and
trong impulses; discerning, as he thinks,
within himself and his fellows new and be-
ore ucdreamed of powers and faculties in
citation to himself and to existence around
nm and discerning, as another portion con-
identity believes and teaches, new disclo-
ures or revelations of strange and porten
Gus events touching his future destiny.
which are soon to open all human vision.-
We alIude here in the first place to the new
cieEce (for such it is claimed to be) of ami.
nal magnetism, through the agency of which
here are certainly some wonderful and as
'et unexplained phenomena in relation to
he nature and powers of the human mind =
nd in the second place, to the new sect
numbering their thousands in some of the
most enlightened portions of the country
Who confidently believe & teach, that within
VERY few months is to be witnessed I" new
leavens, and new earth :" and man and all
lis present works are to be changed and pass
way forever. We neither affirm or DENY
my thing either of the truth or soundness of
my OF these claims, discoveries, or predic.
ions. But is not this already almost ga new
world" compared with any that has been
inown before ii; with new natural elements
md agents; or what is nearly the same, new
applications and combinations of the old
mes; producing new results, new impulses,
developments, and operations of matter and
# mind, before incredible and unheard of?
The mex, question is, can this sweeping tide
It many waters now be expected to recede,
'r to stand still where it is! We think pretty
certainly that it cannot. 1t must in the ma.
natural course of things still press Onward
md upward, driven by the ever increasing
team forced powers and passions of man to
What end, and to what consumation, He only
Who permits and directs it, can as it seems
o US at all predict. Aud what il the position
md aspect of our country amidst this gene.
III struggle and excitement of matter and of
mind, and this threatened turmoil of the eIe-
ncnlS! How stand our great political insti-
utions, and the social and moral principles
lpon which they depend tor their existence
md pcrpetuity! Where, to touch upon one
point only, is the adhesive power which is 10
1old together our national confederacy much
onger! many of the states have already
ceased to regard ut all their constitutional
obligations to it. when they conflict with the
views OF temporary or local faction,-and
there is no inherent and adequate power to
compel them to II compliance and neither
IN the national or state councils is there sui.
ficient moral power left to resist effectually
the floods of faction, passion, and venalitv.
which overwhelm every better principle.-
And when we see intelligent and leading
men in our legislative bodies getting up and
gravely maintaining what they know to be
the most palpable and untenable absurdities,
touching constitutional rights and obliga.
tons, majority of such bodies sanctioning,
and party press universally echoing them,
can we fail to see that constitutional liga-
ments are but cobwebs. and the moral sense
but as smoking flaxen tie in the reckless
hands of our strong political Simpsons, when
hey have sinister purpose to answer by
disregardng them
And in view of all these considerations