The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-14

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This world, and Ell 4 eea,ainrg are ina rspid
state Of transition everything is changing. The
United States have made greater progress during
the last twenty five years, in every element of
social political and religious life, than any ma
sion ever did, in the course of as many centu-
ries. We are still changing, more rapidly than
ever-every week, every month, and every year
bringing forth Its fresh mutations. One Of the
most remarkable of those transitions that may
be noticed at this moment, is that connected
with public and political affairs.
The three greatest intellects of this
ton, in our public affairs, are, undoubed-
y, Mr.. Calhoun, of South Carolina; Mr..
Webster, of Massachusetts, ; and Mr.. Clay,
Of Kentucky. They are statesmen of the
highest order-orators, without rival In the
living world, and equal to the highest of
antiquity. Their first movements to greatness
were made during the last struggle with Eng
land. in the midst of the magnificent remains of
the Revol-tion-the primary formation of our
political system. When Jefferson, and Madison,
and John Adams were all alive, these three dis
tingushed men rose up like exhalations Of light
from the morass of the day, and have been shi
ming over the country, as the first lights of the
age, ever since In the present crisis of the rela
lions of the United States with Mexico, these
three great statesmen are united in opinion,
in thought, and almost in action. They
deprecate the tendency of this country to con-
quer, annex, and hold Mexico-they raise their
voices, with all the authority of intellect, expe-
rience, talent, and sublime patriotism, against
sc b,,, 81 Tc;t
How is this2 How is it possible for the COM
mon sense of the nation to be led astray from the
proper path, and be in conflict with those views
which are sanctioned and entertained by such
men as Clay, Calhoun, and Webster, who re-
ceived their lessons from the fathers of the Revo-
lntion, and who are the only existing links be-
tween that great historic period in the progress
Of this country and the present day.
We are very much afraid that human nature,
in this age of the world, is the same as human
nature in every other age, and in every other
country. During the important crisis in the his
tory of this people that took place previous to
the Revolution of '76, all the great men of that
day-the experienced men, the statesmen-were
opposed to those measures which led to the Revo-
ton, and the Declaration of Independence 1t
is singular TACT in the history of human
action, that every great change in human
socieiy-every remarkable transition period
10 the history Of the race-has been brought about
by the young spirits of that particular day, in OPP
position to those who were distinguishe for ex-
perience, and craftsmanship, and wisdom Every
improvement in civilization has been brought
about by the young generation, in opposition to
the old-every great change in society springs
from young minds Of that particular age, in utter
hostility TO the old and settled convictions of the
older part of the community. We cannot ex-
pect to be different IN the present age, from what
human nature was in past ages Of the world
The policy, and warnings, and the advice. OF
Mr. Clay, MIR. Calhoun and Mr. Webster, backed
by all the experience of long life, might be very
good in another age of the world, and under
different state Of scientific and intellectual i'm
provement The annexation of Mexico appears
to those men as dangerous measure, at this Pc
riod of our national existence, as did the annexa-
ton of the great West to the original thirteen
States, or the purchase of Louisiana and Flori-
da did to the balance of power remaining North
and East But, with the improvements of the
present age-the miraculous improvements, we
may say--which have been made during the last
twenty-five years, the annexation of the whole
of Mexico, and all Canada, and every other por-
ton of this great continent, forming and agglo-
meratipg into single republic, is not more
impossible, or a more dangerous worK, than the
annexation, or the Incorporation of the valley of
the Mississippi was to the old thirteen States
immed iately after, or about the time of the
Revolution. Steam power, electricity, and
the printing press, have already combined a
circumference Of three thousand miles into one
single point, so that one half Of this great repub-
lie can act with one impulse, one thought, at al.
most one and the same moment. Fulton, who
applied steam power to internal navigation;
Morse, who invented the electric telegraph Hoe,
with his remarkable invention of the printing
press and even ourself, who combine all these
wonderful discoveries, in the issuing of one
journal like the Heraid-all these inventive minds
are combining in great movement of civiliza-
ton, which will make the annexation of Mexico
merely matter Of ordinary occurrence, and
enable the government of this republic to be ex-
tended over the whole of this northern cont
neat, and to act over the whole OF IL, with the
same rapldity, decision, energy and proprlety, as
the government of the city of New York can act
over its eighteen wards We have the power of
steam on our rivers and along our coasts, and
with the electric telegraph from Washington to
Mexico, and from New York to California,
there is no more impracticabiity in our being
able to govern the extent of country between
those distant points, than there is now to pro-
duce quiet, and healthy, and orderly state of
society within any single State of this Union.
We trust, therefore, that those distinguished
men-Clay, Calhoun, and Webster-will not con-
slider the young spirits of the present day
rash or unthinking. because they conceive that.
with the advantage of these wonderful improve
ments in steam, electricity, and the printing
press, they will be able to govern the entire Of
Mexico, and produce a state Of civilization in