Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-05-25
THE MISCHIEF OF NEEDLESS AGITATION.


There is on record, and is to be found copied in
Southey's COMMONPLACE Book" aspeech of the
English Lord Keeper Finch, on opening the ses-
sion of Parliament in the year 1875, containing pas
sages as worthy of attention they were at the
time when they were delivered; and Substituting
for the term Lord and Sovereign that Of the
Sovereign People quite as applicable to the actual
state Of things in this country as they ever could
be to any supposabe state of things in any country,
at any time, past, present, or future:
1--WE are newly gotten out of an expensive war y
said he and gotten out of upon terms more hoR
orable than ever. The whole world is now in peace
with u.s. all ports are open to us, and we exercise
free and uninterrupted traffic through the ocean.
Cur Constitution seems to be so vigorous and So
strong that nothing can disorder it but ourselves
No influence Of the stars, confgurations of the
: heavens are to be feared, so long as these TIVE
houses stand in good disposition to each other,
{ and both of them in happy conjunction with
: their Lord and Sovereign. Why should we doubt
it9 Never was discord more unreasonable. A
difference in matters of the Church would crafty
the enemies of our religion, and do them more
service than the best Of their auxiliaries. diff
ference in matters of State would crafty our ene-
: mics too, the enemies of our peace, the enemies
and abroad, that hope to see and practise to bring
about, new changes and revolutions in the Gov
z ernment. They understand well enough that the
best health may be destroyed by too much care of
it; anxious scrupulons care, care that is at
8 WAYS tampering, care that labors SO long to
purge all ill humors out of the body, that at last it
leaves ,aeither good blood nor spirits behind. In
!. like manner there are two symptoms which are
: dangerous in every state, and Of which the his
: torian hath long since given US warning. One is
: where men do qMieta moUere, wien they stir
those things questions which are and ought to
be- in peace and like unskilful architects think to
mend the building, by removing s!the materials
which are,n not placed as they weuh have them.
: Another is scam res parU8 sHagaiS nsoti6us
agaafur,' when things that are not5f the greatest
moment are.agitated with the greatest heat and as
much weight is laid upon new and not always
: very necessary proposition, as if tie whole sum
= of affairs depended upon it. Who doth not see
that there are in all Governments dicnlties more
!. than enough, though they meet with no intestine
. divisions; dificnlties of such nature that the
united endeavers of the State car hardly struggle
with But, afterall is done thatc be,they will
: still remain insuperable. This is that which
makes the crowns Of princes, wien they are worn
by the cearest andahe noblest tile, and supported
with the mghtiest aids yet at tie best butwreaths
Of glorious thorns. He that would 60 about to
add to the cares and solicitrdes Of his prince,
sdoes what in him lies.o make those thorns pierce
Z deeper, and sit closer to the royal diadem tlaan
lever they did before. mo zeal can excuse it ;lfor
'.as there may be religious zeal, zeal for God,
z which is not according to knowledge, SO there
may be State zeal, a zeal for the public, which
: isnot according to prudence a. least not accord
ing TO the degree of prudence which the same
: men have when they are not under transport Of
such a fervent passion: Parliamentary Has
Eory,ssOS. 4,p 676-7