The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-11

lettering aggression. Dul Oh TIE OIner nand,
this very power prompts its possessor to COM
nit aggression. We have had two foreign wars.
The strength of Union in one case did not pre-
vent aggression. In the other, it prompted US
to commit it. Mr. HAMILTON dwells on the
utility of Union in preventing conflicts between
the States, conflicts resulting from commercial
and territorial disputes-and he refers particu-
lorly to the controversy about the public lands
Well, the history of the Union has been full of
quarrels about both. How have they been set
tied! BY the power of the Union--not by
its justice Territorial spoIiation and CONNER
cial inequalities have been accomplished to an
extent beyond what the history of separate ma
tons can produce. The effect Of the Union has
been not to adjust them equitably-not to pre-
serve the rights of the parties but to enable those
who had the majority to decide for themselves,
and to compel submission. And the thing has
been growing worse. The first great territorial
dispute was on the Missouri question. That was
compromised and each claimant got part In
the last settlement, one whole section has been
completely despoiled. The sentiment of justice,
the rights of States arc at length overborne, and
no principle remains in force but the viii of a
majority of twenty odd millions of people-a
majority that according to the sound doctrine of
Mr.. MADISON, is subject to little or no moral or
religious control. 49,.
Why is it that as the population of States be-
comes large, their morality becomes small. Be-
cause their power is too great government
can command the strength Of Il people. 1t has
no means of concentrating its morality. Power
may be accumulated, principle cannot. And
being of enormous power and little principle, is
demon, a monster, a curse.
If two men, for instance, were to unite and
acquire tract of land, and one Of them even to
attempt to appropriate the whole to himself he
would become infamous, and the fear of such
fate would restrain him. But we have seen the
same thing done by one section against another,
and there is no body in existence to pronounce
and enforce the verdict of infamy, and the thing
is done with impunty. r.u.. s.. ..
If in the case of two men, the one threatened
with the outrage had declared his determination
to resist it, he would be dishonored and dis
graced, if he submitted. But in the case of two
sections, there is no tribunal of opinion powerful
enough to enforce such sentence.
Hence it is, that States, when they become
very populous and powerful, hasten so rapidly to
corruption and ruin. The moral laws of the
world, if they have no tribunal to enforce them
and to be Il terror to evil doers-enforce them
selves by the destruction of the offenders.
The law of intellectual being, keeps company
with the moral, or rather is part of it. The
genius, the greatness of human kind, is not to
be sought in the history of populous States.
Nine-tinths of the great men and great achieve
ments of our race, Were produced in States of
the smallest size and numbers. Within a narrow
margin Of land around the Mediterranean, and a
few islands, we find the seats of ancient, and
much of modern greatness. The banks of o
single river in Egypt, the two peninsulas Of
Greece and Italy, and a little speck in Syria,
have given laws, letters, religion, science, phi
losophy and history to the world. The seat and
source of British Empire is little island of
western sea,-the conqueror of modern Europe
was produced in the little island Of Corsica In
our own country, CALHOUN CLAY and WEBSTER
belong to the smallest class of States.
Since all history then attests the truth that
States of great extent and numbers perish by
moral depravity and mental imbecility, and since
these symptoms have been developed so rapidly
in this Union, the great question of the day is
in what manner can the people be preserved?
1t was hoped that we had obviated the evils
of large communities by the Federal system.
But there is little left of that but its forms.
And in the present condition and prospects of the
country, unless a remedy is speedily devised it
will be impossible to preserve to the Union--even
from itself