New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-23
An Old Absur dify.

We have received from Louisiana the
circular Of Secret Society, called the
Order of the Lone Star, established, &C.
cording to its founders, to extend the area
of Freedom, maintain the purity Of poPu-
lar institutions, and keep the fires OF Re-
publicanism burning brightly on the altar
of Liberty. From the manifesto OF this
new Order we take the following extract
History teaches us that all Republics which
have heretofore existed, we're, in their early ens.
ence pure and unconupted tnat so long as my
continued in the path mafkeo ou' oy TI;s,orv also
thew were prosperous and happJ' hsUy W.
teaches ms that they have all fallen. AND WY VIC
answer they have all fallen from corruption JIM
terrupted prosperity brings wealth. weNIn ,uA w
S,,rIx ceurpiion corruption, arlstocracy ans
,ocrscy monarchy. Against all these evll TINS OrueI
will maintain incessant warfare one ooJec. ., .ho
order is to preserve our institutions pure anI un
cnntsminated as transmitted to US by our iofe-
fathers and to perpetuate the same. TO name tnem
down in their primitive simplicity, from talhei 70
con from generation to generation, and TO ayold,h
nosslbe, the fate OF all Republics winch nave pre-
ceded u.s.
According to the above programme, the
practical operations of the Order must be
very simple, supposing that its whole secret
is here revealed, which we are not sure of.
All they have to do is to make war upon
uninterrupted prosperity" and prevent
the country from getting too well off. And,
as charity begins at home, the duty of each
member ought to be, at stated seasons,
to destroy part of his crops, tear down a
part of his house, and burn up part of
the implements of his industry, feeding
the fire with a part of the clothing of his
family. If the members refuse to do this,
it must be because they don't believe what
they say, and know they are talking nom
sense.
And talking nonsense they are. No re-
public in all history ever fell because there
was too much productive industry and too
great an increase of wealth among its peO-
pie. Where wealth grows by real labor
and trade is mainly at home and therefore
cheap, the condition of the masses must
constantly improve, and the people grow
more independent, and, as they have more
to defend, their love for their country and
its institutions will be strengthened.
Where there is real Increase of wealth,
the great body of the population experience
It's benefits there are fewer enormous for
tunes but more families in comfortable cir
cumstances, more integrity and less oorrup-
ton. The increase of wealth, instead of
tending to monarchy, tends always and Ar
risistibly to democracy 1t is the dimi-
mutton of wealth which introduces corrup
ton and destroys State. That diminution,
in the cases recorded by history, has risen
from seeking prosperity and power in foreign
conquest or foreign trade and not in peace
and industry at home. The foreign sources
of riches tend constantly to become ex-
hausted, whereas the home source tends
constantly to increase IN extent and fruit
fitness. The people which looks abroad
may thrive for time at the expense of
others, but is sure to decline and to fall
under tyranny at last. But the people
which looks at home will ever become
r,cher, freer, nobler, more intelligent and
more powerful, and its word will have
greater and greater weight in the affairs of
the world.
These considerations we respectfully
commend 10 the members of the Order of
the Lone Star and of whomsoever else they
may concern.
If, however, as we suppose, this Order
is intended TO favor the stealing Of Cuba,
st. Domingo, or part of Mexico, we will
ADMIT the consistency of the principles laid
down in the above extract, with that object.
Nothing could be better adapted to prevent
uninterrupted prosperity" and reduce the
country toward any needful degree OF pover-
", than such an operation.