The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-01

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Piled party will always carry the day. The
Wings outbid them, and a the last election, the
Anti-renters and their allies, the AbolitIonists,
again gave the ascsndsney to that party in the
State. During this struggle, although the ghost
Of Billy Morgan did not make its appearance
the venerable shade Of the head manager of the
great fancy ball again stalked forth, and spring.
ing on the back Of another excitement became
once more the terror Of free masons, odd fell
lows, Fres-soilsrs and free-booters.
The last, and incompsrabIy most dangerous
Of all these excitements, is that Of Abolition,
which is now rampant in this State and through
out the North and West. The anti-mason and
antirent excitsments were not sectional but
local, and scarcely extended beyond our own
borders. The old feudaI memorial grants are
altogether confined to New York, and the sys.
tenn Of landlord and tenant in a great measure
happily unknown in the rest of the Union, ex-
cept In towns and cities. The pretensious of
the anti-renters did not, and do not directly in
terferc with the rights of property in the sister
States, although IL successful here, they will
form precedent and establish principle that
will undermine the safety aud shake the founda-
ton Of all real property throughout the Union,
by making it incumbent on every man to prove
his right to possession before he can recover his
rent. Still our trading politicians having, for
the most part, little property Of their own, and
depending altogether OH their personal expert
encc and dexterity for living, cared little
about its security, and made capital out of that
which endangered the capital of others. They
dug at the root Of society to plant their own
tree; and erected their edfce of power on the
ruins Of one Of the great Fundamental principles
of the social compact.
Bat Abolition 10 different affair Though
localized in the North, it acts directly on the
South. 1t strikes at the rights of property in
that section, not only by legislation, but by pro-
pounding and acting on principles which carry
with them the entire destruction of the social
organization existing among its people, and in
yolve their safety in one common danger. II
has superseded all great political principles. and
rendered them suhservient to one stupendous
dogma; it has separated churches and States,
overridden the laws of the land and the Const-
tuition Of the Government, and is now shaking
the Union from its centre to its circumference
1t is, therefore, most dangerous and deadly
excitement, and il it continues to sway the
movements of parties in the North and West,
will unquestonably produce dissolution of
this Confederscy, in spite Of the idle threats Of
military coercion. But what care our trading
politicians for all this! 1t is excellent political
capital for those who have no other, and has
cordingly been selected as the peculiar property
of the great apostle of the higher law, who,
however, has many formidable competitors, who
all aim at the same thing, but by different ,ncans
Thus it will BE- perceived that tho great State
of New York is governed by excitements. But
they are not all anti-mason, anti-rent or abol
ton excitements. There are other minor
syringe, which aid in putting party machinery in
mot;on-such rs canal excitemcnts, railroad ex-
elements, bridge excitements, and all sorts of
petty local sxeitemspts, Of which man who
understands his trade may avail himself in climb
ing mp the political chimney. Instead of wasting
his time and his breath in the incubation of
great fundamental principles, he appeals d.
rectly to the pocket, and pledges himself that if
the people viii only make u great man Of him,
he will use all bis efforts, not to protect their
rights and liberties, or to contribute TO the general
welfare, but to carry through a canal or a rail-
road, that will enhance the value Of property in
a certain district fifty or an hundred per cent.
What are political principles to thisl And what
is the Constitution, or the rights of States-or
what are talents, int gritty, and patriotism, pri-
vate worth or public virtue, COMPARED with a
canal or n railroad, that will put money in our
purse!
These are the springs that give life and mo-
ton to our political machine, which is far more
complicated than steam engine. That has
only single primum mobile, but ours has u hun
dred little invisible influences. sometimes CO.
operating In one single purpose, at others pull
ling different ways, and like fowls In barn.
yard, striving which shall secure the crumbs
The seat of our government during the session
of the Legislature, is a scene worth the con-
temptation Of philosophic observer. The po-
litcal cauldron Is agi.ated by hundred little
tides, eddics, and whirlpools, that conflict with
each other, and the ship don't mean ship-of.
State-is whirled different ways as one or The
other Of these in tnrn prevails. The interest Of
the State in canals Is arrayed against that OF
railroad corporations; the western against the
river counties; the valiant Trogans are fighting
with the valiant Bostonians about bridge
across the Hudson; local interests are every
where engaged in the strife Of doing each other
the most harm; and thus, instead Of attending
to the general welfare of the whole, the Legis-
lature is occupied with dealing out special fa-
vors, the object Of which is to benefit one por-
ton of the people at the expense Of another