The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-09-01
T H l. R EPU BLIC.
[FoR THE nrpuBtrc.I
The cubnn Ereitement.

/ all times 10 De remembered
The great object of republican government is tc
secure the enjoyment Of true liberty, and the pro-
lection of the governed in all their lawful caIlings
A government of the people by themselves neces-
sarily implies this. The people, as a mass, cannot
be wilfully opposed TO their interest, and
their greatest interest lies in preserving, in all
their vgor, the great principles of civil liberty,
from which, necessary consequence, comes
the enjoyment of individual prosperity and hap
| piness.
The objects of despotic governments are quite
different. With the despot, the prosperity of the
| people is a secondary consideration. Extent OF
territory, acquisition Of power, and the aggradize-
| ment OF the governing few, at the expense, and
even oppression of the masses, are the objects.
Whenever, then, government republican in
its form, either in the perverted operations of the
government itself, the people, in the tendencies
of public sentiment, departs, or shows disposi-
ton to depart from the great objects and true spirit
of all well balanced democraces, the tendencies
are necessarily towards despotism.
| Perhaps government ever established
! whose great objects well defined own.
The causes which led to our struggle; the rights
we were deprived of; the character of the great
leaders OF the Revolutionary era the views and
principles they entertained and promulgated the
|
forth in all their speeches and addresses; the doc
rines of the Declaration of Independence, and the
language of the Constitution itself, show that it
was not power, territory, national aggrandize-
ment, wealth, but liberty; true, national liberty,
for which our fathers toiled and bled, and thanks
| TO kind Providence, obtained. They made n
| great acquisition, and great experiment. The
| scale on which they commenced this great expert
| mento self-government was grand one-larger
than had before been attempted in the history
I of mankind.
They had the best portion of a continent to begin
| with. They had people who carried in their own
breasts the elements which alone republican gov
ernment could be based. They had, too, the ele-
ments of physical strength and national power,
which, when fully developed would enable them
to protect that liberty; but which, if turned from
the great and true objects, might prove a curse.
Under the operations of a government thus organ
lied, could not but grow in strength, We have
grown. We have become one of the first powers
on earth. The temple of liberty has risen un-
till gttering spires pierce the heavens. We can
appear in the field with gallant hosts and all the
engines Of war. Our fleets cover every sea. Our
merchandise is carried to every shore. These are
the fruits of the carrying out the true genius Of our
institutions, and the extent and diversity of the
means at our command
But let the pariotlet the real friend of his coun-
try-ask himself the question, have we not reached
the most interesting epoch in our history? The ac-
QUESTION and possession of power begets desire to
abuse misuse it. Is not this the great danger
now? Has there not been tendency in our Gov-
ernment-is there not fearful tendency in
our people-to use power, to misuse our mig hty
resources, in the acquisition of more territory and
in other ways equally illegitimate? Let the current
set in fully in that directionlet depart in
any great degree from the true object and spirt OF
| our instutions-and the national Sampson will be
| shorn of his locks. The moral influence, and mo-
raj grandeur of our Government and people, will
depart, and with them will go all our real strength
! We are in the midst of fearful agitations. That
citizens of the United States ehould love liberty is
natural; that they should sympathizo with man,
wherever he is struggling to obtain it, is natural;
that one universal shout of joy should go up when
the tyrant falls; that every movement of any
| people to acquire liberty should attract general
attention, is natural; that we should feel dis
! posed to lend aid, is natural. But is there
not danger of mistake in this matter Our
greatest aid heretofore has been great cram
Pile. Our success, the happiness of our people,
our unexampled prosperity, the promulgation and
correct understanding of the true principles of our
Government heretofore have had the effect to rouse
the people of other countries to like acquisitions
This has been the aid we have given, and this mo
raj did, like spirit moving amongst the nations
has produced revolutions and attempts at revolu-
| tions. At this rejoice 1t shows the spread
and growth of correct principles. If they fully
succeed, rejoice. If they do not obtain our lib
erty, they are enabled to shake off some of the
shackles of despotism The government of every
| people must, in the end, take its character from
the governed. people fit for freedom cannot be
long enslaved AS well might attempt to chain
the immortal mind, as long to ensave people pre-
pared for freedom, or free people fit only for
| slavery.
| In these movements of the nations, what should
be our course? Washington, at an early period OF
history, has left the correct policy. He had
difficulties then, we have them now. We have
moro or less, with ourselves, perverted and incor-
rect ideas of liberty. Wear in danger of mistak-
ing the true character of the people, who at dis
tance, may appear to be struggling for liberty
There is proper aid we should ,citihotd. But in
judicious aid might deeply injure us, and not ben
eft them.
| The time was when party in this country
would have plunged us into interference with
French revolution. That revolution, which ap-
peared to be a struggle for liberty ended only in
the worst despotism The time has come again
gers. From facts which reach us from every part
of the country there is to dread that are
in the midst of fearful popular commotion by
which may be in moment precpitated into
dangers Of the most fearful character. Let every
true friend of his country every true and udicous
friend of man struggling for liberty, with calm
ness look at things as they are, and not permit
himself TO be hurried into opinions and acts op-
posed alike to the real nature Of our own Govern
ment and the honor and morality Of the American
nation. Let us pause and analyze all these excite,
ments. Let us scrutnze closely the motives of the
chief actors. Let us "try the spirits" before we
permit ourselves to be hurried into acts from the
effects of which years may not recover u.s.
fearlessly assert that have yet seen no evi.
denco to believe that the Cuban excitement has
any of the great elements of those kinds of strug.
giles which should call cut any great amount o.
feeling. grant that they are oppressed so are
the largest portion OF the human race so is the
larger portion of this very continent This we re.