The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-06-25

reign now is in monarchical countries but to
speak Of II familiarity, and with the semblance
of desire that it should take place, would
have been sufficient to bring down upon the
head Of the Individual the detestation and exc
crations of the whole community in which he
lived, and his being made mark for scorn to
point his slow, unmoving finger at. Here is
one landmark, from which every one who is
neither deaf nor blind that which is passing
around him can see how far the nation
has drifted from her former safe position.
We now openly and universally discuss the
question whether the Union will be perpetual
ted-a question which our fathers did not per-
nit themselves to ask or enterain-and with
many it is even argued that it ought to be dis
solved! This is the point to which we have
been carried by this unobserved current from
that which we have above given; and if we
have drifted thus far in that period Of time, it
behooves us TO inquire where we are likely TO
be at the end Of another quarter of century
MIR. CUSHING has marked some Of the grada-
tons the country has already passed through
towards dissolution; and they are SO we'll put,
50 palpably true, and So suggestive, that we
cannot, merely because they bear the name Of
Democratic, refuse to avail ourselves of them,
and endeavor to impress upon our readers the
grave and important lessons they teach, and the
admonitions they furnish.
sit has come to pass" he observes, ''that, in
in the course, and as the effect of the agita-
ton Of this question, we have witnessed the
following stages in the progress of the disn-
tegratlon and organic dissolution of the Union,
namely:
81. A severance OF most of the churches of the
United States into two distinct and hostile re-
gious natonalies, in place of that their previous
unity Of religious organization, which had consti-
tuted one of the strongest moral bonds of the po-
ltical nationality of the Union.
'2. The gradual separation Of the educational
institutions of the country, and especially the total
or partial cessation of the previous practice the
part of the young men of the South, of pursuing
the higher branches of education at the North.
''3. Violent conflict of political interest-ths
North struggling continually to acquire facilities
Of attack, and the South to obtain vantage ground
of defence.
"a. The growth of spirit of elimination and
recrimination-the North heated by exaggeration
Of theory and opinion-thc South by a sense of
peril arising from their numerical inferiority in
Congress; and in both sections of the Union per-
sonal ambition making the emotion of tho day an
instrument Of power, and inhaming and embitter.
ing the popular passions to promote its own inter-
ested object, disregardfu of the general good
"5. Following upon this, more or less personal
arrangement and reciprocal hard feeling, indi-
Gated at the North by the vituperativc language of
debate, newspapers. public meetings, and even
official bodies, towards the citizens of the South
and manifested at the South in the introduction of
manufactures and shipping Of their own in place
Of ours, in the encouragement of colleges for edu.
cation at home, and in abstinence from accus-
toned acts Of social intercourse at the North.
"6. The disorganization Of those great parties
which have served hitherto to impart to political
action generality Of concert and nationality of
scope. Neither between the North and the South,
nor at the North or the South, does that concert
cordially exist Acts of Congress are passed
by combination Of Democrats and Wings against
combination Of Wings and Democrats. In some
of the States of the South the distinction of Wing
and Democrat has ceased to appear in public
affairs In the North, each of the old parties ia
itself subdivided, and both are held in check
by a third party-thc Free. soiIcrs-which is in
the Wings reproach the Democrats for coop
Grating with Free soilers; while the Wings them
selves, in the same or in other States, have CO.
alesced with Free sellers others, and thus en-
deavored TO hold the dominion of the State This
partial disinegration of parties is the more import
ant inasmuch as the Constitution provides no means
of concert in electoral action, which has been Sc
cured under it only by national conventions, or
something OF that nature; and the tendency of this
party anarchy, therefore, is to produce political
anarchy In fact, such is already the disorganiza-
ton OF parties, that, without combination of some
sort, in many Of the States it would be impossible
TO accomplish the annual continuation and renew
al of government which the State constitutions re-
quire -
g He who denies that there is danger to the
Union in all this" adds Mr.. CUSHING, "must
be imperfectly acquainted with the facts, or
so prejudiced by feeling or position as to sup
pose that one-half of the States of the Union
will submit passively to unlimited aggression
and incessant attack from the other States.
"The exigency calls upon us deliberately to
inspect and measure The danger, and calmly
to decide what is the duty Of a good citizen in
this emergency"
We concur most heartily in every sentiment
here uttered, and have pleasure in finding our
selves-mere party names asde-once more
with the writer, as we formerly were, when he
proudly bore the designation Of Whg.
Now Magazine OF Humor.
The solemnity Of American literature is a
very observable phase of our national mind.
Our contemporaries Of the Southwest perpe-
trate some tremendous jokes and now and then
our friends at the East are guilty Ct wittcism
that Immediately puts grin upon the national
face. But the generality of our literary pro-
auctions are extremely solemn, and very heavy,