The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-27

in which the clergy and their tendencies are
very severely handled The professor of natu-
raj philosophy in one of the principal universe
ties of Spain has been deprived of his professor
ship in consequence of the complaints of the
Bishop of Orense, who accused the professor of
heretical doctrines
Every journal, except the ministerial Oricn,
which keeps silent on the subject condemns in
the strongest terms the arbitrary acts of the
Ministry in suppressng the evening paper, the
Europa. They rightly suppose that the meas
ure is but the beginning Of a rdsztd upon the
public press. The Nation concludes IL very
effective article on the subject with the parting
words of the gladiator, Cesar, mOritui te
SdletGntn
BosToN, November 22d, 1851.
To the Editor Of the National Era
.E>z,sz - w s,sS 50, n ,,-ra--se.
,-c'''"s~s - u
- ,,eariy ak INC y,ss, ,a,t,,>o y. secrecy. II.
the political world the commotion is still pretty
Violent and there is no prospect Of any calm
till after Monday next, when the final trial for
the election of Representatives takes place
These elections will decide the character of the
House, and consequently of the Senate and the
State Government for the ensuing year There
are nearly 100 towns which failed to elect ut
the former trials, and which will make another
effort next Monday. The most strenuous eff
forts are being made by all parties OF course
all seem confident of success but alas for the
basis on which political convictions are gener-
ally grounded! AT present the Wing majority
in the House is somewhere from 5 to 49, but
if the towns yet to elect come in as last year,
the Coalitonists will have q very decided ma
jority The thick of the battle seems to be
Just now in the city of Lowell, where the Co
alitionists claim to have elected eight members
at the first trial but owing to some error in
returning the votes from one ward, the Mayor
and Aldermen decided the election AZ void and
ordered new one though the error had been
properly corrected within the time allowed by
law.
As to the "moral of the election" 80 far as
the popular vote is concerned, we hardly know
now to read it. 1t certainly cannot be Web
ster triumph, nor yet Wing victory. The
Democrats seem to have the largest ground for
boasting they having augmented their vote
more than either Of the other parties. But
though we cannot discern plainly all the signs
of the times in this election, yet there are GER
| tain facts which stand out with most signih-
cant prominence, 30 that he who runs may
read That the large majority of the voters OF
Massachusetts are uncompromisingly opposed
to Webster there can be no more any doubt
With a candidate who united all the strength
of the Wing party, of whatever faction--em
bracing good many thousands who have M
affinities with the service of Southern task
masters or Northern money power-the Wings
find themselves in q minority of more than
eight thousand votes Another fact is also in
dicated-the lines of party are still strong in
Massachusetts,; and many, by the utmost vio-
lence TO their convictions, have constrained
themselves under the plea that ait is only a
State election" to support men and measures
which they really detest. Yet we are conf
dent, that were the question of Webster or
anti-Webster presented to the men of Massa-
chusetts to-day, they would decide in favor of
the latter by 10000 majority. Doubtless
several thousand voters have been lost TO the
Free Soil party, by the fear of contamination,
resulting from coalition with the Democrats.
Still no long as we can cast a vote of twenty
eight thousand our friends will rest assured
that the friends of freedom in the Old Bay
State are neither dead nor asleep.
The great Webster Convention takes place
next Tuesday in Faneuil Hall Large prepare
tons are being made, though confined princ-
pally TO their part of the State. Doubtless IA
powerful demonstration will be made. ! notice
among the delegates from Andover the names
of Moses Stuart and Leonard Woods Verify,
their new party" will be u coalition Of most
congruous elements.
The lecture season has commenced in good
earnest. and the several associations are fur
nishing bill of fare seldom equalled among
us. The Mercantile presents the names of
II. w. Beecher, p Benjamin, J. p. Hale, Whip
pie, and others scarcely less distinguished while
the Lowell Institute gives us the names Of DR..
Dewey, Henry Giles, Prof FELTON,, &c The
mechanics apprentices arc also in the field and
will not be far behind their rivals
Last evening listened TO DR.. Dewey's lcc-
ture on the Problem Of Human Destiny" con-
sidered in its bearings ON human life and well
fare. The Doctor has attained among us an UNI
fortunate notoriety (quite independent of his
character rs a lccturer AZ q man 40 very loyal
TO human law, that in obedience TO its demands
he would cheerfully consign his 0trn mother to
perpetual bondage! From such man we
were not expecting to hear a very liberal ex-
preston of rcf0rmatory sentiments--still, in the
main. we found little to condemn rs the subject
was mostly speculative, and Of little practical
consequence The topics of last evening were
Poytheism, Despotisn, War, Slavery, and the
prevalence and ministry Of error in general,
with their influence on human destiny
Doubtless, some of our dvnes would have
taken exceptions to the theological sentiments
which lay at the base of his theories; he attrib-
uting to ignorance and intellectual weakness
what others place to the account Of moral de-
rangement and peryersi0n. Still the result may
be the same in either case. After some very
lucid Introductory remarks respecting mans
freedom and Observation-Disclosures being ne
cessary, else he could not be man imperfection,
otherwise he would he God-he laid down the
three following propositions, as preparatory to a
discussion Of the uses Of POlytheism, Dcspotism
War, and Slavery ist That these conditions
Of humanity, bad ~ they are in themselves,
were still better than none I'd. They were the
best that mankind could have under their ex-
isting circumstances and Sd. They have min
istered TO the Advantage and happiness Of
humanity.
have no time or room to follow out the dis
cussion Of these propositions--there was much
Of truth and doubtless something of error, in
the sentiments put forth. Polytheism was de-
clared 10 be better than no religion; despotism
than no Government while war tended ~
break up the inactivity and stupidity Of early
barbarous nations and TO Promote communl-
cations between countries, without all which
the inclinatiOns Of the race must have been
still more strongly bent TO brutishness. Sla-
very he declared was the means OF converting
the nOmadic tribes Of men into permanent so
ciety, by means Of localizing labor, which could
only be done by coercion, &c. However this
may be, we are not prepared 10 state; but ~
the speaker himself admitted, the agency cer-
tainly ought to 20 into desuetude, where Its
design has been accomplished
The Doctors slocutson IL very good, his voice
strong and pleasant, and his utterance clear
and distinct, But his gesticplation, and in