The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-27
For the Southern Press.
Relies Of Scraps and Musings.

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.

|
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN
Mr. Grinnell, in his memorial to the Senate,
soliciting the government of the United States
to fit out an expedition with view to ascertain
the fate of Sir John Franklin and his compan
ions, gives as a reason for such course, that
the expedition "was undertaken by Sir John
Franklin and his comrades for public objects,
likely to resut--as had his previous and other
expedtions-in advantage to all mankind and
having thus made himself as it were a citizen Of
The whole ,oorld, he Inis become an object oil
deep interest to all, but especially to those who
are concerned in navigating the ocean, and has
entitled himself to common protection, from tile
nayies of all civilized nations"
am far from wishing to discourage public
feeling in behalf of an enterprising and advent
urous explorer, whose fate only excles the
more interest from being involved in uncertain
grounds on which this memorial is based Had
the memorial simply appealed to motives OF
humanity, should then have sympathzed with
him. But when he assumes that the successful
issue of Sir John Franklin's Polar researches
would have resulted sin advantages to all man.
kind" and that therefore "he is entitled to com
mon protection from the navies of all the world"
think he places his application on grounds tina,
cannot be sustained. 1t would be difficult, !
should suppose, to say what benefit to the en-
tire human race can result from exploring a re.
gion enveloped in eternal ice and snow, or
frozen ocean; the one totally untitled for com
| mercial purposes, the other for the residence or
uses of civilized men! To what salutary or
beneficial purpose would the discovery of pas.
sage from one sea OF ice to another tend The
navigation through such passage, would ne.
cessarily be attended with SO many difficulties
!! obstacles, and dangers ; so much hardship ex.
J posture, and suffering, that no possible advanta.
ges could be derived from it, that would not be
too dearly purchased. What motive the British
government can have in these persevering efforts
to achieve purpose so fraught with danger and
suffering, and which when achieved is not worth
the purchase, is not for me to say Perhaps
after all, it is nothing but national vanity
E vehement passion for attracting the attention
and admiration of the world. But whatever il
may be, deny that it was for "public objects"
} that is, objects in which all mankind was equally
nterested-for such is the scope of the memo
rial. | cannot see what possible interest the
people of the United States could, or can have,
in these Polar regions, shut out from the rest
Of the world by impossible barriers, incapable
; of cultivation, or those frozen seas, where 80
many brave adventurous men have persisted
vainly seeking what they could never find, and
which, if found, would be unavailable for any
useful purpose. Why send our officers and
seamen probably to share the same fate, in the
more than forlorn, the desperate hope of rescu-
ing strangers, merely on the ground of their
having been engaged in an enterprise for "pub-
lie objects" in which we have no concern what.
ever! If the memoralist had based his appli
cation on the ground of common humanity, or
even sympathy for Lady Franklin, he would
have presented different view of the case. AS
it is, | cannot but think he has extended the
doctrine of human responsibilities, and human
obligations, to the very extreme of universal
philanthropy,
THE DEsPoTIsM OF MAJORITY
The Earl of Derby, now the British Premier
who, if don't mistake, some years ago as Mr.
Stanley, made the tour of the United Sta, d.
lately asserted in the British house of lorass
that Sin the United States the absolute majoritx
exercised greater tyranny than was ever exsiir
cised under despotic rule in monarchical coun
try" There is too much truth in this There
il no limit to it's power but the Constitution
which is gradually receding before the shigher
law" of the majority. Fanatcal excitements
are becoming the supreme law of the land.
We, vain and inexperienced republicans, fancy
there can be no despotsm either in church or
State here, because the Constitution guarantees
freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, and
freedom to all without exception. But there
are more ways than one to the gallows, and
according to the old proverb "the longest way
round is the surest way home" This is most
specially the case in the process of undermining
the liberties of mankind. A free people will
not submit to any direct and palpable violation
Of those constitutional guarantees, which they
have adopted for their own safety. But there
are many modes of getting round or creeping
under them, and many arguments to Justify the
i, tresspass. The most efectual way, however,
is to get up "higher law" than the Constiu
ton and thus demolish it at one blow. When
this shall be fairly established, every right we
enjoy, every privilege we exercise, every opinion
we cherish may be put down and nnnihilated,
under pretence of conflicting with the Scriptures
as interpreted by the new apostles and fathers
of the church. Conscientious scrupe will be.
come the law of the land, and the great Pyth.
oness Abby Folsom its high priestess. Sena.
tor Seward and Brigham Young will be In their
respective spheres despotic over the rights of
men, and Lucretia Mott over those of women.
: We may then look ont for the milIenium or
chaos