Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-12-18
TO THE EDITORS.

L meSSrS. UALES O. DEATON on nave taken
course in opposition to the spirit of aggressive con-
quest and Invasion provoked solely by the appetite
for plumber, now rife in our land, which all good
rnen--all who have right moral feelngs-rnust and
DO commend and in doing this have tits to be hoped,
|awakened some to the danger that impends over us
as people In exact accordance with yon views
upon the subject are the following remarks of one,
now no more, whose reputation for unaffected picty
and simplicity of character is only paraleled by his
fame as profound thinker and unequalled writer
These his published words and sentiments
| in 1887:
When we look forward to the probable growth Of this
country when of the millions ofhuman beings who are
spread present territory think of the of
Improvement and glory opened to this people of the
impulse which free institutions if prosperous may be
expected to give to philosophy, religion science tera
ture and arts of the vast field in which the experiment
is to be made Of what the uneered powers of man may
achieve of the bright page of history which our fathers
have filed and the advantages under which their tolls
and virtues have placed for carrying their work
when we think Of all this help, for moment
surrenderng ourselves to bright visions countrys
glory before which all the gores of the past 10 fade
away? Is itpresumption to say, that just to ourselves
and all nations shall be felt through this whole CONT
nent that shall spread our language, institutions
and civilization through wider space than any nation
has filed with like benefcent influence? Aud we
prepared to barter these hopes, this sublime moral
pre- for conquests by force Are prepared to sink
to the level of unpncpled nations to content ourselves
with vulgar guilty greatness, to adopt in youth
maxims and ends which brand future with sorid
ness, oppression, and shame? This country cannot
without peculiar nfamy the of national
rapacity Our origin, institutions and position pc
cuar, and all favor upright honorable course We
have not the apologies of nations hemned in by
bounds threatened by the overshadowing power of
bilious neghbors If we surrender ourselves selfish
policy shall sin almost without temptation and forfeit
opportunities of greatness vouchsafed other people,
for prize below contempt"
What man is there in the United States who has
just conception of the true glory of nation who
will not concur in the sentiments here expressed?
MADISON
The subioined forcble article from a late New
York paper will form very appropriate appendage
to the above sentiments Of the eminent and venerat
ed Divine:
MANIFEST DEsTISY-It is clear from the whole histo-
ry of the AngoSaxon race that its mission is to extr
pate all other with which it may in contact
Its genius is not exclusive than its touch is fatal to
all other kindreds tribes and tongues 1t is ogre
among the aces-lustful after their possessions and de-
strucve to their existence Its virtues greater than
most otnef races can OF practlce,
vices huge and rude that savageism barbarsm, and
cannibalism fall before them It's very civilization
rugged than the nomadic condition of other races
and hence every thing in its national and individual cha
racter is antagonisc the balance of mankind. Not
but that it is aterna enough in its way but its shake
Of hands and hug are like the embrace Of death.
And observe, in whatever quarter OF the globe 1t plants
its foot what great idea most prevades it In the East
in the West in the North and in the South describing in
its conquerng and coonzng the diameter and cir
conference of the world moves with the cry of Mani
fest Destiny its lips though rapine and murder stain
its hands, and monstrous hypocrisy and cruelty fills its
heart. Deving into the forests of the New World, or
shifting the hot sands of Hindostan with its hoof it has
God wills it! ready to hush its conscience over
slaughtered races and thus far it has paused since
its began in the conquerng and compromising of
the tribes Of Britain. Mark well all that the Anglo Saxon
has DONE and he has not risen to his ggan
tic power by steps Of the destruction Of other
races.
To our mind the picture traced from history is clear
and decided to this point The Ango-Saxon has
ceyed its mission to conquer and colonize and his nature
has been such that less stern stuff could assmilate
live with him The Indian has persisted every where in
his rackrom the Penobscot to the Gulf from to
ocean; and Oriental nations and tribes Of the Isles fee
fall before him. True he marks his by splendid
monuments by giant arts marvellous science, and count
less commerce. True, he builds cities the sight Of
wgwams railroads the red hunters paths and tenn
Piles in the places of tents And he cries. My
manifest destiny is not endedl No! There is yet ra-
pine and murder to be done his eagles and lions do not
yet the whole verify his Manifest Destiny
| is not ended.
Let pause, and ask if this Manifest Destiny" is
not his characteristic conce rather than his just mission
Will all his progress in outward signs atone for the vio
lence to which his insatiate usts constrain him He
sacks the World and Stays its Peoples and substitutes
himself in their places He bears his shield pomp
Of civilization but will its splendid artfcaty atone for
the simpler and in many respects grand barbarsms he
has destroyed? Has he filled the hearts Of In his
path with better faith and truer humanity with terror
and longing for revenge? And to what end does his
strides tend at last To safety when the work Of
quest is over to civil war; when he has other foe TO
battle inordnate luxury and enervaton when he has
only feast spos and finally die Of the canker fhis
vices gnawing out his own heart
This matter is worth thinking about when robbery Of
nations Is preached by Senatorial tongues and when,
overriding oil that is customary in civilization, and all
that is venerable land marks the heart Of whole peo
pie begins to throb for crusades and conquests
the blood Of its fairly clothed the green earth
II is well to ask if haste makes waste be not maxim
for nations well individuals Also whether SPLEEN
dor of territorial conquess stretch Of empire is not
dearly by the sacrifice Of the Of justice the
simplicity and peaceful rugged virtues which only
preserve the freedom and perpetuate the glory Of peo
pie No necessity pushes the AngloSaxon in the path Of
robbery and murder. His domain Is ample than
his want and only wicked leads his eye and prompts
his heart to and further conquests.
YoaL