Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-04-23

THE OLD Foe1Ess AND Y DUNG AMERICA.
These terms now form parts ofour political vo-s
Ecabulary, if they have not become party deslgna-
Rtions. Grave legislators at Washington use,
them. The press is redoIent ofthen,.,, Many Of
our readers may ask for definition. We can
not furnish any but loose description, and
must resort to personal illustration. We per-
ceive that Old Fogiesis a phrase intended to ex-
press the elder class of American politicians, and
Young America those who represent in political
sentiment the more ardent and enthusiastic OF
of our countrymen According to this classifca-
ton Gen. Cass, Mr.. Buchanan, Gen. Butler, and
Gen. Houston are in the category Of Old Fogies,
whilst Douglas Shields, and Stockton are the
leaders and organs of Young America.
Now these designations although not precise,
for it is hard to draw the line where age is the
point of division, are yet expressive of fact of
much significance looking rather to the future
than the present They denote classifcations
that indicate the character hereafter of our for
eign policy, if we comprehend their meaning
That class of our statesmen who venerate the
maxms of Washington are thoughtto march too
slowly forthe sangune and the progressive spirit
of Young America. Hence name Of ill-savour
has been bestowed on them, as if in their staid
and stationary opinions they were the enemies Of
progress. To the reverse of this is the more
suggestive epthet "Young America," which leads
the minds of The more unrefecting to brilliant an
ticipations of our national futme-to the reali-
cations of visions that have not yet assumed
definite form in the imaginations ofthe manifest
destiny men. They look to territorial acquisition
as the dream of Young America which is to re-
ceive embodiment in the possession of Cuba,
Yucatan, if not the whole West India Arehpela-
90. No specific scheme of acquisition is pro-
posed. No mode or means are suggested of ac-
quiring foreign POSSESSIONS, which are limited to
be necessary, not to round off our territory, but
to complete the Republic geographically y-to
make the Gulf of Mexico, as the phrase goes
sour opn closed sea-" These suggestions are but
dimly hinted at as part of the future of Young
America, but enough is disclosed to satisfy us
that this idea ofhe bright hereafter is to be kept
constantly before mind of Young America, that
the ardent portion Of our population may become
f;.milarized with the conception of progress that
it suggests. The aspirations of candidates for
the Presidency, with whose success is associated
these anticpatons of territorial glory, are upheld,
whilst the Old FogiNs, who revere the councils
and example of Washington, and who move
quite too slowly over the field of national ad-
vancement, are ridiculed. 1t is by such associa-
tions that names are to work on the imagina-
tions like spells to influence political action if
not now, at no distant period. The Republic is
to be thrown from her equilibrium, not directly by
legislation, but finally by insidiously working on
opinion, by which it will be shaped, as we'll as our
elections, through the magic of names, and an
artful classification Of our political leaders into
Old Fogies and Young America.
Charleston Evening News.