Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-03-12

zealons OF his admirers are predicating upon this
part of the Address.
To specify all the exceptions which we take to the
public annunciation by the President of pre-
determined purpose to signaze his Administration
by Expansion" of the jurisdiction of the United
States territories of other Powers, not within
the scope of this brief article We shall advert for
the present to part Of them only
The first of these is that though the word be not
mentioned in connection with this purpose, it may be
regarded the first approach to recognition of the
principle of MANIFEST DESTINY as rule of action
for this Government in the conduct of its relations
with Foreign Powers. This is the doctrne-along
with that other secondary doctrine equally popular
with the Democratic leaders, of the duty of INTER
vENTIoN in the affairs Of Europe-which, when
proclaimed by their Orators in the late political can
vass was every where uproariously applauded by the
masses, who understood it to mean that, once under
Democratic sway, this Government was to be SO adj
minstered as not only to overrun all this continent
but eventually all creation.
| Nor have those boasts of what was to be accom-
plished in this direction under Democratic rule been
confined to the period Of the canvass for the Presi
dency From those of the dominant party who profess
to have read the signs of the times, the revelations
Of the Address on this subject were anticipated,
fruits Of the triumph of /" Manifest Destiny" SO
long as three months ago. Ere the expiration of
the year upon which are just entering" said the
Rochester (Democratic) Advertiser of December
j IL, "there will be some denouements and develop.
ments that will astound those unbelievers in the
MANIFEST DESTINY of our country" And, in a
| ctran Gonna waaks afterwards tho racoopis
ed organ of the Young American" wing of the
Democracy, referring to the Debate in the Senate
indicating conservative disposition in the elders
of its party in regard to foreign relations sad
that, "soih The PRESIDENT ELECT at their head
the patriotic spirits of the country, who are the
men of the future, acW mot lag behind General
Duty and MANIFEST DESTINY in reference to the
waters, islands, and isthmuses of the Gulf Of
4 Mexico" We thus see that Manifest Destiny"
was the doctrine not only proclaimed in the discus
sions in Congress preceding the Presidential can
vass, and in the harangues of Democratic Orators
all over the country, but asserted by prominent
supporters of the Administration as the leading
principle upon which it is to administer the foreign
relations of the country.
! We do not charge upon the President, of course,
any completely in the designs of those needless and
reckless politicians who would make use of the
doctrine to which we refer as the lever by which
to overturn Empires, democratize Kingdoms, and
bring the whole World under the dominion of this
Republic. We impute to him no such preposter-
Gus absurdity. What we regret is, that the Presi-
dent should have given any color, by this passage
of his Address, to the predictions of those who pro-
fess to know his sentiments, that he held in any
sort of respect this doctrine for which, rule of
conduct for nations and for individuals, we cannot
but entertain utter aversion.
The doctrine of q Manifest Destiny though it
dates from the earliest ages, is but of recent date in
our day. Well do we remember its first utterance
in debate in the Legislative Halls. 1t was in the
House of Representatives, by young and ardent
member from one of the States on the Upper Mis-
sissipp, that this phrase, sadder than owl-song
on the midnight bias" Of Manifest Destiny sound
ed in our ears, whilst the Debate on the Oregon
question was in progress, and the War with Mexico
was busily maturing under veil of secresy, by
which it was concealed as much from the uniHitated
in the secret counsels of the Executive as though it
was matter in which Congress had no concern.
The phrase is omnous Of evil whenever and where
ever it is applied to the relations of this country to
tie other Powers of the Earth The introduction
Of it controlling principle, or by way Of
gument, in the affairs of Government, is retrogres-
sion of more than twenty centuries to the rites and
superstitons of the people of that unenlghtened age
Amongst the most popular of their dolaries the
worship of the Goddess of Fortune otherwise called
DESTINY, whom they regardedin much the same light
as !" MANIFEST DESTINY" isnow regarded by deluded
enthusiasts among US, the first principle of all
things, and the universal cause of good and evil
To such an excess did the Romans carry this idola-
try that they erected to her many six hundred
temples, seeking to proptiate her by all such rites
as were common in the worship Of idols in Hea-
| then countries.
4 The setting up at the present day of such phan
tom Manifest Destiny" for an intelligent Peo-
pie, like those Of the United States, to fall down
before and worship not only gross insult offered
to their understandings but were there any danger
| Of its attracting followers in any number, would
be as blighting curse could befall our country.
For what heavier curse could afflict any People
than the ascendancy Of principles which virtually
exclude, as " Manifest Destiny" does, from the
motives by which public rulers to be governed,
all idea cf moral influences and moral restraints all
respect Cor the laws and usages which have regulated