Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-23
WHAT GIVES STABILITY TO NATIONS,
To secure perpetuity to Nation (says the New
ark Daily Adyertiser) its citizens must have some

To secure perpetuity to Nation (says the New
ark Daily Advertiser) its citizens must have some
thing il common 10 worship Or respect The Chi
nese md this necessity satisfied Id t,leir yenera6oH
for parents the liebrews in res for rail
Temple anu their Lawn These sentiments were
and continue be, strong in those nations, and have
probably contributed powerfully to bind them to
gether and preserve them respectively as distinct
populations, while all their contemporaries have
long since persisted from the earth.
In most of the modern European States these
national attachments seem very largely wanting
and in our own there not many elements of union
beside the inferior and very stable one of mutual in
teres We have acted rather been distracted toge-
ther now for upward of threescore years and enthe
ordinary life of individual but short duration for
State In all this time the heart of the people can
hardly turn to than objects capable of
handing its enthusiasm and veneraton these are the
American Revolution and the administration Of Washing
ton, including the great act of the Constitution Even
the last Of these has been desecaed by such violent and
shameless assaults to have lost good deal of that
deep hold upon the hearts of thousands which ought
to retain. That such share of attachment for it
yet remains has been due to the great and
eloquence and efforts of Webster and few others who
have brayey fought in its defence for the last twenty
years.
There is still an abiding respect for law and order
among which constitutes marked distinction between
us and the French, and forms kind of substitute for the
Jewish sentiment for their law and temple but in de-
gree as much more feeble loyalty to law is weaker
than devotion to religion. AS for the mighty gament
which kns generations together in China have in
the United States unfortunately, lost all its gentle
permanent and salutay FORCE and almost Its recol
lection Veneration for parents has longer any exist
ence in this country Our youth of age fourteen
or before though the law remains upon the
which emancpates them at twentyone But it has lons
been repealed by the CUSTOM together with
those for the observance of the Sabbath and the prohb
ton Of the sale of lottery tickets and liquor father
now, so far from having any superiority to his offspring
obliged to yield his prerogatve to the love Of progress
as at present understood which is that he who is born
last of course, and for that reason, knows most.
As youth therefore, is old enough to smoke
cigar, swallow glass of brandy without winkng and
commit icentous debauch, his father passes into the
predcament of an g old fogy word that from
the Latin "fugor, meaning driUen awdyone who is dom
fort is gone wih him, and time he should Be or
His promising heir succeeds of course, to the admins
raon of the affairs of the nation and frequently also
that OF the estate of his parent though the law still
holds the latter in keeping possession long he has
life and wit enough to do it. But the youngster has full
swing in Uncle Sans affairs and makes himself comfort
able with has property Nobody is obliged to rob the pub
lie ,exchequer now, as fat "Jack' did
This is enough to illustrate Of the points in which
differ from the long lived Chinese State and the nine
lived nation of the Hebrews Whether we shall continue
distinct and fourhing people long they remains
to be seenby posterty for do not much expect to do
it ourselves, though we possibly may.