Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-29
POLITICS AND PHILOSOPHY.

ners in connexion with the feud in the Democratic
marty Of New York, which has of late dissolved the
harmony over which its organs have 50 complacent
ly rejoiced: nwyon, ~, % ,o,,
crYrrrmrs AS must of necessity be absent from the
city, accept your invitation to attend the cele-
brson Of the approaching anniversary of American In
asnaance When the several States shall learn to mind
e oxn .a t. Tfithout meddng in the affairs Of 9th
without rejecting any part Of IT, W. I1non will stand too
strong for its enemies, without and within. And when
the Democracy shall build again its foundations with
out constructing new platforms to catch the factions of
the day, 1t will regain its ascendancy in the State and
the Nation Presumng that your society desires bring
about these important ends, am, with cordial good
wishes, truly yours, GREENE G. BRONSON
LII it depended on the interest we take in the po-
litical controversy which has exhumed this letter.
we do not know that we should transfer it to our
columns; but, unconsciously to the writer perhaps,
1T contains a philosophical and important truth,
which might, as principle of political and social
action, be expanded to apply to everrecurring cir
cumstances of our public and private life. " When
the several States shall learn to mind their own
business, without meddIing with the affairs Of 9TH
ers," says Mr.. BRoNsoN g the Union will stand too
strong for its enemies, without and within" No
doubt of it. This succinct declaration must com
manu- Tic assem- Vi ALL IL OpcuS luluC VI tuouSuu
in which the most vigorous intellect and largest in
telligence may labor without exhausting, and from
which the most superficial thinkersnay bring away
abundant food for after reflection upon his duty to
himself and his neighbor.
It is unnecessary for us to enlarge upon the Ian
guage of Mr.. BRONSON in its bearing upon the sub
ject in reference to which it was penned. Long
since, and often, have urgeda practical obedience
to the commands of the Constitution which SO plain
AZ tell US to mind our business; to let alone what
we have no right to NEEDLE with; to let Southern
States and Northern States manage their inter
nal affairs as seems best to them, and to bend our
efforts in the large field still left for us to promote
the welfare, happiness, and responsibility of on
whole country.
The rule of conduct laid down by Mr.. BRONSON
might be, with the happiest effects, extended upward
and downward to Nations as well as to States, and
to individuals well as to nations. It's benefcence
is not exceeded by It's wisdom. In the course of
life, what loss what grief and embarrassment would
not be averted by general observance of a rule
which, without injuring any one, leaves all to pur
sue their own happiness, according to their own
Judgment, without any restriction save that which
it imposes in common with the golden rule itself;
for, by mindng our own business, we certainly
do unto others as we would that they should do
unto us. We have heard this injunction against
meddling called the eleventh commandment and
sometimes we have felt tempted to wish-not to
speak it profanely-that it had been incorporated
into the decalogue.
If we rise from private life to the contemplation
of r,blo of biSforvy oolicv,
may read significant exposition of the value of this
caution against intermeddling which is more worthy
to be taken to heart in the proportion that country
dearer than SELF To be satisfied how much the human
race has suffered from disregard of this caution
what devastating wars and what retardation of the
worlds advancement in intelligence and happiness
have resulted; what prejudices and false principles
have been engendered, only the briefcst glance is
requisite from our own time through the long and
variousy tinted vista of history which terminates in
dim legend mere oblivion. All concur in the
same story of oppressive might and suffering right.
Where right should have been peacefully allowed
to cultivate and improve its endowments might has
staked forward to blight the growth of intelligence,
and by desolatng the face of nature and dcpopu-
lating the country, has left for succeeding gen.
Grafton the slow task of smeoration--a repression
50 often practised by force of arms moral control
that in its impotent efforts for advancement toward
mans true dignity and an appreciation of his own
destiny, it was well typifed by the labors Of ST.
syphus in his eternal alienation Of hope and dis
appointment
Happily the world in advancing age has not been
exempt from the influence of the truth that wisdom
grows with years. Isolated progress, outstripping
the general sentiment began to shed its benign
ample slowly on the world. Invention and dscov-
cry kindled faint light from unfrequent sparks Of
intellectual study, and heralded the approach of
day, which dawncd and frightened at last under the
benefcent spread Of the art Of printing Books
multiplied, mind communicated with mind travel
became common, noble or useful idea was soon
common property, and was wrought out for uniyer-
sal benefit by collision Of practised inteecs. Not
only dominion began to be claimed over the mate
rial world and its mysteries, but problems of even
deeper Importance resolved The human mind,
it waved its pinions in triumph over physical
obstacles, began to dream Of human equality, and,
little by little, keeping what it gained, nulla cesti-
gia retrorsun refused to be compressed by the iron
bands which had suficed to restrain its unassisted
and ignorant struggles before the light Of social and
political knowledge had disclosed its power and Its
uI