The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-15

sentative.
Erie county has nominated for Representa-
tive, Francis d. Parish Auditor H. B. Lum
Commissioner, Benjamin Summers; Recorder,
Jonas D. Whitney.
For the National Era.
THE MISSION OF THE ANGLosAXoN RACE.
No. l.
Philosophy has affirmed that each nation has
special duties to perform, and a distinctive mis-
sion to execute. A reflective piety first led to
that conclusion for, though the human mind
cannot penetrate the designs of Providence, yet
it has been permitted to lift some of the lower
folds of the curtain which conceals the mystic
rious future. That there is an intimate con-
nection between the past and the present is OBJ
vious to reason, and it is clear that the present
will become the past to generations yet unborn.
Hence we are forced to recognise the continuity
of the life of nations; and if some are apparent
ly extinct it is only because we do not recog-
Mise their original features when transflscd into
or blended with new forms Of national exist
ence. Of the truth of this remark modern
Russia is remarkable illustration, composed,
it is, of various tribes, of remote origin, once
enjoying a wild independence, and marked by
distinctive characteristics, the shades Of which
have imperceptibly faded away by intermar-
riages, and by the contact of various develop.
meuts Of civilization. When the Medes--or
rather their descendants, the Sarmatians-ad-
vapced from the east to the north and passed
through that famous opening in the Caucasus,
known to the ancients by the various names of
the pylp Sa run Qfican tho porto Co,,aa,a aud
the Porta lberica, now known as the defile of
the Terek; and when other Oriental tribes
trsversed the other passage of che same mount
ainous region, known of old as the Pyle Alba.
nie, or Via Caspia, and in modern times as the
Pass Of Derbent the immigrants and the abo.
rhymes first came into collision, hut ultimately
became amalgamated; and the tendency Of
their intercourse was in due time, TO form one
homogeneous nation, such a. Russia now pre-
sents to the world; and for this fusion philoso
ply considers there was 9 purppea or end to be
realized. They who adopt this View, incline to
think that the historical mission Of Russia,
which has now incorporated Poland Lthua-
MIA, Finland, Livonia, Georgia, and is striding
TO Persia from her outposts on the Caspian Sea,
is to serve as a mediator between Europe and
Asia, and transmit to the East the civilization
of the West
brief retrospect of the past history of the
world seems to confirm the doctrine we have
enunciated. The mission of the Jews appears
to have been to represent the sublime ideas of
tho unity of God and the unity of the human
race. The great monarchies of Asia preserved
the principle Of royalty and of popular submis-
sion to hereditary rule, awaiting the time when
nations were prepared for republicanism--a
form of government only suited to peoples of
high natural organization, fully cultivated and
perfectly developed. Royalty itself was but
usurped extension Of the primitive patriarchal
system, displacing the heads of families and
comprising all families under one head, crown
cd and sceptred. II was essential to the epoch
in which it originated; for it prevented the
greater evil of universal anarchy, and prepared
society for the blessings of order--thc first step
in true civilization, and which is, indeed, the
basis of welbalanccd Republic
The mission of the PhGnicians and Cartha.
genians was TO teach the world the arts of
navigation and commerce, and the principle of
international transactions, based on reciprocal
wants and productive of reciprocal benefits. 1t
was reserved for Greece to be the frst apostle
Of art and science, to lift the thoughts Of men
from the material to the IDEAL ~ refine the
feelings to purify passion from its grossness, to
shadow forth the doctrine Of the Immortality
OF the soul, to train the reasoning faculties, and
to SOW the first imperfect seeds of republican
liberty in the crude formula of It's municipal
institutions In the order Of progress the small
kingdom of Macedonia absorbed Greece, and
became the centre Of Greek nationality, aud
Alexander the Great imbued with that nation
atty all tho peoples Of Asia Minor, Syria, and
Egypt and perhaps tho philosophy Of Plato
and Socrates, there abiding after the fall Of the
Macedonian Empire, was ono Of the appointed
human means for the early establishment Of
Christianity in those regions.
The sccptre passed to Rome, and Europe still
feels her presence, in its language, its jurispru
dence its ideas. Rome carried to the extrem-
ties Of it, rule her gods, her idiom, her const-
tuition. Thus il prepared the way for the ear
lest dispersion Of the Roman Catholic inter
probation Of Christianity. The .papaey was q
combination Of patriarcbal and royal sover-
eighty and q spiritual superseded temporal
sceptre on the seven hills, II is a remarkable
fact that Christ, the divine nature in human
form, appeared on earth precisely at the time
when Pagan Rome sought 10 clothe mortal
with celestial attributes, and worshipped Au-
gnstus Ms living and present deity. PrGsens
augustus Diyts ha.bebitur. writes Horace, in
one Of his eulogistic odes to Cesar.
Portugal and Spain had their mission in
maritime discovery, and founded colonies which
it is tho apparent destiny Of another race to
bring to maturity. Poland played her part in
being the bulwark of Christian Europe against
the Mahometan invasion. Germany was tho
cradle Of the Reformation and perhaps the
mission Of Mahomet was 10 raise up barrier
against idolstry and proclaim the unity Of God
when the Jewish nation was scattered for hav-
ing rejected the Messiah These illustrations
are not given from any desire 10 establish q
system, and are offered simply ~ hints, and in
no respect ~ demonstrations They are but
links in q chain and II some breaks or frsc-
tnres are visible, they will be welded in time,
If this theory Of constructivencss, continuity,
and separate operation, bs founded IN observa'
ton and experience.
OF tho natious OF Europe, England he's left
the most strougiy defined traces IN her history
OF steady progress, and in this respect she may
insoribe Nunqu6m Rsirorsum on her banner.
Under the protector Simon do Montfovt, she
ensctcd the representative revolution under
the protector Somerset, the rel gious revolution;
under the protector Cromwell, the political
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