The Yazoo Democrat., 1854-09-20
Political Impulses.

A@AN
They are not merely those of low and degra-
ing associations, but range from the pot
house to the aspirant for the presidential
chair. Anybody who familIarizes himself
with the current history of political affairs,
will be able to detect the mere 'politician"
in every movement to which he commits
himself While your true patriotic public
servant stands faithfully by the principles
enunciated by the constitution of the United
States, and the general design foreshadowed
By that Instrument, and illustrated in detail
in the institutions of the country. Such
men there are, and there will be more of them
as the people are brought to the test Of the
principles to which we advert.
But in our country it is the duty of every
man to be a politician, in the propcr. sense of
that term. a British officer said, after the
last war, ''he never wanted to fight with
Americans again, foF every one of theln,' .
said he, "seems to fght his own individual
battle" This was tInue, and will always be
true Of soldiers of this republic. In the wars
which have devastated Europe, the soldiery
never know what theyIare fighting for. But
if America should be plunged into war with
any of the European nations, every man with
musket on his shoulder would understand
all about it. Right or wrong, he would de-
fend his country. But If his country was
right, as she always has been in the wars to
which she has been party, every American
soldier would be in his own person the de-
clared enemy of the power against which his
prowess was directed. This peculiar person
ality in war grows out of those institutions
which constitute andrequire every man to be
"a politician. Thus, in civil as in military
contests, every citizen of the United States
represents in his own person that nationality
with which he is 1ntegrated.
As politician we speak Of the citizen
in his private character, who is neither an of
fee holder nor an office seeker-as voter,
he must be above the influence of the dema-
gogue, and free from the dictates of mere
IA. ..;;sn.p,ulse, he who is not, must peril his own
interests just in proportion as he is inditiers
ent to the republican principles by which his
own rights and social enjoymentau are sas,
Ftaaned. In tiie career Of our oosaatss's ti'saeA
and occasions will repeatedly occur in which,
upon some plausible pretence, or under some
temporary popular impulse, men will be cal-
led upon to invalidate the fundamental prin
ciples Of the republic itself practically to
deny the great doctrine that all men are ere
ated free and equal; and virtually to restrict
the universally Of that theory which pro
claims in the face Of all the thrones Of chris
tendon and heathendom, that man is capa-
bic of selfgoyernment.
That an American citizen could be induc-
ed to do any act which would have such an
effect is only to be ascribed to political JIM
pulse. Any party or faction which contem-
plated such designs, however adroitly they
may ,e for. a. season disguised, must, in the
end, disgracefully fall. there may be plaus-
ible reasons assigned for the most ultra pro
ceedings; circumstances may exist which
seem to palliate, if not to justify deliberate
purpose to discriminate between the political
privileges of, men occupying the same soil;
and social caste may menace the integrity OF
republican profession, as the consequence of
an erratic political sentiment-but all this
must, in the end, be obliterated, and nothing
will remain but reproach against those by
whose hands the temporary evil was achiev-
ed.
Wesknow very well what the power of inn
pulse is, and can respond to the most ardent
emotions of national pride. But the nation
ality of the United States consists in the en-
bodiment, enuuciation and development of
principles, which comprehend the welfare of
all mankind. They are not the fruit of i'm
pulse, nor are. they toys for the sport Of pas
sion. AS they were essential to the founda-
ton of the republis, 50 are they equally to its
future prosperity The United States re
publicanism itself, has no cause, no mission,
no destiny, but in the universally ofits prin-
ciples, and their sufficiency for the political
welfare of all mankind; and the participa-
ton of all mankind therein. Republican
ism, mutilated by political, social, civil, or
religious prescription, ceases to be republi-
canism, and can only become unmanageable,
intractable, disreputable anarchism. Such
prescription, under the constitution of the
United States, is but challenge to STRIFE,
whose termination no man can foresee, and
few thoughtful, intelligent, honest men would