Western Reserve chronicle and weekly transcript of the times. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1854-1855, 1855-02-21
WHITTIER ARE WE DRIFT1NGa

W64IdEh AXE We DRlfT1MGf
y HENRY WARD BKrcHrz.
1t is often asked, Ifthe North are SO i'm
measurably superior to the South in INTEL
ligence, moral power and wealth, why has
the South gained political power so rapid
ly Tor tie past fifty years, until now she
controls the policy ofthis naiion2
The reason is two-fold:
/. The North is community OF indus
tries. Every man is busy in building up
bis home, and enriching it for his children.
Our Northern people are educated TO in
tensely mind theirown business. But the
South has different state of Society.
Slave labor sets free from industry a large
class of men, who, being aristocrats, not
by nature alone, but by the organization of
the Southern society, have any degree of
leisure TO attendto politics.
There is, then, very different aptitude
for power between the North and the
South.
Northern society is democratic; South
ern, aristocratic. A democracy tends to
produce power, but distributes it. An
aristocracy produces but little, but it abb
serbs and concentrates power, never dis
tributing. The North strengthens society;
the South government The North makes
the citizens full, self-reliant, productive,
independent. Such men do not cohere
easily into plant parties. The South
finds an easy task in forming parties of
plastic elements, and welding them ef-
feciively. The first reason for the gradu-
al superiority of the South in political
power, then, lies in the fact that an aris-
iocrcay, in its very nature, is better adapt
ed for the absorption and the retention of
power than is democracy, which in its
nature, germinates power, but disperses ii
among individuals.
2. There is second reason yet more
subtle, and more dangerous.
The North is industrious and productive.
Each man thriyes, and seeks to thrive.
The interior idea and essential spirit of our
community, is for each man TO build up
his little kingdom of family.
lis not the sordid love of money. 1t is
not a grasping, avaricious, selfish spirit of
commerce. 1t is a national disposition to
strengthen the individual and the family
by productive industry. Out of this
grows, sometimes, to be sure, selfishness :;
but generally an over-grown concern for
ones own affairs, and neglect of national
affairs. Citizens want national policy
which will leave them room to work, and
acertainty of acquiring.
Now, it is through this known feeling of
the North, that the South has contrived TO
bribe and seduce her from fidelity to her
own more sacred principles.
1t has been subtely said, You shall
have leisure and peace, if you will only
acquiesce in such and such measures.
These measures were subtle changes in
favor of absolutism and against republi-
eanism. At each aggressive step the
South has been iercely met at first by
the indignant North but as thief quiets
dog with bit OF poisoned meat thrown
to him, so the South has cast to the North
a temptation peculiarly seductive to men
who are givento industry. Thus for the
sake of peace, for the sake of avoiding
agilstions unfavorable to commerce and
productive industry, the North has grad.
ually yielded step by step, until now, if
new slave States are carved out of Kan
zas, there will be no more 10 give. The
balance of power will change. The
South will be able to control and dictate
policy without circumspection or bribes.
That day is not far off.
When it comes, what will the North
do? So soon as her connection with the
South begins to be practical and home
annoyance, and touches the interests Of
the North, she will rise up, like Lazarus,
bound hand and foot with grave clothes,
and demand that she be locsed set free.
In that day, our Union will he like fax
before fame. When the Union promotes
thrift, its value is beyond all computing.
When it is against thrift, it will be found
that its value will be cast out, and trod.
den under foot ofmen.
We are marching as straight upon dis
union as ever people did, and blindfolded.
For peace and Union sake, we are giving
the South an advantage. which. when
once secured, they will use to goad the
North to inevitable rupture Those men
who counsel peace and acquiescences
now, counsel disunion and belligerency
hereafter. Their words are smoother
than oil, but the poison of asps is uuder
their tongues: 1t Is always 50. Men