The American patriot., 1855-03-21
Ma sioaznl POlitics-Georgc Law.
Letter of George Law Of New York, to the
Lsgislature Of Pennsylvania on the Pres
I mi r.isis' 9f5 nrI0fh yiiutf95Ga1 W on .
New YoRk, Feb, %, 1856.

~; Ci.;s IL aIi6lai yu1'9s9aa i.oF
- H. - 5yr New YORK. Feb. %, 1856.
.- nent,emen---I have received the letter which
CON did me the honor to address me on the I'd
instant. From my early manhood have been
principally engaged IN the enterprises and avo-
cations of private life these enterprises, how
ever. in the opinion ofmany, having a very i'm.
nortant bearing upon the interests and progress
rf this great country. During that period OF
time | have paid no more attention to-, nor Ia
ken no moro interest in the affairs Of the re-
nnblic. than what good citizen or lover Of
Els country takes by quietly putting his vote
into the ballot box. / was therefore startled in
considerable degreee from my quiet mode of
life, by the reception of a very important let
ter, dated at Harrisburg, signed by the speaker
of the House of Representatives of the State
of Pennsylvania. several Senators and other
members of the Legislature, propounding in
quires of a leading political character, in ref
crence to the present state Of public affairs,
and the future action of the American people.
The honor and compliment combined, Of hav-
ing received letter from such high quarter,
asking for my humble opinion in the present
crisis of our land are quite sufficient to satisfy
nv ambition if it terminated with the solitary
act of making. this reply. With these impress
sions on my mind, almost hesitate to venture
upon the public path to which your letter in
vites me with so much magnanimity, confidence
and good feeling. f' VI if oa. i- .''l7
We have arrived at very important crisis
in the history of this Republic Parties, prin-
cples and men-statesmcn and politicians, all
seem to be in rapid state Of decomposition,
transition and reconstruction. Indeed the same
aspect Of confusion and discord in the public
parties which afflict this country seems to be
common disorder or epidemic over the whole
earth. Europe is laboring in the same condi-
ton What is it? 1t is the close of one great
cycle of revolution and the beginning Of an
other in the worlds civilization. Even Asia,
that mysterious country, with which steam Is
linking us, is filled with confusion, war, disor-
der and revolutions. Happily, however, for
this country, we are possessed of too much re-
ligion, intelligence and common sense to cut
each others throatsin order to settle differences
in religious question or politics. By our fire.
sides we form our opinions Of what is neces-
sary to be done, settle upon common principles
organize into parties, and go quietly tothe bal
lot-boy. and there determine, like practical men
and civilized beings, every knotty question of
the day. t5ar 9-A y .s9+
From the first gun of the Revolution down
to the present day, the people Of the United
States have passed through three terms of po-
ltical existence all allied to each other in gen.
cral character but differing in practical results.
The great revolutionary period ended with the
establishment of the Union the formation OF
The Constitution in 1887, and the dgnifed re-
;ircinent Of Washington from Office with all
the honor that the American people could con-
fer upon hi,n--their gratitude and affection.
The second period of our political history, be-
ginning with the establishment Of the repub-
can party, under the rlantles of Jefferson and
Madison also great and leading statesmen Of
their age ended with the close Mr.. Madison's
administration. During that era great ques
tons Of foreign and domestic policy were set
tied The third period began with the election
Of General Jackson, and closed with the settle
mcnt of many important political issues during
his administration. The contests Of the dem
ocratic and whig parties, now closing the de-
geacracv and confusion Of all parties, creates
the necessity of some new party growing out
of the state of the times, in order to renovate
and refresh the country and the age. The dis
tinguished men Of these three periods have
passed away, but the recollectons Of their SER
vices to the country still exist. The most re-
cent of our great statesmcn--Calhoun, Clay
and Webster with some of their contemporaries
have left us rich legacies in principles, from
which new departures NAV he taken by those
who have Intelligence enough to drink at the
proper fountain.
But although nearly ~ the issues Of former
part contests have been settled or died away,
Va, every age has its new issues and fresh diff
ficu'tos for parties and statesmen to discuss.
encounter and arrange. During the last few
years the original virtue and purity Of the two
great political parties which have contended for
the mastery, have nearly departed; both have
degenerated and disgraced the nation in many
important particulars. The corrupt state Of
things had been predicted by some of our
most eminent statesmen. The period has now
arrived when, from the exgency of the times
and guided by the lights Of the Constitution,
the people Of this country are preparing for
change, and reorganization of the present
elements ofrepublican government. This wish
and determination on the part of the American
people has disclosed itself in the recent cleo
tons in different portions of the country in
manner not to be misunderstood, at North,
South, East and West. These results are the
beginning of the developments OF a manly ma
tional spirit, crude and anomalous at first, but
destined under the guidance of common sense,
to raise the country from those mires of cor
ruption into which it has fallen by the misman-
agement of political leaders.
One of the most dangerous evils which has
grown out of the degeneracy Of the old parties
is that of sectional agitation Sectional agita-
ton is the great danger that menaces the
American Republic. 1t is the weak point Of the
Union. The sacred tie of marriage cannot sub
sist in private life without confidence in the
virtue of the parties united; neither can this
Union exist under the dishonorable and malig-
rant sectional agitation which has been
forced upon us in these latter days by small
sections of politicians who sink into significance
before the great historical names of our coun-
try Sectional agitation is not only our weak
est point at home but it invites the interference