Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-07-31
For The Enquirer,
NO. w.
THE DUTY OF THE UNITED STATES.

For The Enquirer.
NO. w.
THE DUTY OF THE UNITED STATES.
The generation of citizens of tho United States that
should be 40 regardless of its duty as to divide the
Union, would merit the eIecratiUns of pusterity,
down to the period when it shall be pronounced there
is an end TO time. Worthless, mercenary, mean will
we indeed be, il, for any consideration, real or illuso-
~, we ure influenced to destroy q system Of govern
ment which has impaired, and is imparting, so many
blessings to mankind. Better, far better, were it for
us, if we have no noblcr aims, no higher destiny TO
accomplish, than to unnihilate the magnificent cdifcc
of liberty which it cost so much precious blood, toll
aud treasure to establish and maintuin, that The iUuo-
rance of tho wild child of the forest had been ours
Alas If the Union fails III our times, il will be the re.
suit OF political vice, more than Il want OF c~nligh;en-
mrnt in governmental duties. No generation has.
perhaps, been better Informed as Ia the intent and
purpose oil the Constitution and its compromises than
our own Of this day. And it is Il deploraB!e fact.
that i'll the States where bouk.lcaruin. i. the most
general and the most perfect, schemes which, if car
ried out, would end in subversiun, nre most cherished
nnl disseminated. Education III certain !uculitieg, in
stead of producing md maturing patriot, seems TO have
been prolific in the yield Of traitors and conspira,ors,
a. far as relates To villa; would be the practical work
inos Of their peculiar views. Duty IN the State, when
the State is founded in Justice aud administered in in
teSrity, is as imperative n one as the citizen has To
perform TO contemporaries and posterity. In this Re.
public. where each citizen is Il part of the State, the
duty is more obligatory than in my other. Its proper
performance Gun never conflict with that due 10 the
Almighty. The two are separate and distinct, and in
natural harmony in their relations. An o~vernower.
lug Voice was once heard uttering III sublime accents,
"Render unto Caesar the things that urc Crsnr's, and
unto God the things TINT arc Gods" No higher law
obscrvances were demanded. II has been left for the
w:seacres ofour owa country and age TO make the 4 sc,-
very, that temporal or constitutional law in tnliuhteu
cd nations is subordinate 10 natural or higher law
Tho Pope never desired more powor than this, prior
.. tt. E,rtnuf n tIn .n,p rntcu,n, - l----- d.
of crimes. The blindest bigotry could originate no.
thing more startling. If it were 10 become Il recoy-
nized principle, there could be neither political nor So
cial morality anywhere in the circle OF its operations.
Anarchy would be its immediate offspring, and The
world rendered
a mighty maze, and all without a plan"
characterization in politics would speedily over
throw Legislative law, Ms i'll religion it wUnld Divine
Law.
Our wonderful national growth, our continued and
enlarged well-bcing, is the result Of The happy influ-
encc of law upon our citizens. They have been from
the trst, and We believe are disposed To ever be
with comparatively few cxceptIuus-a strictly law
abiding population. They have occasionally been
dcludcd, thousands Of them are now dcludrd. by de-
mag"gues and the inlschievous doctrines which they
prUmulgatc; but we shall not despair OF their uucou-
promising devotion 10 tho Constitution, when they
discover, US they assuredly will soon, that III provi-
sions are endangered by their leaders.
IL il the duty OF the G'niIed States, rs far as posi-.
| Die, &c. 10 huIlllllSlcT inc Unt;D!lNl governments, Ill ~
give no jus: cause of dissatisfaction 10 any ci'zcn.-
Therefore it il thc part nf wisdom that legislation
should bc within the liniis, never going beyond them,
OF the constitutional guard TO th" States; Where
doubt exists OH nu, Yucs.ion, action should be iuva-
riubly drcliuel. ANY excess Ut power not distinctly
authorized is as much a usurpaiiun in a Republic a.
III q ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in the extreme, e~u;cudcr-
ing discomfort aud iInpairiny loyalty.
Every public measure should stand exclusively
upon its own morris. In legislation, that which can
not triumph except upon the "loS rolling" Or help
me and l will help you principle, is undeserviag a
place upon the statute book. Nothing was ever
worth achieving, officially ur privately, that wac
achieved by tho employment Of unfair means. This
statement, VT venturs 10 assert, would be irdorsed,
if their sentiments Oh the subject could BIZ ascertain
ed, by all political schelne-cuutrivcrs and manuuvar-
ers who have ou;.lived their ephcmerul famc, and by
every udrcnturer and cheraRer d ,Hdusiy1c, who has
had RECOURSE to dishonest articles for the purposes Of
gaiG. Let the rising youth bear this steadily in mind;
and lu, his first study, when he attaips tho years Of
manhood, be tho nstitution-mGkin it ever after.
wards his guide and his underwriting rule. MHny
members Of Congress, and other officials, who have
splcmuly sworn To support its provisions, in all probn-
bility newer understood them thoroughly. Hence
the danger, in a great degree, TO wl!irll the Union Inns
been subjected from time TO time. The representn-
tives Of the S'ntrs and Of tho people should ever re-
member that they have national rs vel! rs public To-
cal duties TO perform, and that they can be dischnrg.
ed in no manner more effective. than by guarding
against any, the slightest, encroachment, upon the
great compact which makes us one people. As long
4. that is preserved in pristine purity, every State and
district in the Republic may repose in perfect security
increasing in all rational enjoylnents that render life
delightful.
Fur the first position within the Republics eft, too
careful II discrimination cannot be observed III the
selection Of the individual. Prineipia, non homines
is n motto admirable within itself; but il is ,nea.ura-
bly, valueless, unless in its administration it have
aEs of ample capacity aud towering character to
sustain PRINCIPLE. The officer, Us much AZ tho Of
tcs, ought to command, particularly in the instance
Of President, unqualified, universal respect. Without
ENJOYING such consideration, his duties cannot be
otherwise than l9bOrious, difficult, and perpleHing
in the extreme, from the day Of his inauguration.
H. should be the superior, end conscious Of the
fact himself, Of any of his Cabinet Ministers, even
though they were chosen from the first personages
Of the Union. lie should pnssess UNFOLDING inteCrl-
ty, an accomplished education, experience in govern
mental affairs, eminent discretion, sound Judgment,
cquanimity OF temper, resolution, firmness. ~irankncss,
industry, and Il good physical constitution. lie
should be BY association aud by principle a gentle
man,-a gentleman in that sense which would pre-
clude him from doing any other than a ~virtuons prl.
vate act, and. therefore, render him incapable Of
committing, knowingly, n wrong oiticia! one. Not
the least Of I'll, he should be- an uncomproiiislnS
ConstitutionalIst-his past life, in ,hnt respect, having
been Il reliable pledge to what his future would De
thus atfording I'm i%nsurmountablo barrier to the sue.
cess Of any Of tho political scientists, charlGtans, and
disor.anizcrs who threaten oil: ruin.
We can SEQ in orr imagination The countcnnnce OF
the considerable, true patriot, NJ he peruscs this
whether he resides on Free or Slave soil,-brighten-
ing, and his eye sparkling with JOY, eagerly lnqii.
ring, can such q man be found tor next President !
To The iuuuiry we nrc not prepared Just now to re-
spund. But let those who, like Ourselves, sincerely
believe, land wc tru-t their number IN inE.nll,) mat
the perpc;uity, glory, md welfare ot TIE Union re-
Gu;re the services of one who comes NJ 10 the stand
nrl We hive pictured, unite with us III searching Tor
him. lrhe DO found, and We believe ne could, why
should he not be hailed with accla'IiGtlpn. anu mere
partisan wire. pulirrs- wh ruic through Conventions
and quarrel for and over 'fiesh pots after elections
be forced to accept and proclaim him! Let us seek
honestly und seek diligently for nj object upon which
80 much depends. We shall in q subsequent number
give the result of our own inquiries on tho subject.
In every inspect Of the case, i'll which our de.tiny Is
involved, the next Presidential Election VIII be OF
incomparably more Importance, thnil WIS any one
that has occurred in our history. SPlRlr OF 10
--
END OF THE SOCIALIST MOVEMENT.
The estate of the Association known rs the North
American PhalanI in Monmouth CO., ned, will be sold
at auctioni in October next. The estate consists of nearly
seven hundred acres of land, to be sold either in a
mass or parceIs. The sale Of this domain md the
breaking II, of the Phalanx vii! be generally regard
ed IA in some sort closing that Socialist movement
which, commenced in this country s":ne fifteen years
ago. The New York Tribune, in referring 10 this
contemplated sale, says:
Between the years 1870 and 1915 there sprang up
three or f,;,r associations in Massachusetts; five or
six in Western New York; one in New jersey three
in Ohio; one in Michigan; one in Wisconsin; md one
or two were projected in Virginia, but, We believe,
never established. Most of them were organized OH
the principles Of joint stock, aud Of dividing profits
according TO the time spent in labor; but some adopt
ed tn. principle Of Communism. They were gene
rally very short-lived. That OF Brook farm, near
Boston, lasted six years: that in Wisconsin lasted, we
think, two years; aud that whose termination We to-
day chronicle, the beet provided, aud most tenacious
Of all, will number at liz death thirteen years. There
yet remains, however, III Massachusetts, the Commu.
nifty at Hopedale, which, without retaining any very
brilliant pecuniary results, still gives 10 sign Of dis.
solution; but this is established upona peculiar reli.
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