Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-08-04
SPIRIT OF THE MORNING PRESS.

The HatelIigencer, discussieg the pestiferou:
affects Of the labor Of demagogues and specious,
selfish and ignorant advocates of change for
the sake Of change only, says:
"Self-iDterest, open or disguised, is the
moving impulse Of all humpn action, whether
In individuals OF communities but it is not
every individual, nor, in a government like
ours, every separate community, that can un-
cerstand what would most surely promote its
own interest. An ingenious demagogue, who
lives by popular excitement and who knows
how to season his hsrangues with the whole
sale svindling of rhetoric, may succeed for a
time in charming the ears Of the grounding
and IN so confOunding the distinctions between
right and wrong rs TO make either appear the
other, as may best suit his momentary pur.
pose but the time for reflection must come
when reason will resume its sway linen will
the multitude everywhere listen to the calm
and sober arguments of the statesman and pa
trlot, whose wisdom has been gathered from
history and experience, and who, seeing
the ns'urH' &C 1uences of every great DO
hbcaI movement, g able to point out wha
may be safely pursued and what had best be
avoided He knows that the interest and
happiness Of him IF and family are so init
mateiy connected and blended with the inter
est and happiness of all, that nothing which
Is destructive of the one can lead to the ad.
yancement OF the other. His advice, there
fore, though il may proceed from the motive
common to human nature, may be trusted,
because, along with his own interest, we
know 1T has been the result of a thorough
consideration of that of the many Lit is
one OF the gTcst objections to the progressive
spirit that it has raised up so many pseu-
d0-reformerS, who taking advantage of the
exeltements insepercbl from the rapidity of
modern discoveries in the arts and sciences
nOS-l ftxvn Of al
those branches of human knowledge which
are founded upon immutable and eternal Truth
1ney are Tor reforming religion itself. for
throwing aside all revelation but that which
Is daily sade to themselves, oy a series of
mystlfie&hons of which they pretend to be the
chosen apostles and expounders They seize
upon popular idea, and. retaining its name,
give II meaning utterly at variance With ne
original Impression. Thus, for example, it is
q favorIte idea with the citizens of the United
States that man Is capable of self government
1hese pretended mystical reformers but in
reality interested factionists, carry this doe
trlne I" the extent of maintaining that all laws
are an usurpation upon the rights of indiyid-
haIs, that every man should be a law to him
sen; ana Tins they arrOsantly declare to be
The will Of the C.eat0r. Is il wonderful tina.
a lew de!Gded individuals should be found in
every section OF this prosperUls Country ready
" behVe 4 doctrine so hattering To their
own self importance? Our Constitution teach
es US very different lesson Under that.
soreretS1tty belongs TO the whole not to the
lndlyidu B.; and We have still faith enough in
mat sovereignty to believe that it will be DOW
erful enough to put down all partial competi-
Inc OH'0T expatiates on the different phases
In which Know NOthingism presents itself in
different sections of the Union-in New Eng
land Louisiana, Ohio, New York, PonnsyIva-
MA, and elsewhere; holding doctrines in one
section as II does, directly antagonistic to those
1t holds in the other section.
The O"'0n also rejOices over the prospect OF
= union ct the SO long divided Democracy Of
New York