The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-07-14

10 the remoteSt corners OF the earth, let us.
upon this occasionSturn our attention to the
condition of our country and learn wherein if
at all we have improved upon the lessons which
our fathers taught us.
Alas! fear that the enquiry will not prove
favorable to US. 1t seems to me that the vir-
tue and simplicity of Republicanism were new
er so fully exempified in this country as they
were during the earlier periods of our consti-
tutional history
| believe, also, (although the conviction is
painful one) that true Republican simplicity
and virtue were never, during the history OF
our government, so thoroughly disregarded by
those III authority as atpresent. There seems
10 nave been Tor the last few years spirit
among the people of the United States, almost
Ell ire and irresistible, of party attachment, of
party prejudice, and of party devotion. 1t is
spirit alike at war with the example taught
US by our fathers, and with the true genius of
republican liberty. IL is spirit which, when left
unchecked and uncontrolled even in govern.
ment like ours, is almost certain to sweep away
every vestige of true liberty, and to establish
a despottsm more potent and irresistible than
that which 1t pretends to oppose Nay more
1t is spirit which lays its ruthless hand upon
the purest, noblest and best of men, and with
49, >AOAo, OIL iPo tuSui vi tuC udfU earned
aureis they have won, and dooms them to a
life of disappointment and obscuritv. 1t often
deprlves the State of its wisest and safest coup-
sellOrs, and places the destinies of the people
In the hands of unprincipIed and Incompetent
uenagogues. AS necessary consequence, it
leads It's votaries to an abandonment of prin-
ciple, stiles the noblest impulses of genius.antl
removes from the human mind everything like
an exalted pmuIatio ON, or,,cu,. =,
stead, subservcncy to popular prejudice and
passion, which is alike at war with the prac-
tIce OF our fathers, the true principles of Re
publican liberty, and with true greatness of
character. s-..
The Father Of this, our beloved country. at
the close of his eventiul public life, looking
back into the past with feelings of the most
profound gratitude, and forward into the fu-
ture with almost prophetic vision, saw that
the spirit of party was, perhaps, the rock upon
which our government might split, and with
all the true devotion OF his atrotic soul,
warned his feIlow-citizens against its blighting
whitening influence. In his farewell address
to the people Of the United States, he says -
" Let me now take more comprehensive view
and warn you in the most solemn manner
against the b ,neful effects of the spirit of par
ty generally. This spirit unfortunately is in
separable from our nature having its root in
the strongest passions of the human mind
1t exists under different shapes in all govern
ments, more or less stifed, controlled or re-
pressed, but In those of the popular form it is
seen in its greatest rankness, and ist,uly thci,
worst enemy. The alternate domination o.
one faction over another sharpened by the
spirit of revenge, natural to party dssensions
which HIifnrnpf ~ nnt ntrp hos ar
pctratcd the most horrd enormities, is itself a
lrightful despotisIn, but this leads at length to
a more formal and permanent despotsm, The
disorders and miseries which result, gradually
incline the minds of men to seek security. and
repose in the absolute power of an individual
and, sooner or later, the chief of some pre-
vailing faction, more able or more fortunate
than his competitors, turns this disposition to
the purposes of his own elevation on the ruins
af public liberty.
Without looking forward to an extremity
! Of this kind, (Which nevertheless ought not to
be entirely out Of siyht) the common and con-
nal mischiefs Of the spirit of party are suli
cicnt to make it the interest and duty of wise
people to dis. courage and restrain it, 1t serves
always to distrac. the public mind and enfee-
Die the public adminstrSsli ton. ltagitates the
WIN >>'-~'
false alarms, kindles the luminosity " one part
against another, loments occasionally, rlvt ana
Instruction 1t opens the door to foreign in
iluence and corruption, which find facilitated
access to the government itself, through the
channels of party passions"
Such, my fellow citizens, was the solerln
warning OF him whose character alone has
done more to spread the influence Of Repubi-
oa Ehortv than al bn
formed. Such was the warning of him who
in the early history of our constitutional gov
ernment, called to his aid the great and pa
triOtic Hamilton, and the pure and far-seeing
Jefferson, and cleaned his great arm on them
for support Himself too great, too patriotic,
too pure to be partizan, he only thought OF
calling around him for support, those who
could aid him in laying deep and permanent
the foundations of liberty in the land he loved
so well.
Of what avail was it to him that these great
Americans differed even on some important
questions OF civil poity. His penetrating eye
saw at ono that they possessed too much of
wisdom, knowledge and patriotism, to be was
ted away in an Improbable party warfare
Washington knew them to be honest, to be pa
trlotlc, TO be great, and by calling them both
to the aid Of his administration, he felt assur-
ed that the country would be blessed the foun-
dations OF liberty Strengthened the first
administration OF Constitutional government,
placed upon sure and firm basis
1t is not unreasonable to infer that the first
President of the United States, bred and dis
cplined as he had been in the camp, and pre-
vented as he had been in consequence of his
responsible duties from devoting much of his
life to the study Of the philosophy of govern
ment, that he was greatly indebted for the
wisdom of his Administrations to the dis.
cusSion OF those principles 10y such men us
these. The Fact that they differed was a source
OF adyantag to him and to the country 1t
brought out from the hidden recesses of their
great minds, the rich treasures of wisdom and
OF knowledge which they both possessed. And
although he might have differed with them
both IN some questions of Importance, yet be
saw in them the exhibition of that patriotism.
which prompted them to labor for the public
good alone, and wisdom and experience which
himself and the country SO much needed.
The practice adopted during the administra
ton of Washington, and the earnest, solemn
appeal which he made to the people on retir-
ing from public life, appeared for time to
have made a deep and lasting impression upon
the great heart of the nation.
In those days of republican simplicity no
one was deemed qualified for place ON account
OF the peculiar service he had rendered a fac
ton or a party nor was any one prescribed
by reason of his lOyIlr liberty hettor than cla