Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-02-01
Che Chronicle.
FRIDAY, FEB. 4, 1856.
How long will our Republic survive


The spread of Romanism, which
never yet tolerated free and prospe
rous Republic-and the former steal
thy but now undisguised encroach,
ments of Slavery, which ever has been
and ever must be cancer eating into
the very vitals of true Rcpublicanism
often cause the anxious thought to
arise in the bosom of the rejecting
patriot, Will the American Republic
long continue ? or. will it follow in
the path of the numerous Republics
whose wrecks are strewn along the
shores Of the past? This question
will again present itself on reading
the opinion of Ex-Gov. LOUIS Kos
sUTH-forwardcd to the CHRONICLE
by a friend-as contained in the
following extracts from a letter to
the New YORK TINES, dated
LONDON, Jan. s, 1856.
x !, for ono, sat
musing in solitude at the midnight hour
of the year lS55-to me year of hard
ship, friendless, joyless, sad-and l have
read the future in the mirror OF the past
My impression is, that the year 1886
will not pass without great revolutionary
commotions in Europe. The camp of the
Governments remains divided. In vain
has Cabinet diplomacy loaded itself with
one atrocious crime more-the crime of
having sacrificed kars to the speculation
of paving the road for an Austrian peace
by affording to the Gar the prestige of
victory, at the expense of Turkey, over
heroic garrison, more glorious in its fall
than the Allies in their success at Sebas-
topol-just as Saguntum is more glorious
by its fall than its victor by conquering it.
Psass-ss impossible. The immortality of
k8gs will continue to squander the blood
and treasures of nations in an aimless war,
but the nations will awake, and one of
those tremendous connections which mark
an era in history, will shake to its very
foundation this our old world. Such is
my presentiment
But if the signs of time do not belle US,
the prospects of America are not brighter,
if not gloomier. We have our despots, you
have Slavery. This is the worst of the two;
With US, nations will stand against tyrants.
with you, the nation will stand divided in
itself, and brother will raise hand against
brother, in irreconcilable antagonism. For
the first time in your history, (Which, by its
shortness, should warn from prefdence,) }
will the Presidential election turn exclus
lively on the issue of Slavery-that stain
on your escutcheon, that curse on your
security. A sore trial it will prove, ,forsooth-
Slavery will, in all probability, carry the
day. The slave-holding interest stands
compact not so their opponents social
and material interests divide their camp.
The .lave-holding interest is sure of some
auxiliary supplement from that quarter.
Their victory is more than probable.
However, the election is not solution; it
is but symptom, and nothing more; it is
but fuel added to flame. Thrice already,
since the Constitution was framed, in l7S7,
thrice already this question has been COM
promised. But compromises between prin-
ciples can not last 1t is but palliative
The sickness recurs, and either l am greatly
mistaken, or else it will not bear another
compromise Either Freedom or Slavery:
the two can not 60 long together. May
the Almighty eye watch in mercy over
your trials KOssUTH.
We have never regarded kOssUTH
as a prophet, or as a man of superior
Judgment, however much we apreci-
ate his patriotism, his intelligence and
his virtues. But we place his surmi-
ses upon record, as matters of public
interest.
Certainly, never was people bet
ter situated for carrying out the great
Republican principle of Equal Rights
and SelfGovernment, than the Amer
ican people. This, however, is no sure
indication Of the perpetuity of even
the FORM of our Government much
less does it insure that the true SPIRIT
of Republicanism will be perpetuated.
The Jews as nation were certainly
as much favored as we are 4; yet they
relapsed into idolatry. and rebelled
repeatedly, in their forty years jour
ney. After their settlement in beau
teous and bounteous Palestine, they
also soon required Kings, by whose
oppression and misrule their Union O
States or Tribes was broken, foreign
nations warred successfully agains
them, and they were finally dispersed
and blotted from the list of nations
The philosophical histories Of Greec'
and Rome illustrate the general trutl
that favorable circumstances are NJ
security for Republicanism when mer
are bent on foreign conquest-regarC
their personal aggrandizement above
the common weal-and live in dali,
violation of the first principles of thu
rights Of man. Mexico and the Soutl
American Republics $50 called hav'
abolished personal Slavery vet tn,