New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-10-11

government has ever lasted for any considerable
length Of time; nor with the exception OF the
United States, has such government ever existed
al all in territories of any considerable extent
Hence the very general belief, among European
speculstors upon politics. that repubicanism is an
exceptional condition of human affairs, limited by
its very nature to brief periods and narrow heaters,
which never can become very prevalent, nor afford
a permanent basis upon which the government OF
any great nation ever can rest.
We in America have been accustomed to be-
Eeye ind to say that the wonderful success of our
experiment in sclf:goyernment has exploded all
these European hypothesis, showing that Repub-
licanism may be made to operate in territories no
matter how extended; while as to permanency we
have proudly insisted that no government IN Chrs-
tendon stands upon basis sOdand lasting as that
Of the United States. Heaven grant that this may
be so Heaven grant that in this most important mat
ter we may not be msled by that self suiicency and
self.complacency which foreigners are accustomed
TO set down as one of the distinguishing character.
istics Of the American mind. Yet it is too plain TO
be any longer winked out of sight, that if repub!i-
canisD is TO be as permanent and predominant IN
this country every Fourth Of July orator tells us
it must and will be, still it is not to escape those
very same trials and those very same enemies
which in all past ages have sooner or later brought
about lis extinguishmeDt.
History shows us that republics, wherever they
have existed, have always been oyerthrown by one
and The same process. That process has ever been
this: few wealthy and powerful citizens, impa-
tient of republican restraints, resolved to have
every thing their own way and to convert the gov
eminent into an instrument for promoting their
own private interest-Or what, very enormously,
often, they have esteemed to be such-have con-
spircd with or rather have employed as their tools,
the Ignorant idle and vicious rabble to Cypress and
silence by tumult uproar and violence, and gradually
thus to deprive Of any participation In the govern
ment the great mass of the lsbOrious, industrious
and thrifty citizens who constitute, as it were, the
brain and spinal column that give life, intelligence
and activity TO every republican government, and
without which in full vigor it cannot exist.
1t is BY mobs composed of the most worthless
part Of the community headed and led on by sprgs
of the arstocracy. and supported by the secret
ccuntenanee, if not hired by the money Of would
be aristOcracy, that the first assaults have ever
been made upon republican freedom. They begin
with nterrup,ing snd breaking up public assem-
bies, compelling large part of the more decent
ard peaceful TO forego their right 10 participate in
the discussion of public affairs. Next, they take
possession of the polls, and now by fraud and now
by violence determine the result of the elections;
till at last. every election having become at once
riot and fraud, the public mind gradually prepares
itself 10 see elections abolished, and the whole ad-
ninistration of affairs 10 be left in the hands OF
selfappointed oligarcby, or of single tyrant and
usurrer.
We indeed had hatteIed ourselves that 10 this
country We were free from any such danger, because
with the facility Of acquiring property aud the
diffusion of popular education there ought not to be
any such thoughtess, ignorant vicious and worth
less body of citizens, who could be employed as
tools and instruments for the overthrow OF our
republican institutions. Had our American social
and uolitcal system embraced only the Free States
there would seem TO be great deal of plausibilty
in this view Of the case; hut when We come to take
into consideration the Slave States also, the ques
from presents itself under very different aspect.
IF we compare our American system of republics
70 that Of ancient Greece, striking analogy IN many
respects may be perceived between our Slave Ststes
and Lscedamon and the other oligarchical, agricu-
tural largely saveholding Grecisn States, and no
Icss striking analogy between our Free States aud
bosecommercia states Astounding with free artisans,
Of which Athens may be taken as the representative.
In this latter class of states the democrat;cal prn-
cip,e was powerful as it is in our Free States yet
II WAS constantly crushed and suppressed. and oil
rnrcbicsl governments or tyrannies established on
il, ruins. by the Intervention which Lacedemop