New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-05-14

The strange position which this country occu-
pies of making vast democratic pretensions and Of
being at the same time the sole remaining Chris
tan and civilized people to justify domestic servi-
tude, and to seek to extend an institution which
even the more enlightened Mahommedan nations
have repudiated, attracts attention abroad as well
a. OF home. An elaborate article in the latest
number received here Of the Rerne des DeuI Monies
On the sources of our American institutions, dwells
with emphasis upon this subject, both at its COM
mencement and at its close.
"If there is in the world" this srticle begins,
ga great nation which has need to turn back upon
'itsef and to sound by reflection the dangers OF
g the future concealed beneath present prosperity
sit is surely the United States of America. The
"prodigous increase of their population, the aa.
"dacity Of their enterprises, the progress of their
"wealtb, may doubtless dazzle the traveller who
"runs through them, and may bewilder themselves.
"Of such illusions, there are abundant examples;
"but 10 cite none but our own-what stranger visit
"ipg France in the early days of lS43, would have
suspected the subteranean fires just about to
"burst from our soil in appearance so solid, and
"the strange, unperceiyed war covered up under
tut piOiOuuu ptuCci III HhC uiduuCA ~ - ho
"easy thing to detect the dangerous elements
(Which ferment in the bosom of American society,
Sand yet in bringing together the principal fea-
"tures Of it's situation, there are made evident in
"cOherences Of principle, contradictions Of fact,
"aDd radical incompatibilities, not at all accordant
with the ideas that history gives of real ma
"tionsl strength and permanency."
th;1t;aa tho
writer includes the institution of Slavery, of which
he speaks as follows:
"In the political order, the equality Of men has been
proclaimed as the absolute basis and, as it were spe'
cisl prerogative Of this Republic. Alone among ma
tiOns, it pretends to follow this principle to the end,
and yet to-day not only the maintenance bat the ex-
tension and conservation Of Slavery has become the
pivot Of its entire political movement. This 80 shame
full question agitates the elections absorbs the press
and floats as flag at the head of party; and this
party which wishes to keep in eternal slavery whole
race OF men, Is the preponderant party within, II
quests of Territories for the sole purpose OF iegazng
Slavery there in order that this crime may be
represented in Congress by 50 many sdaitionai
members that il may secure perpetual majority, and
may become the palladium Of the sanctuary OF equality!
AId to arrve at this end this party does not fear TO
favor aggressions which touch not merely feeble neigh
bors but which, to certain degree, infringe upon the
interests, the ideas the honor, even, of European
nations; so that, under the actual circumstances,
European war against America, whatever might De
the cause or the pretext Of it, would be likely 10 take
on the character Of Inonachcal crusade for the rights
of man against Republic which disreg ards and OPP
presses them II these fundamental contradictions OF
this internal anarchy do not develop in some
exterior dscord if this contest of principles does not
tend TO manifest itself in events, then America must be
paIt Of the world where facts and thoughts have no
connection with each other-a state Of things even
more lame ntable than would be revolutions from which
il saved at such an expense"
At the close of the article the same subject 10
sgain reverted to. After referring to Jeffersons
Intellectual attempts to the gradual abolition
Of Slavery, it proceeds and concludes as follows:
In consequence of not having listened to Jeffer-
son, America still drags this CHAIN growing daily still
and still heavierherself the slave Of her slaves. She
proceeds in course opposite to that of other natons
and notwithstanding the prodgies OF productive ndus
Try which she exhibits, she runs, with oil steam up,
besolopg toward barbarism. II lie impossible that in
this mad course she will not dash against some rock
which God viii put before her. Heert-rending define
atoms Of American Slavery, which, obliged to defend
tself against universal repulson by atrocious laws,
coupts the family Of the master teaches ferocity to
his chioren and unsexes the heart OF his wife, have
found readers even here. This will be the first in
saDce Of Republic maintaining itself by perverting
idea that the strength of Republics is in their
atty. Tbs, too, will be the first time that State has
set itself to counter TO the movement of the whole
world without being trodden under foot. May the
voices, as yet but too few which raise themselves IN
the United States against this scourge grown al
most irresistible, be better listened to May re-
covered reason, may the memory Of great founders,
and especially the imninence Of the danger, produce
sslutary reaction, at the rick Of some violence
and recall to this people the moral force which II
disspaies among the phsntoms of a false prosperity"
We trust that amid all the mutual congratuia-