Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-07-03
From Harpers Magazine.
THE COMITIA ARE AT HAND.


convened at the polls, and a few short hours
in a chill November day. will determine
the political destinies of the Great Repub-
lie for the next four years. The lofty and
legitimate ambitions of some, the sordid
hopes and fears of others, the material ex-
isence of thousands, will be determined
BY the result of those active hours.
With politics as such we can have nei-
ther art nor part. To other organs Of pub
lic opinion lard their name is legion) is
left The warfare Of parties; but no Ameri-
can citizen ever DISTINGUISHES himself. no
true American citizen ever loses his inter
est in the welfare of his country; nor can
he ever contemplate the approach Of new
presidential term without interest and anx-
iety. The vast power and influence Of the
Office of. Chief Magistrate, the serious con-
sequences of the etruggle, must. on these
occasions, ever Eindle keen emotions in
the breasts Of all who are not casema,el by
pecuniary caSes, or wrapped il 'he selfish
Indifference tlat luxury oneordcrs.
The world has neve. h''e.oioro seon any
thing like t'r-e elections \ hiozop4ic-
al inquire nigh esk vfeth.t i was By
acci ciler, r : IN h. those wonleafll Oh
Romqns lin.red TIE caosula, 'erm 20 sin
gle y-a~; ihns immensely elucing The val
Ne If the highesi prize in he great demo-
cratic lottery. At all events the popular
convocaiions of Greece and Rome were
child's play compared to ours. Never be
fore has the world seen such formidable
masses of civil combatants; so much tu-
multi and disorder, so much organization
and systematic discipline; so much reck-
less license of speech and press, so much
grave discussion of the gravest topics; so
much froth and foam, so much reason and
logic; 50 many of all classes commingled
in contest where neither birth nor posi-
ton, nor any of the merely adventurous
aids to fortune avail anything; and, what is
most remarkable of all. never before has
the world seen such frenzied violence du-
ring a conflict, such tranquil submission
after it.
The character Of the mind Of America
is as peculiarly marked as are the great
features of its nature. On the outside one
would think it all extravagancc and license.
The whole cf the Chuzzlewit race stand
a9hast at its reckless demeanor. History
has no record Of such unchecked freedom
Of speech, and such extremes Of avowed
opinion, as are ma tero of daily occurrence
here. On the subject of temperance, of
women, of slavery, Of marriage. the most
ultra, the most uncompromising theories
are daily promulgated from press and pull
pit, from lecture-room and tribune, with a
vehemcnce that seems TO threaten the safe
ty of the spheres. Men of sober judg-
ment in all other relations Of life, rave and
rant like mad fakirs and dervises Wo-
men of unimpeacbcd modesty and reserve
enter the arena as boldly as if they were
trained to the giadiatorial flight. But du
ring all this time the great body of our peo-
pie, grave, thoughtful, laborious, and per-
severing, calmly, and without disturbance,
move on in the pursuit Of their various in
terests, utterly regardless Of those novel
and interesting theories that threaten to
overrule the laws of fgravitation, and to un-
ship the solar system itself.
In politics how changeab.e are we, and
vet how constant? how fckie and yet how
serene? A Kaleidoscope can not outdo The
rapidity with which he personnel Of our
political world changes. Every year pro
duces a new crop # public seiviee-he-
foes, orators, statesmen, everything but
mart.rs. Our laws are like the leaves in
Vallombrosa's vale. Every year we get