The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-11-05

i Volumes have been written, 10 every know
language on man as religious. social and sen
tent being. Theologians analrse and descn5
him officially. Psychologists make anatomical
examinations Of bis organisation as sensation
1 al and thinking entity; and metaphysicians div
deep into the mysteries Of his phenomenal exis
tence or character; but though politics has Ion!
/ since been elevated into science, and the econ
omies of human life and government have en-
gagged the labors of profound writers and pow
erful pens, We have, in all our literature, not
single work devoted exclusively to man as {
politician. This is great want, especially ir
this country, at the present time, when IMAM i:
very uncertain, = and where every one may be
SAID TO have political life as distinguished from
his social and religious life. Who ofour clever
writers will supply this want? MAN viewed
as politician is fruitful theme for any one
possessing qualifications to do it justice. An
Instructive and useful volume might be written
on 1t; and in a representative country, where
law and government not only depend upon, but
are direct emanaiions from the popular will, it
is desirable in the highest degree that We should
know not only by what slight incidents and
frivolous causes that will is effected, but By what
law OF nature the mutations of that will are gov
erned, and by what course of mental culture
We can train the mind and will SO as to control
those cratic tendencies OF thought and feeling
which make everything in political life unstable
and uncertain. Very few men change their re-
Sigion every year. Very few change their views
OF personal virtue and social duty dozen times
between manhood and old age; but how many
there are who never have any settled political
views, or political sentiments, OF their own. and
who are unable to the end of their DAYS to ar
rive at any thing like clear. fixed conviction
on what may be called their political duties
They belong to this party one year, to that par
y the next year. They hold at one time, or
affect to convince themselves and others that
they hold. views which they repudiate and pro-
lounee fallacious and absurd at another time. |
Their political opinions are like the sand on the
shifted with every tprn of the tide. |
At one time they are stoutly conservative; at
mother rabid disorganisers. Hence the com
non inquiry about men, in politics, where can
&c fiad thems'' Where do they nor stand?n
Where we find them this week, We NAV not
nd them next week. Where they stand now,
hey may net stand a day hence Ifsuch men
ad lived in the days OF IS, this country, in
lead OF being great free and independent
oTernment, would to-day be British colony.
'hy all this shifting and changing? Why
lould man, IN every other matter of conviction
: belief be stable, fixed, or slow to change. {
ut IN politics be as changeable as the winds
Id as uncertain as the calculations for the
Gather published in the almanacs. Who will. :
who can, analyse and describe man as A pol a
clan, and explain to us the laws which gov e
tse phenomenon of his political existence? /
here Is truth somewhere in politics: but how )
1t to be discovered There are principles to
maintained, and there is a right course to be c.
rsued in the exercise OF political privileges r.
d fY2ttionss SO every body declares; but who n
n lay down an infallble rule for mems guild -
&C. The American people are, as yst. but r.
'ldren in the management of political affairs,
4 while they are adopts at building of plat tt
ms, % and enthusiastically seize up any new P,
novel dogma, and are preemnent for barbe- II
IS and stump orators, we fear they are ma
sbut poor progress in political studies to
. ---71,1>@N..HS~-~-~~. CO
As reference, at this particular time, We fe
,Iish the popular vote Of the several States su