The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-01-03
THE DAILY DlsPATOH.
Thursday Msrning, january ., 1855
The House Of Representatives.
TA pan9ers or The raioa. 4 !


Dagger or The raion. 4 80
The extraordinary spectacle which the Heuse Of
Representatives has presented since the com
uaencement Of this session. has no doubt inspired
the minds of the euesnies u republieaniEm crery-'
where. with the mos ssHfying confdence inthel
speedy disruption Of orr Enien and downfall OF
our institutions. There 4. hsvertheIess, In these
strange proceedings, and in the manner in which
they have been received By the eoensry, more
striking ius,ration Of the capacity OF Americans
for self government than any other people have
ever afforded. For month. the deiegases OF
thirtvone States representing interests the most
diverse and ag4ated by passions and views The
most conflicting have assembled in grand nation
al council, and without tho outside pressure OF
standing army, or any outside pressure whatever,
ave the all pervading and ali powerful atmosphere
Of public sentiment; without even an organization
Of It's own to keep Il in order, and with actually m
presiding officer except the mere CLERK of fefinef
Congress; have proceeded every day, in me n's
charge of their duties with as perfect
TEN and decorun,. assny deliberatiye body ia the
world. In the meaIftius the great pubic, The ma
nv headed monarch, looks OBJ with scarcely any
emotion save that produced ~ curiosity, as if It
were entirely satisfied that siGasd m Serss come
TO the worst and its servants at Washington threa-
;en 70 become nischieyous Il can take ihe matter
In hand itself and that greater catastrepae VIII
be the result than the political death of the wor-
thy gentlemen who may push their private scaesHes
TO an exit enc which endangcrs the public good
: We do not pretend to say that in their indihe
. renee TO such scenes as those which have lately
franspired in Congress- in their confident assu'
rance of the inynlnerable life of the American
Union, the American people are right. AT all
events we think they are rot wise. It is well new
or despair of the Republic II is well to look on
The bright side, and amidst the stotiaiest seas and
under the darkest armament, to hold ON TO Faith
and Hope the sheet anchor Of our nati07Fsl yes
sci But there ia danger of being too sanguineS of
- emitting, in our own security, that jealous yigi~
lance which we have been told is essential to the
preservation of liberty; in placing too much conf
dence IN the bark that carries anu our fortunes
We are too apt to imagine ourselves a chosen
peopls, like the children Of Isrsel; people raised
up to hold In trust for mankind the precious de-
posit of civil and religious freedom; TO be the
sole guardians Of the ark of liberty and the
exclusive propagators of free principles through
ont the world We look with natural pride upon
our wonderful history upon the vast and vigor-
Gus strides Of our young republic 10 empire; upon
the prodigous expansion of our territory; and we
cling to the idea of manifest destiny with tenacity
as remarkable as that which distinguished the
people Of Israeli when, in broad stream of con-
quest they overfowed Canaan, Judah leading the
battle like lion, and Benjamin rayening Ike
lions whelp. 1t Is not for to say whether this
singular confidence in supernatural mission is
cheer fanaticism or whether there be some meth
cd in the madness. Ii Is not for man to interpret
the purposes of Heaven, or TO pronounce author
tatvely upon them, even when they seem most
clearly revealed by the manifestations of Prov
dsnce It may be, for aught we know TO the con
trary, that God has raised up here chosen peo
ME to spread over the earth the blessings of know
ledge and good government to proclaim liberty to
the captive and break down the idols of despot
ism and oppression throughout the world Yet,
oven were all this true it is possible for US TO
fail in accomplishing manifest destiny, it
was for Gods chosen race in former days We
like Them by corruption and perverseness, may
provoke Heaven to cast US aside and substitute
some other instrument for the accomplishment of its
ends. The day may come, and perehance is not
far distant, when political temple shall be Civ
en- to the flames and by lis lnrd glare our sec ton
al parties, like those of Jerusalem, clutch each
other in a death grapple whilst the invaders may
come, like the Romans, and take away the place
and nation of this modern people of God
respect ominous-they present another exhibit
ton on the part Of our public men of an
ambition which is perfectly regardless of eve
rythlng but its own personal exaltation 1t is
not the subject of slavery which threatens the per
manency of our government but the corrupt am
btion which would seize that any other subject
10 advance, matter at what sacrifices, its own
personal aims. Were political aspirants always as
pure and disinterested the masses of the people
North and South each holding its own views in re-
gard to slavery might agree TO differ and live in
peace together till the crack of doom. But the
inordinate love Of power and place which has over
thrown all former Republics,i al work undermine
the foundations last and grandes fabric of free
institutions. The domestic servitude of the South
affords instrument by which, under the holy
names Of humanity and Freedom demagoeues to
advance their own corrupt purposes, are ready to
= deprive both humanity and liberty of the bound.
&less good which must result from the permanent
establishment of such government as that of the
y United States. .....t .--s.s. ....- ~, ~
Ii seems almost incredible, but facts leave us no
room to doubt that there not only scores of DO.
ltical asprants in this country who for the sake Of
obtaining the Presidency for four years. would
snake the government 70 Its foundations, but hun
dreds of others. who TO obtain even the sular3in.
of new republic, would gladly see the American
Union overthrow, and with it all the ho,as as
mankind; who would sink the great ship Of stste
that they might seize one OF the timbers a,d eo.t
into pleasant harbor. There plenty of such ,,an
as these,-men who for thirty pieces of silverwons
sell the political salvation OF the worid-wretehe s
more treaeberous than Judas, more powerful 10
work permanent mischief, and without the shame
and remorse which should prompt them 10 go out
and hang themselves.
Amid the smoke and confusion of the Congress.
siona strife for Speaker, amid the senseess uproar
about Nebraska and Kansas, through the murky
gloom of black republicanism the form of the arch
agitator Sew ard, surrounded by his inferior ips is
distinctly visible ciutching for the seeptre and
anxious rather to rale in Hell than serve in Heav
en-. And ruler in Heb he viii be if his schemes
succeed. The Presidency he NAV reach Int 4,
viii not be the Presidency of the United States.-
1t win the chieftsnshp Of section separated from
the Union, and involved in all the unspeak able
horrors of civil war Were Seward the only no
tician capable of advancing his own fortune at
the expense Of his country, should have no rea-
son for apprehension. But there are scores look
H. ia xnn1. ~