New-York daily tribune., 1856-07-31
CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE DOUBTNd
sAS To THE FUTURE OF OUd COUNTRY
FROM AN OLD-LINE WBIG.

FROM AN OLD-LINE wBIG.
To The Editor ef TIE N. y. Tyibun~
Sir: An important crisis will call forth latet;ps
tr,ot,sm. Ibaye faita that there is in this coaaty
mnch of that noble yiru, which will not fail 70 be
hb;,ea when some p,est occasion demands IL. Al
though in our palmy times Of peace aud prosperity
there has seSnstt to be Cattbegenaa spin; peyadng
the at mass our eitizensa devotion topnvstegsn
and urcotcein about public affairs, except 80 fsI .
they bad direct bearing upon the prof's of Business
a public enemy would, doubt not, awaken an energy
of resistance worthy the descendants Of Revolutionary
fathers.
An open attempt at the subversion OF our Covert
ment by domestic usurpson would unite oar essnty
men il ptern array OF thoughtful, unshriokpg mss,
not depeIdent upon the leadership of fev spirits,
but having individuality of patriotism, thDush blended
into concert of action by CO nmoo purpose.
IN this respect our nation is distinctive from eyey
other that ever existed The English, in the reign d
Cbarles were nearest 10 US in the parallel, but ne
noble Parlsment OF 1910 and the " model" army "
der Fairfax and Cromwell were but part Of the nation
When the conflict arose between Presbyteriane and
Independents, II was found that the true frends Of
liberty he who have done the work OF over
throw ing y rsppicsl Government, were but minor
ity even of the Parliamentary party. 1t was found
unsafe to leave 10 the peop'e the free election ofaney
Psrheu.nt. Prelacy would again have been es.a5-
lhhed under new form, more intoerant u 40 thE
which had preceded il, and an aris,Ocra,ic tyr@y
more opp essive than the au'ocrscy which Chsrs,
had att mpted Bu, in this county the people
much more largely composed of intel g-pt and rish..
mind uen We not indeed altogether homogeo-
eous; there is large foreign element repairing tim,
ard exper,nc in order to become assn,lsted 10 lhs
older stock Such TOO is the imperfecon Of every
thing bumsn even il our own native population, thss
we must sllow for large intermixture o. dep-avel
babIts fatal alike to private worth aad public vds.
But, making Que allowance for oil these, il may ell
be aowcS to us to claim general integrity Of ind.
vi6usl character which has never been surpwsed.
Th're is virtue enough 20 resist Opea. agsrssaos.
Bot crisis sometimes not herslded by any nys
OF alsrm An insidoop policy may be stesltoly under.
mil ing the fabric of government unebserved exeep.
by wsfchiul ssgacty, which is not an attribute Of
popular sovereignty We may be sacrificed by cor.
rult part'zon combiostiOn which, by deep LAID plans
Ill sinister devices long pursued may obtsir the
mastery OF public atfshs, aid under false pretensss
vioat, the principles Of ouI Constitution and corruH
the public mind, or FOR unhsowed purposes reck
lealy involve the county in coDAc, with other nsions
exposing thereby our commercial prosperity and even
Ouj Liberty itself TO the peril OF military violence
IL cannot admit of doubt that crisis now exists IN
our Dauonai Affairs which is p0rtenous of evil The
caIger IA hat tn. extent OF that evil may not be fully
MEASURE d by public apprehension Our Government
said TO be ore Of .rorise. We a!e told that in
the administration OF the government there is per-
peiual need Of cOIcihsti0n TO keep in harmony the
JarDg con. ponents OF our Copfederscy; and this II
sound principle which | would not gainsay But the
very necessity of cancellation calls for the greater Gnu
tion against sacrificing what is essential to the very
existence OF the Government while seeking 10 AVOID
Temporary infaction of public quiet
There WAS compromise between Northern and
soothem States in the frst Coniederacy agansr Brit
I'm oppjess On. The qpota of men and money TO be
contributed by each was graduated by population,
Out with discrimination in favor Of the Sooth oi
counting tbree-fifths only Of the slave popuatioo-
onebo!f was claimed by the Southern representative;
II was bnaily compromised at throe-ffths.
by some sIauge psrys -son hitherto not sufficiently
explained, this fractional alo' nsbt which nigh, have
st-h proper il respect to uppies T. be furnished s,
with COO paIs,vely little discussion adopted Lto the
Corstaon Cf 1859 tbs bais of repr-s snta5joa 10
Cugrss. II ; ihs plan preV,i. sbicb w4s aSvo
csttG by some mtnpers " the Convent on of lesvug
the collecting Of The 70 the Sa,es atd essb
20 contribute il the proi otiob Of population a. there
there would bave ben Rrousd for making .ss
repfsehtati' IL soisr proportion. Bu. BY ,hese:va
compromises the Southern States frst bad a lighter
ouic'n OF Contributor, while the represeptstou Of all
iet States was 'qu, ard then lsrg-r representative
wber the burden If c"ntiboon had altogether ceased
or raiter, wheb the revenue Of the 'verlnsnt wsS
IL v"s,ly Increased Ist'o levied fom the weano OF
the Northern s!es The q,cts required uoder tee
in f,pf for
Slater. Massachusetts and CoDneciicot alone nade
up The amount requred of theui al 'he o'aefs we're
ce6ci mt snc the four southern States ';s def ent
Of all. Yetitwasa true sphit Of patriotism ssich
then setus.ed the representatives Of the several
State. No ibvidioas complaints we're at,ered-the
forces and money raised 70 New England We e largely
euuoysd in tie d. ferse o. those States ELo had failed
Ia the con.r.bpons: aud Il was right, Dr ne eaase
yss ono il wss the defyn Of the ahols county. But
when, under .be Federal ConsIiiu,in of i7s9 Il ~ss