Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-09-06
Hope for the Country.

Ihere IS one aspect which the present times
present, says the Springfield Republican, so
bright with hope for the country that it should
not be passed unnoticed. The political struggles
Of the past few yenrs have been Of demoraliz-
ing character. Did not this fact fully appear in
the nature of the struggles themselves, their ef-
feet would leave no doubt on the subject. We
have been going down, down, down The strife
has been between parties,--not SO much over the
preservation of great, vital, benefcent princi-
Piles, as over the maintenance Of traditional party
dogmas and threadbare bits of party policy. 1t
has been over the retention or requirement of Of
fee. and the defense Of representative men. Into
this strife has entered so much of selfshness--1
selfshness, in fact, has been so much the great
controlling principle of it-that the public mind
has become thoroughly debauched, and men who
were once devoted to principle, and were even
isolated in their devotion, have been drawn into
the vortex, and now wallow in the dirtiest depths
of party corruption. ,ss5, +, e.ss a...s.5 s.. =.
On such night of national prostitution as this,
the star Of great principle rises. 1t illumines
great multitude of hearts, and the mists and the
darkness arescattered. Forgetting old party ties,
forgetting old party hacks, forgetting eaete
schemes of public policy, forgetting selfshness,
the newly enlightened host take q new song into
their mouths, new motives into their hearts, and
a new happiness into their bosoms. They feel
like men disenthralled from al long bondage. The
shackles have fallen; and they stand forth and
walk Gods earth once more as freemen, restored
to harmony with Heavens purest creed, and
clothed with the dignity of self-respect. These
men are now laboring unitedly for the good Of
the country-for the good Of humanity They
have arrayed themselves against monster wrong,
and are doing battle against it manfully and we'll.
To them the strifes for Office, the petty political
quarrels of cliques and cabals, appear ptiful and
contemplate. They win have nothing to do with
them. Their works higher. They are done with
the taskmastcrs. Principles--trut justice, lib
erty and the right-are what they are now de.
voted TO- not men. II 911ht 52Jeygfa e iaz fslf
This is the aspect Of affairs which we say is full
of hope for the country. Awork of regeneration
has commenced, and great good has been in.
augurated. It matters not to those who have
inauguratsd it whether the direct ends they seek
to compass be achieved or not, SO far as their
own great good is concerned. Buchanan, with
the of6ce-seekers who swarm around him like
flies, may secure reign at Washington; Kansas
may be sacrificed to the gods Of political lust and
human slavery; murder and rufianism may be
endorsed by the majority Of the American peo.
pie, and political corruption receive q new lease
OF power and fresh warrant for public plunder
AL this may be accomplished, but it cannot
eradicate the good attained by those who, in the
attempt to restore the lost reign of pubic virtue,
haze become the subjects sof, political regepera-
tion. They have found and secured treasure
which win pay them for all their pains. ~
To the Christian philanthropist, the present
aspect Of the North must be the subject Of almost
unalfoycd qualification. That men Of every party
and every kind of political association should
flock in crowds to give in their adhesion to q
great principle, that under its benign commands
they are gledly willing to array themselyes
against wrong which they have assisted to
establsh and suStaiu, rs indeed somettipe 70 re-
joiee cvef - psessst good, % we'll as something
to restore the NAaing son6dnceiu human virtue
and in the power of the people, wisely snd Chris
tianly 70 govern themselves. Thus, then, We hail
tho present. novement Of the N0fth as, indspen.
dently Of itsh direct ends, sser6st good and .
graat glory. H. h o irsloruafios which, n iss
naturs, cannot b niggssdly IN the dropping of
it, fruit So let u labor onysna while We eAns
not doubt that victory will e0nfs IL ths inns-s
diste struggle, let NJ labor with the sbsolutecsr.
tainty that " ate securing 10 ourselves, the coun-
tys and ~ Wof1d, = bsneat suspasssug alI The
sassifess u nay cost. .1aa'