The Kanzas news., 1857-09-12
Conservatism.


men," conservative Pro-slayery men, %
and conservative Democrats The next
thing we expect to hear of Is "conserva-
tive Disunionist." Everybody seems to
have discovered some miraculous virtue In
the word conservatism. IF they can only
tag it on to the tail end of their creeds they
seem to think that it VIII, like charity, COW
er multitude of sins.
Now, what is conservatism? What is
meant by those who thus use it We ques-
ton if they can tell. When man tells us
that he is conservative this or that, we al
ways feel ike asking him for definition of
this modifying deity of opinion We sup
pose if these parties could explain it they
would say that they were Free State men,
but not very much so; or Pros slavery men,
but not very much so. Itreminds US of the
excuse given by an unfortunate damsel for
| adding another unit to the human popula-
ton of this wicked earth. "sYou have had
a baby?" was the sharp interrogatory. eyes,
ma'a am, Uery lille one"
Your conservatives are like corporations,
they have no souls. They occupy the same
position in politics that the merchant does
to the community; the former stands between
the producers and consumers-the conserva-
| tive between those who are guided by prin-
ciple, and those who are guided by the want
of it. The former of these classes want to
do right-the latter to do wrong. The con-
servative is willing to compound by doing a
little of both. If measure of just and
lofty principle is thrust upon him he will
not consent to take it unless at least one half
the virtue is knocked out of it. Just so with
very wicked measure; he will cheerfully
lend his assistance if you will strike out one
half of it. In both of these cases he thinks
he has made bargain. The great aim of a
genuine conservative is to do what our Sa-
viour said it was impossible to do,-eom-
pound between God and mammon.
The conservative is only peddler in 9th
er mems opinions. He has none of his own,
and does not want to have any. He would
not be responsible for one on any considera-
ton. He would like to have an opinion like
all men, but as that is impossible he gets as
near it as he can by steering exactly between
all opinions.
The conservative man treats a political
swindler great deal better than he does
man of principle. The former he regards
with much respect, even while he endeav-
ors to modify him, but the latter he denoun-
ces as fanatic. A man who will not sell
his conscientious opinion for money, place
or power, is, of course, fanatic. That any
one could hold to an opinion merely for
what was good in it, does not appear "a
tional.
AS matter of course the conservative
man never makes step in advance. He
only locks the wheels of civilization and locks
them equally in going up hill as in going
down. He is the embodifycation of the cir
cumlocution Office, and shows them show
not to do it, in splendid style. He has
fought every Improvement that ever knock
ed at the threshold of the world. He helped
to put Calico in prison because the latter
found out that the world went round He
burned saw mills for fear they would take
the labor from hand sawyers. He secuted
the steam engine as monstrosity, and would |
have put the inventor of the steamboat, in |
mad house if he could.
In the DAYS of Jesus of Nazareth, he was
.'Pharisee of the strictest sect" with an |
eye to philacteries. During the reformation
he burned heretics, or, at least, excused 9TH
er people for burning them. In the revolu-
ton he was a conservative tory, or if he
happened to go with the revolutionary party,
he was then, as now, not Republican, and
was opposed to doing anything. In these
days he is great on compromises. He sells
his opinion for-we were going to say for
what it is worth, but he always gets more,
for it is not worth anything.
Conservatism is a po,cer without cause
an army without banners-a party with
out principles. On jury the conservative
makes an arithmetical division between the
claims of Plaintiff and Defendant. In
legislature he tries to get both parties to
give up half of their own opinions and take
half of the opinions of the other. The con-
servative is-intrinsically-a barbarian.-t
If left to his own resources he would have
been conservatively tatooed. covered with
conservatively dirty paint, and eating '.fa-
naticaP' missionary.