The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-01-21
LETTERS TO DIR. o. A. BROwNSON ON THE IN
COMING ADMINISTRATIONS. 2.

DEAR SIR The boldest political movement in his
tory the Inauguration by Senator Douglas and Others
OF the ansasNebraska The Kansas act was not
copy of an old model in legislation. II II had
any ancestors collateral relations they strangers
TO all historians; and such politicians have
attempted TO crown 1t with ancient honors have done
the democratic patty injury than they will prob
ably live TO remedy. Nothing has cursed the world
more than precedent Thousands of have been sx-
ecuted in Europe for the purpose of reconcing
apparent inconsistencies between the decisions OF an
Gent and those of modern times. They died technical
Deaths buried in technical collins and the outrages
perperated against them will furnish apologies for future
invasons of the dearest rights of humanity We seem de-
termined that every movement with which con-
nected shall boast the pure blood OF ustrous race
II must be in some manner tainted with nobility, we
repudate imperfect democracy The instant the ter
rtorial bill announced our political antiquarans
commenced their usual abors By the light of the SPLEEN
did pages of Gbbon they travelled century after century
over the gloomy chaos of the middle ages search of good
and sufficient for the startling conduct of the rad
cal democracy of the United States and finding nohe the
Nebraska bill pronounced political dragon OF mod
BIRTH and the holy ministers called upon to
assist in strangling it in its infancy.
know it is fashionable, sir, to denounce every new
movement in politics based upon the corrupt spirit Of
red republicanism. We infatuated in the United
States with the idea of sovereignty We must be reigned
and ruled imagine not properly govern.
ed With the experience of the world before us We stiff
cling the idea of centralized power having absolute
control of the interests of the communya blazing,
trail Of government overshadowing and paralyzing
every surrounding agency. aThe soucregnyp says
Mr. Taylor Of Caroline twas sacrilegiousy stolen from
the attributes of God and impiously assumed by kings
Though they committed the theft arstocracies and ropub-
lies have claimed the spols Imitation and ignorance
even seduced the English Puritans and the Long Par
Lament to adopt the desposm they resisted, and caused
them to fail in accomplishing a reformation for which
they had suffered the evils OF long war; Cromwell
himself may add became Of the greatest yrants Eng
land knew dsmocrary in his hands engine Of
terror and in its be committed of the grosses
crimes that blacksn the page Of history When he made
his fierce descent upon the Long Parliament the world
looked on in breathess silence hoped for better times
but lie installed than he chained the govern
ment of Britain the of precedent from conqueror
fdespotsm he became its temporary mbodment and the
genius of British liberty rembled while his iron egions
passed from shore shore and flashed defiance at the first
dawn of revolution in the world The whole doctrine of
sovereignty has been sadly misunderstood in the United
States and there il but one remedy must absolutely
discard the idea that resides anywhere of right but
in the body of the people So long the President and
Congress regarded the sole repositories Of auhor
ty so long the dupes of designing long
were we the slaves of masters of creation wearing
chains which hands had assisted in fasten-
| ing.
Again sir we have suffered much in the United States
account Of the pefnaey with which we have adhered
the doctrine Of exclusive privileges and chartered rights
To our shame be it Spoken have hardly dared till of
late step beyond the pale Of anquated usage We
every day referred to the Magma Chara Of England
though it were still technically binding upon any portion
Of the human race The laws of Britain have preyed upon
its ancient pages Until 1t has been almost completely ob
Grated and until it has become indeed in the mouths Of
many of the most learned ursts of England dead letter
Its highsoundng and splendid generaties have apollo
gzed during the last two hundred years for the dissent
nation by fire and sword of aBritish institutions"
large part of the hababe earth Magma CAdra it
wrung by the barons from King john is more it
practically nufed century ago; yet there mi
rads of men in country who talk of the rights they
Inherited from their English ancestors though they abso
lutely had inherited such rights and were not INDUCING
in the most unmeaning epeculaons. Chartered priv-
leges were granted by the Kings and Queens of Eng
land, and accepted by the Of the people
because they were believed to have cmanatcd from the
true sources Of power; very many Of them, however
1 were annued revoked by law and by the
archs themselves in spite of the legal fiction of their
mortality The great lawyers of England secuted the idea
that corporations in general invested with privileges
which could not be revoked The South Sea charter
annulled by the guardians of the public good
of the evils which had been suffered as conse-
of the grant Innumerable instances may be found
in history in which the doctrine has been for
may repudated that corporations any sacred
than individuals Virginia, which, as colony, had su
ered much under oppressive money making charter
took refuge under Stuart King, who, in the division Of
the colony paid regard to charters Carolina and all
the other colonies broke chartered lines in consdera
ton of the public good and the national safety Some
the States charters for territories extending
the western ocean, but when asked by the smaller States
they yielded their claims to the demands Of JUS
tce Yet we have politicians all around who would
the of the feuda ages by subecng prop
erty and industry ruinous tenure renewable forever
present House of Representatives by whom ideas treat
rentage be distinctly traced for thousand years OuI
judges Of courts regarded as visionary schemers
unworthy of public trust who venture to exercise their
reason if that be contrary to any precedent what
that be found in the records of this country
| England.
You have dscoursed in eloquent terms against the dan
gerous elements of what is called American progress
surprised to you lending your pen against the
purely imaginary alterations and hypothetical conduct
the incoming government Why, sir should you labor to
clog the of advancement Republics never stand
still they eernally rising falling. The only mon
archy in the world that has not changed its elements
ring the last few thousand years is that of China and
the great Oriental Empire has submitted foreign
tyranny. All Europe has been hundred times baptized
in the blood Of political martyrdom Is likely that
shall form exception TO the human racer Has his.
tory been already written and shall close the volume
| of mans progress this continent
We are permitted to advance in physical science the
kzol- r.