The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-11


Of the struggles of the ant-savery and protlavery
principles in his country, gives the folo~ing re-
piesen'anon OF the great liberty, under the
sbadow ol whose branches every American ci-
uz'n hnds equal and perfect shelter from oppres-
sion emo coercion or from such influences even ~
'hose "hlch Mr.. Berkeley AYERS unfairly pre-
vent The ch' h'esemongers and farmers England
rom becoming radicals Perfect liberty of asso-
ciaIion (says Sir. PIERCE for political objects and
the widest scope OF discussion. are the received and
ordinary conditions OF government in our country.
Our institutions, framed IN the spint of confidence
in tie INTEL genCs and integrity a the people do
not forbid citizens either individually or associated
together, to attack by writing speech, or any other
methods short of physical force, the constitution
and the very existence OF the Union
We confess We read this paragraph with
prise only equalled by that which was created by
the perussl Il those to which il is preface. We
had thought, and we have paid very c,ose attention
To what bas been passing there, that for some time
past there had been no such thing as freedom Of
discussion in the United States. Correspondents of
all classes have sent from time to time and Continue
to send to this country accounts OF the tyranncal
manner in which the dOmiaant party-tbe party
which placed Mr. Pierce among the Presidents 81
the United States deny to their opponents all free
dom, not only Of action but of speech and Of the
ferocity with which they enforce silence and quies-
Cence. Mr.. ArOwsmith may have been under
the influence Of deluson for any hing we know
when he wrote his marvellous experiences on the
Georgian rail xay, but il scarcely he that all the
correspondents OF the English newspapers are in the
of letters published in the columns OF n contcmpO-
rary, giving account Of his personal experience m
Kansas and the lines of communication by which he
approached il, depicts state of organised terrorism.
the type and smilItude OF which is t0 be found no.
where but in the history of the i,st revolution OF
Flance. There has been no attempt to reiu'e Mr..
Gladstone, nor has the accuracy OF his statements
been denied Mr. Pierce says, in a paragraph OF
his message, that " the number and gravity of the
acts Of violence have been magniiied, partly by
statements entrey untrue, and partly by reiterated
accounts Of the same rumors or facts" 1t may
be so-probaby IS go; but We presume thai Mr..
Pierce will hardly deny that the legitimate voters
OF Kansas, on proceeding To toe organization Of
Legislature, met at the polling places by bands
of armed men from Missouri, headed by an ex-
President OF the Senate of the United States, who
by force o. arms and terrorism, debarred them from
the free exercise of their rights and privileges AZ
American citizens, and that this INVASION was not
Only notOriously but avowedly organized for the
purpose Of imposing, by force OF arns, upon Kansas
those institutions of slavery which it elt would
be repudiated by public opinion if allowed full
scope oil discussion ana freedom Oh expression.
Neither, We take 1t, can Mr.. Pierce deny that the
Legislature OF Kansas, so elected under the system
OF tenOi ism Of the men OF the south, passed law
by which discussion Of the question OF slavery was
made an offence punishable by two years ot hard
labor in chain gangs upon the high roads. This Ia
a fact as certain as positive, as true TACT as the
rufianly outrage upon Mr.. Sumner, not in an out
lying and disturbed territory, bat IN the senate d
the federal governmept-as lndisputibie fact M
mat Mr.. Brooks received from bs s;tive party
open and tumultuous applause for his cowaTdly ruff
fianism.
Will these facts staring Us in the face, does Mr..
Pierce really think that the civilized world sI be
eve that the Institutions Of The United States
public are efficient for their pIo.cssed purposes. cr
that they are capable OF assuring, practically, to
citizens that freedom OF opinion vi expression AID
OF action which they claim and possess theoretical
ly The circumstances which marked the election
Of the Kansas Legislature DO SEEM however, to
stagger even Mt Pierce. who maintained II subse-
elx l.tt
excuses his neglect TO give protection 10 the unfor
tuDaie Inhabitants OF Kansas, and his having per-
mitted the invasion from Missouri TO take It's
course unchecked, BY saying that II 'she pIesi
dent OF the United States intenered with such In
cidents OF civil freedom as these. il would imply that
he considered the people had ocied to be csOabe of
seltgovernment, aud any attempt 10 use his poser
~ President 20 control such incidents would involve
violation OF the deares. rights OF the people Of the
United States. The government, In such case"
continues this admirable !sasoper AID constitutions
list might be republican IN form, but IL would be
a monarchy in fact"
IN such be the case-ifthis i the real position Of
the executive government Of the United States
md IL the President really has not the power to pro
tect iss citizens from outrage and from the coercive
Arguments OF fire and sword when they attempt u
exercise egitimaely the privileges accorded TO them
by the laws OF the State, the sooaer such moCkevy
OF an executive Is done away with, the better Tor
civilization and true liberty. We would rather, for
our own part, espe cially II we were OF the weaker
party, have liberty under monarchy Than license
under the form OF n republic, accompanie by those
incidents Of civil freedom" which are begotten VI
II.
The Decay of spain and she Present Positips
of England.
(From The IOpd1 Times, Dec ~
IL ever there was q warning TO the nations " Is the
decay of Spain. We are too mu,h separated by
time and circumstances from the ancient empires 70
learn many practical lessons from their history Per.
sian, Greek and even Roman power rose and feil
with religions, societies and pdes OF life which have
now for ever passed away. The historical parallels
OF which writers Of the lat age fond are felt
now 20 be IN 10 than afe tation. Bot spain
IL still OF the European family. Three centuries
since, wnen Turkey pressed on Europe as Russia
docs now, the Spanish monarchy beld the position
which England now occupies spain conquered ana
coonized. the sun never set on her empire, she was
reat in shipping and trade. sbe raised vast quant-
ties OF the precious metals from her distant posses
sions she spread her language over the giobe, shc
had strong proseiy tzing sPrit lhd her mission,
arcs were eyei ywhere; her arstocracy were proud
and powerful, and her people distinguished by an
exclusive patriotism which Oiten took the form OF
rtdcness and arrogance. is ,mposs. DE 10 ignore
such parallel his or 10 be Indifferent 10 tbs
decline of nation rh,ch seems 10 harc Tua a
similar % iot trhich inrgsr SCALE destiny has
nork,d opt for England. What, then, is the state
Of SPAIN What IL the true position Of the country
vhcb. rising to greatness under saoell l., seems
plunged into the depths OF apathy ami degradation
under Isabella II1 We fear that the worst pictures
that have been drawn OF II are the trusst The de.
cert retCence of the press ara the mefey pOnilcsi
character of official documents have yelled the
worst features ~ Spanish society from the world,
and. though much curiosity is felt about the dones
OF this strange old land, and much IL written IN
pratiiy such feeling Yet It cannot De said inst we
know great deal concerning the Spanish court, pol
tcjans and people. But IL would seem that matters
are likely ~ rach a crisis. Tyranny, intrigue and
domestic scandals the one side-disoonien, dis
trust and hatred on the Other--msy, before long.
overthrow dynasty, or remodel the fabric Of an
srcitnt monarchy.
l. Is not merely that the political greatness Of
giain has departed, for that would be little. Swe
den and Holland are not what they were in formed
ages. Yet these countries are respectable and re
spected; the inhabitants need not be ashamed o.
themselves or their government. But, at the pre-
sent time, Spaniard Of good sense and quick feel
| ings must blush ior bis nationality. All the gres
ossessions Of the monarchy gone, except Cuba
ard the Philippines. The fleets which even within
the present century kept the sea against the English
| are now no more, and only few frgates represen
what was once the FIRST navy in Christendom. These
T! losses no thinking can set down to uncontrol-