The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-06-10

lZes II promotes napplness OF misery, virtue
or vice, holiness or sensuslism, according to
these ends.
Aud we hear the same class of materialis.s
denounce the worlds workers as men of one
| :des;" ss though any man could breast the
current or stem the tide, could wake the slug
yish race, give. form to society, and soul and
sentiment to man or even achieve those less
difficult, though, to vulgar eyes, more striking
material triumphs, that send the steam engine
along the mountain elope, or the lightning upon
IT'D quiet postboy errands, who is not controlled
| by leading, absorbing, all conquering idea.
A resolute purpose, steady zeal, must burn in
his soul. An mistaken constancy, granite
principle, great ideal erd, mu I take posses
sion of him, must overpower and drive out the
seductions of incidence or sense, must dispos-
sess the idols that would preoccupy or divert
him, and bear him "onward, right onward"
to his goal, and with q steady momentum that
first excites the derision, next the wonder, and
finally takes captive the will of those around
him. Tell me who has the most enduring pur-
pose, and, with anything ike equality,
will tell ycu who will conquer. The sure pro-
scriptions of their enemies, the derisions of the
brainless are the certain tribute to their power
| and if borne as heroes alone can bear them, the
pledge of their triumph. But pray the scoffer
! to point me to the achievements of those who
are not men of one idea who have no control
ling purpose, no fixed faith, bat are foats,
tossed upon every wave, waits cast upon every
shore, butterflies waited upon every breeze.
| Were / to indulge in personal illustration, |
| might point to men OF my own section--men of
! great opportunities, and who have become illus-
,rious or an offence, according to their faith,
their fixedness OF purpose. | might instance
our Websters and Van Burens, who, seeing the
4 cfr lod he
wrong; yet loving the lap of Dehlah more
than the rough tents of Israeli" yielded to
| treacherous caresses and became but the sport
of the common enemy. Those who might have
carved themselves name on which the hope
fol would come from afsr to look who might
have given their country faith, bowed to the
superior will of their enemies, aud are laid,
and are waiting to be laid, in the forgotten
graves of the vulgar great.
| l might also point to Adsms-and my
colleague will pardon me for adding our Gid
dings-whose fidelity, whose will, amid storms
Of foes, and, what SO much more tries a great
mans soul, the shrinking of coward friends,
| boldly met, breasted, and overwhelmed the
| tyranny that had stihsd this House, and restor-
ed, what to lose is to lose all, freedom of de-
bate to this the peoples Hall. Ay, and more:
that viii, that resolution, is taking captive the
honest, the free> masses of the land and the
fresh impostions of mad tyranny, instead of
cowing and discouraging, but inspire them to
eager labor and patient waiting for its sure
overthrow.
might also instance from the champions of
force, from those who have fought so well in a
cause SO bad, the name of Calhoun, the John
Calvin Of the propaganda. Constant in his
labor, uudiFerted by personal hopes or party
ties, with only band, scarce a twelve, OF &C.
knnu ledr f,n in he lie
he has finally, by his fidelity and by his and
their perseverance, furnished the dcgmas and
controlled the action of the party of absolutism.
He affected no consistency but in the one idea.
lie was pure in his life, yet the apostle of sys
tematzed violence and unchecked lewdness.
He was clear in his logic, yet he ran to the
most opposite conclusions. Starting out with
the boldest and most outspoken opposition to
Democratic principles, he and his. followers
have given laws to the Democratic party.
Holding the Union to be subject to the viii, and
its measures to the veto, of any State, they have
indirectly dictated the policy that makes States
but subject provinces, and their authorities the
sport of the pettiest Federal official Constantly
talking of Constitutions and laws, they as co.,
siantly labor to turn back the tide of civiliza
ton, aud re.enthrone the "lsw of the strong
hand Yet there was method in all these in
consistencies, aresolute purpose running through
! them, will that has wrenched from coward
psr,isans the stamp of State, and made current
| g1incas Of them all.
| have often been surprised to see men ap-
| parentiy so nGooHcious of the power Of great
idea They would erect that most sublime of
creations, Just State, by appeals to mere pc
cuniary interest, as though interest alone ever
worked in that direction, ever withstood the
lower instincts-as though, untempered by the
sentiments, it ever appealed but to the merest
avarice. 1t nee ds high passion, noble en-
;huSasm, an elevated principle, to work the
beneGcent revolutions of earth. True, our high
est interests are in harmony with them, like the
sympathy of the elevated spirit and body. The
body should be fed; bat man lives not by
| bread alone"
| The honorable gentleman from Massac hu.
sets, Mr. THAYER himself distinguished for
a great, a Teutonic, ideslism-has told Us of
the power Of organized emigration. | deeply
sympathze with him ard his idea, and only
fear that he too greatly relies upon mere inter
est. How long would his Kansas emigration
have stood the bloody foray and the Federal
lrown, had it not been recruited and sustained
by the sentiment, the idea, that burned in the
Northern mind? There was no organization
in the West; aud yet, without the aid of the men
and women of the West, impelled By their
] q,
| cry q Organized emigration would have been
impo'eat against the mad fanaticism of the
border.
| Organized emigration, based upon the idea
Of justice as well as interest, impelled by gen
eEols enthusiasm, passion to plant States
| whose future viii he great and stable, as en-
bodying and looking to this great idea, will be,
must be, successful But devoid of it, the quiet
enthusiasm that resolutely plants and patiently
waits for the sure and immortal growth, be-
comes the mad forsy that knows not to plant,
hlt essays TO build by overthrow. That natu-
.al love OF power and Of property, that, as tenn
parei oy justice. teaches Us to acquire influence
over men by vindcatng their rights, and do
minion over things BY the patient accumula.
tons of labor, without this guard inspires dem
agogism' ballot things, and coup detats, swim
dies, and embellishments. Wherein differed
the colonists OF Plymouth and Philadelphia
from those of Port al Prince and Mexico? or
the founders of Lawrence from Buford's brig.
andsf Their interests were the same; and if
interest alone governed, their conduct Shout
have been the same; and yet, one would found
society upon justice, the other upon force; one
would base property upon "the law OF nature, y
tie other upon the law of the strong hand y
one would make an Ohio, the other a Cuba
Sc TO it, when sou send your legions Cd, thai
tie holy passion of its worshippers shall Sc
4 mly enthrone it as to eternize its rule
And if my voice could reach all who work
aud lead others that work fer the great end,
would warn them against the temptations O
temporary expedients, the diversions from tha
, strict principle which alone can lead o,ths
end II is not the broad and easy road tina
leadeth through the wilderness, aud there is nc
safety, amid its devious paths, but in following
The pillar Of cloud ard of fire. Though it