New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-05
TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
Y.ETTFP &

q 30 d.
mni.raon OF Is Government that 10 be acquainted
with ~ merit Of ministry we need only observe
"the condition OF the people. IT," a. he continues
we them obedieui to the avs prosperous ia their
"irdus.rv. united al home and respected abroad. W
"mav reasonably presume that their affairs are coe-
"ducted by men OF experience, abilities and virtue.
- r. on the contrary see universal spirit Of dis
trust and dssat sfacton, rapid decay oftrade de
sep.ions in all parts of the empire and total lon
" Of respet in the eyes Of foreign powers, we mar
pronounoe without hesitation, that the Government
" Of that country is seak, distracted and corrupt"
The first of tho pictures here presented exhibits the
state of the American Union et the close Of the war
in lsl5 again in 1884 and at the date ~ the repeal II
the protective tariff OF 1873; and again in 1917, when
the act of 1884,; ceased 10 be the law Of the land Tho
second Ii found examination Of the condition d
the country, IN he period from 1919 to 1924 when
protection had ceased, and when the Legislatures a
numerous States had found themselves compelled tn
stay the action OF the laws for the collection OF debt.
again in 1917, when stay laws were ayain resorte
TO- and when the Federal Go, eminent was nearly hank
ruPt and. lastly ut the Present period; when there
ton when there are dssensions in every part Of
the empre"-snd when the respect of other powers"
has - nearly ceased 10 have existence.
In proof that such is the case and that the Union *
rapidly declining in the estimation of the people a
other nations | beg 10 offer you the following es-
tract from work Just published the author of shch
is not be suspected Of any disposition TO magnify the
changes he discovered:
1T is very evident as converse with people here
and in other parts of Northern Europe, that greaS
change has come over the popular feeling toward Anne
rca since was last on the Continent five years ago.
Then America wa. the ideal everywhere to freehnk-
ing and aspiring men, The oppressed looked hopefully
to it. the philosopher found the confirmation of his
theories of human liberty there; the hardworkng, tho
politically degraded, the Idealists the stru ygng
masses felt that the Western Republic especially
for them and il they could never share its privi
eges they were happy that humanity had at length
looked on such glorious effort The reports of the
freedom ofthe education fthe masses ofths
high morality prevailing, came over even exaggerated.
and silenced the enemies of popular rights and con-
yered many doubtful One felt the effect of all this,
traveller. You were not alone; You the re-
preventative of the best thoughts and aspirations Of
mankind. The warm hand graspipg yours, welcomed
not you, but nation Of freemen The rich did no<
condemn. because property and person had been
better shielded under the Republic than under Euro
pean monarches. The poor the laborers, We're espe-
caly your friends for not your land the very land
which elevated labor
"All this is quite different now. You are treated
politely es a stranger or you are welcomed more
| less for what you personally are, but for your
country. among the populace you get no welcome.
The glory has departed.
within five years, various circumstances have
opened the eyes of Europe to real situation, aud.
as often happens the people see nothing but our sins.
We are simply now tricky, jobbing half-barbsri1
people, where the worst political corruption of tho
Old World exists without it, refinement; and where
brutality rowdyism and unlimited despotism have in
certain quarters free play Our politicians and dpo-
mats are despised; our Constitution is sneered at, ~
nfictng upon the most dsgraceful legislators and
the labsrng class and the Democrats know that with
in our limits more abomnable tyranny over labor
and free speech and thought exists than the wont
desposms uf the Continent ever exhibited. There is
nothing now in our situation to dazzle the world They
see with clear eye our blacklist sins and our miserable
political jobbng."
| Such being the state of things in Northern We may
now look to Central Europe, in regard TO which my
self Mr.. President, can speak Go where the traveller
may, he finds among thoughtful men-amOng th0se
who had hoped TO find, in this western world the
azation of their brightest hopes in regard TO mans
onward prOgressa growing doubt in reference to
future. Anxiously do they look across the ocean
dreadng to hear of new and more alarming RIOTS
new civil wars-new violations Of local rights-new
marauding expeditiOns-new aggressive wars. Ten
years since ali was different They would then have
| regarded as false prophet the man who had pre-
dicted:
That, at the close of a single decade, the regular
expenditures of the Federal Government in time Of
peace would exceed sixty millions Of dollars, being
five times than they had been but Thirty years
before:
That the recipients of this large amount whether
contractors clerks postmasters would be held La
Die for the payment of formal and regular
ment, to be applied TO the maintenance in Office of the
men by whom they had been appointed, or those by
whom the contracts had been mGde
That payment of these assessments would be made
The condition upon which their own continuance in
Office should depend:
That, coincident with these demands upon the en-
ployees of the Government, all salaries would be
largely raiscd and that thus the treasury should 10
heavily taxed for purely party purposes and fos the
promotion of private interests:
That Capitalization would be so far perfected, as tO
enable the Executive to dictate TO body Of officials
sixty eighty thousand in number, all their modes VI
Thought, in reference TO questions OF public interest:
That constantly growing difficulty of obtaining
Independent of Me Government-the means OF sup
port and constant increase in the rewards Of public
service would be attended with corresponding in
crease in the number of claimants for Office and in
their subseryience TO the men at whose pleasure
offices Were held:
That the Executive would dictate TO Members Of
Congress what should be their course, aud publicly
advertise the offices that were to be given to those
whose votes should be in accordance with his desires:
That the growing mental slavery thus indicated
would he attended by spoDdng growth in the be-
lief that " one of the chief bulwarks q our nsttu-
tiors vas to be found in the physical ensaveInent OF
the labOrer;
That the extension Of the area Of human Slavery
would have become the primary object Of the Govern
meu; and that, with that view, the great Ordinance
of 1877, carried out in the Missouri Compromise,
Thai for the promotion of this object the treaties
with the poor remnants of the native tribes would all
be violated:
That. with the same end in view, wars would be
mGde piracy encouraged and territories purchased:
That the Executive power would 40 far have grown
To enable II 10 adopt es ires provocative OF war,
with view 10 the spOa' IN Of the weaker neghbors
Of the Union:
That il would be officially declared that might
makes right, and that if neighboring power refused
to eel the territory whose possession wa, desired.
That the reOpening Of the save-trade would be
publicly advocated, and that the frs, step toward ts
accomplishment would be taken by citizen Of tho
United Staterin resembling all the prohibitions of the
Central American Governments:
That the prohibition Of Slavery in a Central Amer-
can State would be considered sufficient rea 5on for
the rejection OF treaty:
That the substitution, throughout all the minor en-
Payments of society of slave labor for that Of the
freeman, wOud be publicly recommended by the TX