The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-07-01
The Death of Nations.

AAAC DSe%sAA ~ A'U"AOAAS'
The tendency of the age is to consoli-
dation, but by consolidation we do not
mean Capitalization alone. Nations small
in territory and lacking vitality, are either
absorbed by some prominent race and
pre-eminently vigorous nationality, thus
forming Heterogeneous empire like that
of Austria, or they combine in a federal
union, like ours, where each is locally in
dependent, and yet only one, in relation
to other States A federal unity can only
be preserved, however, when there is
natural tendency to cohesion arising from
similar general characteristics, OF by dan
gerous outside pressure. Incongruous
elements necessarily require centrali-
zing absolutism to preserve unity. Great
empires can only exist under one or the
other of these conditions.
Ancient democracy, as we all know, is
best illustrated in history by the minia,
ture States of Greece, and yet the Achaan
league was readily formed when they
were assaulted by the Macedonian and
Persian hosts. The meetings of the peo-
pie in mass, as was customary among the
little States Of Greece, to deliberate and
legislate on public affairs, became imprac-
ticable in course Of time, and pure democ-
racy was superseded by modification
called republcanism-a system of delega-
ted powers, half way between the direct
rule of the people and the authority of a
single head. Nations, like individuals,
must accommodate themselves to chang
ing circumstances, and if they do not,
they must fall
Poland and Ireland refrigerated from
national to provincial position, because
they ignored this inevitable law. Ireland
never was Kingdom in the modern
sense, being held back by ecclesiastical
conservatism, and the result we all know.
Polands fate is as clearly traceable to the
fact that, clinging to simple democratic
form andrefusing to seize the better adapt
ed modern forms, she fell prey to her
ambitious neighbors.
SALvANDY briefly, yet luminously, pic
lures the causes of her decline and over
throw, and in them we see reflected dim
ly, the fate of Austria, which clings so
tenaciously to government in detail, and
to concordats, refusing to advance like
her neighbors. Poland emerged from
the shock which overthrow the Roman
Empire, valiant, powerful and extensive.
A new epoch had opened, and from that
hour Poland dropped, until she became
the victim Of her own provinces. Ex-
tending from the Boristhenes-t to the Dan
ube, and from the Euxine to the Baltic,
it embraced within its bosom the original
seat of those nations which subverted
the Roman Empire. Poland, however
great at this early period, exhibited no
subsequent progress; while in all other
States, liberty, riches, power and glory
have advanced with equal steps, and the
victories Of one age have contributed to
the advancement of that which succeeded
it; in Poland alone the greatest triumphs
have been Immediately succeeded by the
greatest reverses, and the deliverer of
Europe in one age was in the next swept
from the book Of nations. This peculiar
history can be traced to but one cause,
viz that Poland clung to the extreme
popular independence and equality Of a
decayed era,-decayed, because the cir
cumstances which created it, no longer
existed 1t has neither been subjugated
by more polished, nor itself vanquished
more civilized States The equality and
valor of the people remained unchanged
for fifteen hundred years, neither grated
on the stalk of urban liberty, nor moulded
by the institutions of modern civilization:
The fierce and inhexible race of free
men preserved inviolate the Magma Char
Ia of Poland--the right TO assemble in
person, and 10 deliberate ON the affairs Of
State. The majestic, yet terrible assem-
bly, where all the proprietors of the soil
were convoked constituted at once the
military strength Of the nation in war
and its Legislature in peace. There were
discussed the concerns of the Republic
the private feuds of individuals, the Ques
tions of peace and war, the formation Of
laws, the division of plunder, and the cleo