Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-07-11

THE Fourth of July was celebrated in
Charleston, S. c., under the auspices of the
'76 Association" with great deal of enthu-
siasm. The spirit of the celebration may be
judged from the sentiment forwarded by the
Governor of the State, which our friends who
dislike extremists will do very well to de-
nounce -
The 4th of July IS61-NIay thet anniversary find us
in the full enjoyment of equality in the Union, or
noble southern republic, commanding the respect
and admiration of the world
The interesting feature of the celebration,
however, was not its open and avowed trea-
son, which in that State is very old story,
and harmless one but consisted in the labo-
rious effort to show that the institutions of that
section are favorable to the cultivation OF
learning and the graces of literature. In
some fields of intellectual exercise, the claim
set up for it is not altogether without reason.
Institutions which take away rights from large
classes of men are SO unnatural and insecure
as to require a constant degree of mental ac-
tivity in their defence. 1t would be very
strange if the result were not apparent in some
branches of their literature. Every one who
has given attention to public affairs has had
occasion to notice the maturity of judgement,
and determination of purpose which have dis.
tinguished many of the best Southern states
men. Clay, Calhoun, McDufie, Preston and
Legare will take their places in history by the
side of the gifted and eloquent of any section
or period.
In their political journalism there is also
kind of superiority. In some places journals
of high character and widely extended in
fuence are maintained, which would be credi-
table to any section of the country if their
energies were not exhausted in the support of
a single cause. To defend an institution SO
hostile to nature as slavery is, requires an or
der of talent and sagacity greatly superior to
that of mere gatherer of trifles and dispen-
ser of daily news.
Outside of the field of politics and journal
ism, in literary view, the South is fruitless
and barren desert The champion of South
ern institutions was compelled to excuse the
limited range of southern literature by the
apology that it had been cultivated rather as
an accomplishment than vocation. But
however cultivated, if we except Wirt's Life
of Patrick Henry, and perhaps MarshalPs Life
of Washington, no book has appeared within
the shadow of the peculiar institution" for
which, as Americans, we are accustomed to
cherish the slightest national pride. The
books named as representative books at the
celebration of which we are now speaking
Guy Rivers, Horseshoe Robinson, Leather
Stocking and the 'Hirelng and the Slave
are scarcely known outside of the states which
had the doubtful honor of their birth. The
farthing candle of their best writers of TO-
nance fades into darkness by the side of a
fame like that of Washington Irving and j. Fen.
nimorc Cooper Their writer's of history, poe
try, biography, and ethical philosophy, with
the exceptions we have suggested, and per-
haps a very few others which will readily oc-
cur to any careful observer of the literature Of
the country, have not yet appeared. The pur.
est literature is the product of the highest civ.
the gloom of earthquake and eclipse, and is as
certain to expire under republican despotism
as 1t did under the tyrannies of Nero. Domi
tan, or the Byzantine Caesars We sneak in
no narrow spirit of local pride, or sectional
hate. Whatever literature we have that Is
worthy Of preservation belongs to no town or
State, but to the whole country. And those
sections which produce the least of it have an
equal share iii the common glory. 1t is well,
however, now and then to be assured that all
literature fourshes best under the Influences
OF free institutions, and that it can have Meth.
er promise nor security under any other