The Van Buren press., 1860-05-18
For the Van Buren, Press.
Has the Mission of Democracy
Failed

Has the Mission of Democracy
Failed.
The present condition of the American
Republic is we'll calculated to bring this
question home with redoubled force to the
hearts and minds of every lover of peace.
union and national prosperity. The time
demands thoughtful action and unfinching
men. The periol has arrived at which
must be determined whether a nation can
maintain arepublican form of government
whether it can govern by the principles of
democracy in fine, whether republicanism
is myth or philosophical and practical
iiea. If it is to prove failure, the cause
of that failure is immaterial. The action
of the national convention has tLus far
proven abortive, and its retreat from its
place of session greatly resembles a defeat.
Its future action is engimatical, and we can
but hope for the best, even though, at the
same time We fear the worst If, however.
| it proves fruitless attempt to put forward
national candidate, still it is by no means
proof of the imbecility Of the grand
idea Of democracy. From the very nature
of a democracy it is too apt to afford a
footing for crack Drained demagogues, who
prefer their own advancement or applause
to national prosperity in the preservation
of the Union. These fanatical agitators
delight to whine and howl in the ears of
the people about the monstrous iniquities
perpetrated by one section against another
Anything beyond sectionalism is beyond
their comprehension ; agitation and love
of anarchy is their life their minds are
seethinS cauldrons into which they toss every
idea, feeling and emotion, and from which
| they draw forth volume of littleness, alb
surdity, nonsense and perfdy. Their linn
tied comprehension and darkened under
standings reach not beyond fimsy SUI
periciality. They draw from their own
bosoms the dagger Of sedition and treason,
wave on high the torch of incendiarsm and
long to offer bloody hecatomb to their
outraged selfesteem, and annihilate the
American Union, the embodiment of the
sublimity of human greatness and nation
al experimentation. Such spirits are but
the scum and otfal Of great nation which
the political storm brings to the surface.
When glorious calm settles upon us these
curses will sink to their proper level, there
to remain in oblivion and ignominy until
another disturbance will cause them to ap-
pear again, like foul and poisonous toads
OH the approach of storm. These form
the disturbing element in the present trou-
BILE, yet these are no exponents of the dem
ocratic idea. They breathe not the soul Of
democracy /; it is stranger to their wants.
The northern abolition fanatic and the ultra
southern fire-eater are made of the same
material. They are but the creatures of ac-
cident. The advcntitIons circumstances of
birth is the creative power by which their
minds are formed. a change of birth
place would transform the men the one
born on southern soil would have been
fire eater, the other, had he first behcld the
light in the region Of abolitionism, would
have been worshipper at the feet of Henry
Ward Beecher Can such beings feel the
healthful influence of democracy Never.
They have never grasped the idea. They
cannot comprehend it. Voluble in idealess
harangue, they pander to the unholy preju-
dices of the masses, and impress upon them
the fact of antagonistic sections. They
assiduously endeavor to draw a distinction,
broad and deep between the north and south.
They brand all as traitors to their section
who will not feign or does not possess as
much ignorance and as contracted minds
as themselves. They disgrace democracy
by THEN professed allegiancc-they bctray
by their treasOnous conduct. This brood
of obnoxious spirits have drawn our coun-
try into a storm which if not guided by
the strong arm of true democracy may
overthrow this grand Republic and bury
beneath its ruins the crushed hopes of groan-
ing millions who watch us as the greatest
of nations making a final effort to success
fully practice the theory of Republicanism.
Shall America permit these agitators and
terrorists to blot out her institutions and
retard the march of Repubiicanism for one
hundred years, or shall genuine Democr
rise IN its power and majesty in the name
of whole people, and smother the fires
which these political incendiaries are kim
ldling The mission of Democracy is a
noble one, and part of it should be to
strangle fanaticism. Fanaticism, twin-sis-
ter of treason. never governed a nation !;
it is the enemy of all government, it is the
antagonist of reason and common sense, it
tramples upon laws, and constitutions are
overthrown by it /; it corrupts the body
lpolitlc eorrupts morality corrupts leg
islation in fine corruption is its nutriment,
its life-blood it fosters ignorance by ex-
alting its fortunate possessor, and manufac-
tUres statesmen of gabbers. Fanaticism is
no element in true democracy.
PACIFIC.
IE The Federal Court for the Western
District Of Arkansas commenced its sess-
ion (Alay Term) in this place on Monday
last. Present Hon. Daniel Ringo, Judge,