Washington telegraph., 1862-06-18

back from the people with as loud and trium-
phant shout of victory, as occurred in Wood
ruff's case at Oak Hills
STa"Es' RIGHTs.-Princip1es in morals are
unchanging. Moral laws never waver. Thev
are linked with eternal and everlasting good,
and are the same yesterday. to-day, and for
ever Through them we adhere to what Is
stable and unchanging, AMI our confidence in
them, and our firm belief in their everlasting
righteousness is the sure anchor which We
cast beyond the veil, and which sustains our
hope in the turmoils of life Since the hour
'' when the morning stars sung together. and
all the sons of God shouted for joy until now.
the precepts of the decalogue, and the doc
trines of the sermon on the mount have been
equally applicable to every age. and every
cline and through the practice Of them. and
thereby only have men been rendered better
and happier. There are no views of an adj
vanced civilization however Utopian, which do
not Incorporate them as the basis of their ner-
fectibilty. The sublimity OF this unchanginr
moral truth has inspired us with our admira-
tion of the virtue of consistency
This however like all other admirable things
may be the parent OF error: and has often led
to the conviction that Il political principle
once avowod was attended with the same sane.
tions, and should be maintained until the end
Of time through all change of circumstance
and surroundings.
This Is an error. There is no moral in
politics. The best political schemes are those
which at the time best promote the happiness
of the people for whom they are devised. Ab-
stractly no government is best. To determine
what is best it is necessary to consider the
progress and status of the people,
One who studies attentively the philosophy
of history cannot fail to be struck with the
idea that under grand uniformity of neral
laws political principles are of all things the
most variable-and properly so. For instance:
no one now believes or asserts that the feuda
policy is the one best adapted to the present
condition of the European races. To advocate
now the renovation of the system of feuds
would be absurdity, possible only to such
romantic imaginations as that of Sir Walter
Scott. It was nevertheless at one time tine
only political system possible for Europe. and
but for its adoption the splendid European
Kingdoms whose advanced civilization adorned
the world, could never have arisen Could
be wandering Jew, and have lived in
the fourteenth century being inspired with
high political wisdom we may now see that he
would have advocated at that period system
oF, ,,,1ss IL
ferent being in each case equally wise. What
is generally thought political consistency
would be to him ridiculous absurdity For it
is an old maxim that g the case being altered
1t alters the case" and the political ideas
which at one time are best adapted to the
happiness of a people become afterwards obso-
iete, and the truest wisdom prompts their
abandonment, and the substitution of others
more in accordance with the spirit of the age
We have been led to these reflections think
ing upon the present state of the South, and
reasoning of the doctrine of Slater tights which
has been so dear to most of the Southern pco-
pie. 1t has been glorious doctrine. ard in
Gods providence, has done noble work. But
for it, indeed, the great principle of African
slavery could have been never preserved It is
now evident that had the different colonies at
the time Of the revolution formed one homoge-
neous whole, slavery here would have shared
the fate of slavery in jamaica and the French
Islands. The all pervading jealousy of the doc.
trine of States Rights warded off from this sa-
cred insttation the invading hand of a numer,
ieal majority OF n set of fanatics. and at the
proper hour struck out upon the Western
Continent a peculiar people to be actuated
henceforth by new ideas, and to form a new
government, under which, the divine origin
and benefieeat influences of the Institution Of
slavery are to be fully illustrated.
The middle-agod amongst us remember vbo,
strong emancipation sentiment prevailed in
the border States and Tennessee. It was only
the indignant resentment gainst the invasion
of State Rights which alienat ed that sentiment
from abolition sympathies.
And may it not be now that this principle
of States Rights so much beloved heretofore
and 50 dearly cherished by Southern folks has
performed at length its full mission in the
world and is finished And who knows but
that in the new order Of things which>is to be
inaugnrated after the declaration of peace
(which will assuredly Gomez we may find it to
our advantage to lay this venerable doctrine
respectfully on the shelf, and in the assurance
of a peaceful future for ourselves and our pos
terity, and in the prospect of government to
be glorious and respected amongst the nations
of. the earth, adopt stable and centralized
system; adjusted to preserve the personal res
pect Ct every citizen, and free from the auc-
tuations Of popular caprice,