Washington telegraph., 1864-08-10

| any uiore The dream of ages has been, we
think, finally exploded. The curse of God up
on national arrogance pronounced near four
thousand years ago upon the plains of Shinar,
| in the confusion of tongues, and the dispersion
of the people Of the world into distinct and in
| dependent communities, has been again and
| again repeated, until all who reason must be
| satisfied at length that vast agglomers,ions
OF people over an immense surface of territory,
| consolidated under one government, are contra
ry to those lInmutable laws of Providence which
govern the destiny of nations as well as the ac-
| tions OF physical nature. 1t has never been at
tempted but with the certain decay Of all that
constitutes the true glory OF nations and with
the punishment of terrible revolutions, casting
back the progress of civilization for ages. 1t
| the on. grand lesson of history, that the thirst
| for territorial expansion has been the cause of
al the great wars which have desolated the
world, and has always been defeated in its objects
The Assyrian, the Babylonish, the Grerian and
Roman empires Of the old world the Msaom-
etan coHquests of the early Christian era;
tho Tartar dynasty in Asia; tho subsequent
expansion Of the German empire OVER large
part OF Europe; the splendid territorial acquisi-
lions OF SPAN, and the conqu.sts Of the French
eiilpire-ai' repeat the lesson in neyer-ending
cycle OF events. At last i. remained for a peo-
pie HioSt advanced in the art Of government to
repeat the experiment upon a new field il. the
Ne" " orid 1t was upon new principles and
under new circumstances which had never ex-
| listed before. 1t was upon the basis of repnbl-
can equality and direct representation, with
written restrictions upon the powers of each de-
partnent. and check upon each by all the
! others. II was 10 be over al uninhatited terri
| tory. to BE- peopled under laws securing the ut
ticEinent OF ali to the national government,
! and sufficient intelligence to enable each por.
! ton TO become an integral part of its managing
! forces, and the whole vast field of the e,ne,i
rn'nt was guarded by the flaming swords of the
! Monroe doctrine. Il was fondly hoped that its
t expansive and benefcent powers would enable
! j; 70 be ilmitably extended 1t WAS .houph, tn
| To the Erandest monument of human wisdom,
and they VINO framed it ,ccre wise in their dav
| aud genrrasiou--far SURPRISING in political wis
/ dom all who had gone before them The limits
| assigned to it by Providence we're larger than
were ever before allowed for harmonious action
ia; 1t had its limits Notwithstanding Of time
and OF space-beyond which it was said, in a
| voice more terrible than ever yet smoke to a na
! ton, !. thus far, and no farther, shalt thou 20,
and here sha! thy proud waves be stayed" Ii,
TOO, has .slled, the most disastrousiy AMI .u:ser-
! ably of I'll former efforts Iuasrnuch as it, .oc-
| cess has been greatest. its revulsion has been
most terrible. The very false pride of the ns.
t-on which caused ii to regard rather its power
! and expansion than the welfare of it's people,
! Ras become The instrument of its punishment
! The sentiment Of territorial aggrandizement-
! tho pride OF national expsnsion-,he wish to cali
tho whole land irom Maine to the Rio Grands
! their OWE, has done more TO involve and keen
the Northern people in this most insane and de-
structiva war than any true consideration O..
their o~n interests and happiness. No lie can
, be made 10 live and flourish whilst Gcd reicns
It will ieatrsy itself, and crush out all who Sis
tain It. That nations shouli seek their glory in
territorial space. beyond what is proper for their
| lnaictenance and rlkprotection, rather than in
the cultivation OF thu morals aud intelligence of
| the people. and the encouragement Of the arts
| and sciences, the commsrce and trades, which
advauce civilization, is hugo lie against which
| four Thousand years Of history is a frantic pro-
test. Since the day when Abraham and Lo.
| gathered each their households around them,
! and departed tAeir several ways IN peace, sepa-
/ ration OF d.sc0rdant elements has been the con
! ditlon ot lasting aInlty-uniou Gnder aav form
/ Of gcvernmen,. fro,n patrlarchal to represents
tFe, the truItui so,,rce Of strife and destruction
! And here lst rs avoid aa error which the mo-
I anarchists of the Old and New world wonld feirn
| draw as Lesson from the dissolution of our
| Cnion-tha. it is a failure of republic institu-
| tons 1t is another fsilnre of the effort at vast
territorial expansion. That and nothing more
Ii will happen under any goverament Repub-
heap institutions remain as permanent in their
nature as before. and firmly fixed in the minds
and hearts Of our people as the best adapted 10
the highest happiness OF an itolligent and moral
people-ar Of GO other. The peace o; the
world, the millennium Of philanthropists, " i'll
| come only when nations are content with mod
crate dimensions. and each, under the form of
government best adapted 70 its people, will seek
lts trJia glory and most effective power il Guilt
| va'.ng aniceble relations with u Others, and
! developing its own resources, by mutual ex-
! change OF good Offices.
| Wars between nations rarely proceed 70 the
! extcrmination of each other, and may be soon
adjusted. Civil vars between portions Of vast
empires are pregnant with more horrors than
Milton ever conceived rs issuing from the womb
o. the hideous FORTRESS of hell. to cover the earth
with desola:ion; and they " IL az surely occur
as the hidden fires Of the volcanoes will break
forth in their dne times
This shadows the future Of the New Era, al
ready becoming apparent 10 US from our own
experience, aud being taught, ia Europe. bv the
recent WAYS 70 preserve the powers of Russia in
Poland, and Of Austria in Hungary and northern
Italy. Let nations Of adequate size and h =
mogcneous population and interests. be sparats.
independent and content with their limits and
The dawn Of peace will appear. Then i'll begin
tia march of higher and broader civilization
than the world has ever known.
The Lesson is practical one and needs now
! 20 be impressed upon the minds of the people OF
the South, who are It's government and. in mass