The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-02-08
Our Country,s Future.

y
In ishappy holiday season, it is natu-
raj that we should strive to Danish the
gloom that until lately has oppressed the
nation; and that, instead of gazing upon
the cherries past, we should eagerly look
ahead to discover, if possible, what favor
the future has in store for our chastened
country. 1t is an easy thing to paint the
future in brilliant colors; but blasted hope
is more bitter than no hopo at all, and it
is wrong to inspire an expectation that
has no reasonable basis. Still we think
the signs of the times are promising for
tho future of the United States. Hitherto,
the great political bone of the nation has
been sectionalism. The people in differ
ent parts of tho country have been in
constant conflict of opinion concerning
their politicaland material interests, and
it was the estrangement resulting from
that difference which led to the sanguin-
ary events of the last five years. The
seed of discord, jealousy and sectional
strife was implanted at the very root OF
our governmental tree, and the fruits of
that seed we have seen in the rancor, ha-
tired and eventual rebellion, which has
now passed into history. Time alone can
definitely decide whether the great evil
of sectionalism has survived the terrible
ordeal through which the nation has lately
passed Certainly it has received blow
which ought to forever prevent its re-
newod growth. It is true that we still
see some evidence Of the old pernicious
influence, both at the South and at the
North, but there is good reason to hope
that this is only the scent that hangs
around the broken vase, and which time
will ere long dispel Already we see evi-
dence that national questions are begin
ming to grow up in the place of the old
sectional issues. Instead Of the conflict
of interests between certain portions Of
our common country, which was so long
subject of contention, there is now an
evident disposition to nationalize our in
terests and to make the welfare of part
of the whole Union. The increasing in
terests that is manifested in questions re-
lative to our commercial, manufacturing
and general trade interests, is an encour-
aging sign of the future. In the carly
years of our Government, before the pol
sonous germ of sectionalism had per-
mented the body polite, the subjects OF
political dispute were confined to such
national questions as the tariff, the fl
nances, territorial extension, internal i'm
provement, &c. There is now an evident
tendency of our politics toward those ma
tional issues whose importance has lately
become apparent. The old issue of pro-
lection and free trade is becoming ami
mated with new life, and its discussion is
already warm and widespread. The
national finances have also become q fruit
ful theme for controversy; the develop
ment of internal resources and questions
respecting the territories arc beginning
to be agitatcd and altogether there is an
unmistakable dispositionsof the people to
avoid the deadly upas sectionalism in the
future, and to drift back to the good old
national questions, whose discussion is
beneficial and not injurious to the welfare
of the Union.-Nea0 York Sun.