Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-09-25
TIE PAST TEACHING THE PRESENT
Erun Eu-nEEE

TIE PAST TEACHING THE PRESENT
AND THE FUTURE.
When the annexation Of Texas was
agitated, men Of fOrethOught opposed H.
desirable So it was in some respects, be
cause they deemed it certain that the
extension Of territory and the increase
IN the number Of States, by multiplying
conflicting interests, and increasing
Northern Jealousy, and the restlessness
Of the North under the rule Of what they
called the slsve-power,' in other words,
the Southern control Of Government
afsirs. would inevitably lesd to the dis
solution Of the Union. All men love
mower. and its exercise was as sweet TO
The North s. to the South. Considering
themselves entitled by their numbers to
uossess it, the Northern States naturally
cbared at seeing all the powers Of the
Government habitually in the hands OF
he south. and Southern views and
opinions controlling the admin
istration Of affairs, a. il the
men Of the North were inhrm in
intellect and Craftsmanship. 1t would
bsvs been well if our Southern leaders
bad possessed sufficient wisdom TO under
stand bow potent an instrument Of evil
this jealousy aud resentment would be
come, II suffered to grow unchecked, and
gather new strength by the creation Of
additional causes for II. It i such Jeal-
ou=ies and angers that are the springs Of
ruin to Republics. Wisdom would have
taught Cancellation, and the avoiding Of
new occasions for suspicion and resent
ment. Folly sought such new occasions,
and insisted that the North should wear
in omen sight the badges Of its i~nferiOrity.
II was avowed that Texas was 10 be
acquired for the purpose Of adding TO the
mower Of the slave States. It Uds &C
quirsd: and the power which thus seemed
10 be perpetuated, should have been gen.
erou-ly and wisely used, in order to be
retained. But neither generosity or wis
dom was displayed. On the contrary,
the parade Of power was made on all Oc-
essIons ~ ostentatious and offensive as
possible aud thus our leaders unconsci-
1uslv and nnocently made themselvesthe
instruments Of those ambitious and re-
y~sngefll schemers IN the North, whe
burned 20 avenge upon the whole South,
Gy i~ndigniues and cslamities sufficient
~ satisfy their lust for vengeance, the
insults and sights which such men are
never known N forgive. Men like
SEWARD. SUMNER, FEssENDEN, FOOT,
DxoS. WADE and CHASE, and even
HALE, are never powerless, IS We have
now discovered. A man may retain his
temper and long for no revenge, though
his party neuer succeeds in rising into
power. but even the less distinguished
Northern Senators could scarcely be eX-
pec,ed 10 be grateful for the airs Of supe-
riority assumed by the brilliant and
original Mason, the eloquent snd pow
erful SLIDELL, the acute and logical
CuSGMAS, the perspicuous and pointed
CLAY Of Alabama; or democratic Sena-
tors from the North 10 admit the supe-
nor capacity and right to WELD the pow
e-s Of government Of the Senators from
Arkansas, Florida or Texas.
The fesTs Of those who spprehended
danger from the annexation Of Texas,
were laughed 10 scorn by the architects
OF ruin in the South, who declared that
every addition 10 the number Of States
made the Union stronger, aud that its
continuance was best 70 be secured by
the constant acquisition Of new territory.
JubIlant with their success 10 snneXiug
Texas, they dreamed ofnew acquisitions
while ruin was impending over them.
Not giving time for the excitement
caused 10 the North 20 die away, new
schemes were invented FOR " extending
the area Of freedom and sought to b
choked down the throat Of the recslci-
trating North, a. If the South, flushed
with victory, were bent on CALLING the
raw places it had made, and delighted
% see the North vince a. Il felt the
smart, which both its interests and lts
pride impelled II to resent.
While we were actually ia e1trsmis,
and our power was actually being
snatohed from US, our leaders, with 3
refreshing uneonsclousness, dreamed OF
new victories and 8 perpetuity Of power.
weres 30 blinded by vanity and ego
tism A. not 10 be able TO see that the
was departing from Irsael. The
var with Mexico, into which annexation
dragged us, resulted in the acquisition,
npprodtable 10 the south, Of the worth
Province Of New Mexico, and the
extensive gold fields, mountains and
DESERTS Of California, which became st
once a free Northern State, and sent a
FREMONT to adorn and illuminate the
and prepare the way for BRoDE-
R5cK. So the South was jealous 10 fight
England for So 20 and Oregon, that the
latter. becoming q State, might send one
EngIishman, BAKER, to the Senate; as
he fatbered q fraud to procure the sd-
mission Of Kansas and enable LANE and
PoMERoY to infest that body.
After We had purchased california, We
bsgsn to hear Of the manifest destiny
the Republic to extend, and TO swaI-
low N al its neighbours: aud the an
nsxstion Of Central America and Cuba
began to be desired, and lawless and
oiratloal expeditions to that end to be
undertaken.
r. a.stfnvt 81 the Pepnh-
he was. il Is now sufficiently evident
tself 10 go to pieces within ten years,
9th all the horrors and atrocities Of the
most bloody and merciless of all civil
van. instead OF receiving into its peace
NJ bosom, one after the other, all is
,eishbaurs. The MONROE doctrine was
e1s ip The rsnsmutAiion Of Mexico