The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-01-27
COLUMBIA.
Sunday Mcrning, January 81, 1867,
Republican Institutions liz. America.

Dispafch-has come to the conclusion
that republican institutions in this
country have not been a blessing to
the people. 1t admits that under
their influence, the United States
have advanced rapidly to power, but
that their very prosperity has worked
a ruin, which, very probably, would
have been escaped under other aus
pices, and adds, that "too much
greatness has made the universal
Yankee nation mad, and that it has
led them to excesses which are Just
as sure to destroy them as the night
is certain to follow the setting sun
There is some truth in the follow
ing paragraphs:
"The Declaration of Indepen-
dence, with its bold Democratic
ideas, to establish the principles Of
which Our ancestors fought with
fortitude and patience that had then
never been surpassed, had better
have slumbered in inglorious silence
in the brain Of Jefferson than have
been the precursor of the iliad of
woes which has followed in the path
of its remarkable conquest.
<'Then the Reign of Terror, which,
IN France, wrought SO much Of suf-
fering, and from the effects Of which
the people of that country have not
yet recovered, had not disgraced with
its horrible annals the page Of his
tory. Then the curse which has
fallen upon the postcrity of the grand
old men of the Revolution had been
escaped. Then, though not 50 full
of the monuments of genius, and
perhaps not occupying so great a
space in the eye of the world as now,
the people Of this continent would
have been far happier.
England now stands the foremost
of all the countries Of the earth. Her
Government is more stable, her peo-
pie are happier and more contented,
and all the benefits of republicanism
are enjoyed without any of those evil
fruits which have been reaped else
where. This is owing to the fact that
her three combined forms Of Govern
ment operate to check each other,
and prevent king, or lords, or people
from gaining either too great an
asccndancy over the other.
"Rcpublicanism in France has re
lapsed into despotism, absolute and
unlimited IN Mexico and South
America, it has resulted in anarchy;
in the United States, it has brought
elesolating warfare, cruel inhumani-
ties, bloodshed, bankruptcy, and fast
ened Oh sections 4 bitter feud which
time cannot eif;,ca
There is little doubt out that views
and opinions similar to these arc b>-
coming more diGused among the
american people, within the past four
or five years, than ever before, from
The fact that is now apparent, OF q
tendency to make the American re-
I"ioiic 4 cci!.Ia! ais: consolidated Go
vernmeHt. which is to be substituted
for n Union OF sovereign States But
we DO not believe, with our cotempo-
rary, tll;,t ali The evils which afflicted
france, OF all the calamities which
have beia!len the people of this coun-
Try, We're the offspring OF the adop-
tion OF the Declaration Of Independ-
>ence by the founders Of the republic;
-nor 90 we believe that there are cIe-
mcnts OF scif-dcstruction iii rcpub-
lican institutions themselves. No:
the evils alluded to spring from more
unclcan fountains-from bad passions
and intidelity in France, and from
Puritanical fanaticism, with its witch
burning, superstitious heresies, III
this country. All the evils that have
ever fallen upon this country, and
her terrible prostration at the pre-
sent time, can be traced back to the
Puritanical stock which peopled New
England in earl y days, and which has
ever since kept seething and boiling
the cauldron Of mischief, until they
have brought the country to the verge
Of ruin. Root out that element from
the State; Danish its mischiev us
policy and cold-bloodcd fanaticism
from the high places of office . ID
mower and thn con tyv will soon S1b-