The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-10-03
LIBERALISM.

radicalism and agrarianism. They are sugses-
tive of important thought OH a subject Of
great moment to every patriotic citizen of this
country. When the writer in question, after pre-
missing that the contest so recently terminated on
this continent ''was merely contest between the
Greek and Roman ideas OF government" thus elo-
quently adds: Collision took place, and with the
clash OF ideas came the clash OF arms, and with
the clash of arms came the overthrow of the Greek
idea,' there are few perhaps, who realize that we
are virtually re-enacting history that history is
| actually reproducing itself.
The prevailing tendency of all government OF
| the present day is to liberalism. Liberty! is the
cry that greets the ear from all quarters of the
globe 1t is painful to note that this is all fuore.
1t is not that liberty which is justly the cynosure
Of civilization, which consists in the security un-
impaired of all personal and relative rights, dis
covers and sgnaiiZes, amid medley Of grosser
instincts what is divine and elevatng in the con-
stitution of man, and which, through all the de-
velopments OF past ages, has contributed to the
Acknowledgement of human thought. 1t has its
living, bleeding type in Mexico as it is and in its
history as it has been from the date of the con-
quest of CoRTEs.
The fossil history of that country consisting OF
the splendid remains of ancient grandeur-ed -edifces
of imperishable granite wrought in all the ingenu-
fty of architectural Improvements in agriculture,
and the arts and sciences-attests a civilization
fully abreast with the progress Of the enlightened
world, introduced BY the Toltecs in the seventh
century, and advanced and perfected by the AZ
tecs who followed them six hundred years later;
while in their half romantic legends were revealed
the existence of codes, and rubrics and rituals yet
in force during the regency Of the Montezumas.
But what is Mexico now?
The Franks subjugated Gaul and stamped its
national character with the courage of their own
excellence. The Normans overrn England and
gave it its constitution and the most cultured no.
bility in the world Spain conquered Mexico, and
the fatal legacy OF its own degeneracy has been
entaied upon that ill-starred country; and where
ever, in ancient as we'll as modern Or medi@ya
times, the history OF conquest has been written,
the lesson is the same. The question is involln-
tary: Are We drifting to this ?
There is but one antidote for anarchy. The con-
dition of Paraguay was analogous to the present
condition of Mexico. Unbridled passion and saw
age vengeance was the supreme law to which the
ndolent, hybrid, and almost ettete Paraguenos
appealed in extreme cases; but DR.. FRANcIA as
sumed the dictatorship, and welded the iron scep-
tre- of despotism with too much severity to admit
of cavil among parties, or corruption IN high
places Extreme cases try principles. The peri
phery is fire; the centre is safety. So under the
CALLING lash of tyranny, government settles down
to point equidistant from anarchy below to abso-
lutism above, provided the constituents OF gov
ernment have attained to that stage Of civilization
which reason and morality alone can perfect. We
do not hold that this would be present panacea
for Mexico; but we do hold that despotism, cruel,
e1acting, systematic, so it be reasonable, is the
only civizing influence which can safely affect the
destinies OF such country.
/ For the American people, however, too much or
too little rule will be alike intolerable We must
be careful that, in avoiding Charybdis, We do not
founder on Scylla. Party organizations are indis-
pensable to popular governments, when they have
Just sufficient power to discover TRUTH but they
must be restrained, and they must be intelligent.
The lghtnings Of truth produced by their col
isions must llumine, not inhame the minds otthe
people. Thus circumstanced their mutual expo
sures of corruption and venislity would be in the
highest degree beneficial to republican insttl-
tions. where everything should tend to the de-
velopment OF those healthful ideas which sscure
individual rights in the palladium of written con-
stitutons.
The policy of America, as developed by radical
legislation, isexperimental. The extension OF the
elective franchise to the illterate freedmen of the
Southern States--to vast floating population
without fixed interests, erctable, indolent, credu-
lous-will no d,ubt prove the most egregious po-
litcal blunder every committed by shrewd and
practical people Where the voioo of the people is
proclaimed the voice Of God, it should assuredly
be modulated by prudence and wisdom, and
should possess the least possible amount OF the
shriek of madness and the yell of savagery. And
what will bo the divine voice in our midst? The
intelligence OF ten States is under duress. The
best men Of these States arc excluded from the
polls because of crimes against the Constitution,
which in turn is most grevously, because compla-
Gently, violated in the said exclusion. The voice
of the negro will prevail in the South because that
element is predominant. They arc ignorant OF
the privileges Or correlative responsibilities OF
freedom. They do not comprehend the worth of
moral character nor education, nor pecuniary in-
dependence. They are not progressive. They
are not able to live above law. Led on by I'M
principled white men, they will reyel i'll drunken
orgies over each temporary success achieved by
their radical adherents; but the excess OF the evil
must surely work its own cure. Slow as may be
the process of deyeiopmcnt, reaction complete,
unresisting universal Is inevitable.
The fundamental principle of liberty, as it was
upon this continent, is already dead. 1t may re-
produce itself. It may come forth metanlorphosed,
strengthened and clad in the regalia OF higher
and more enduring ideas. If this should not be,
our future is typed in the tragical history OF Mex
co; and it is certain that before this fundamental
principle can be reproduced, great change must
take place in the American mind. We must in-
crease IN loyalty. We must learn to ideaZe con-
stitutional liberty. Our political institutions must
be so remodeled and constructed as to make the
inculcation of sentiments of for law the
first and most especial of childhnod's lessons. No
longer must what is ruffian, recklessly of law, or
what we may term the temerity Of treason, arouse
the enthusiasm of Americans. The character OF
the State partakes of the character OF its consit-
uents. With view to the elevation of the for
mer, IsocRArEs thus admonishes DEMoNIoUs, with
respect to his civil duties: "First exercise pety
toward God not only in sacrifices, but also in the
preservation of oaths; for the former indeed may
be an indication of abundant wealth, but the lat
ter is proof Of integrity of character. Honor
the Deity always indeed, but especially in the sa-
cred rights appointed by the State; for thus shall
you both appear Offering sacrifice to God and
obeyine the laws.
The American people cannot, and surely will not
allow their liberties to be made the jest Of peril
Gus experiment. Whatever We may think, it is GER
tain that no constitution can suit this country i'll
which the just equilibrium between the citizen and
the State is not properly preserved, and where the
moderated freedom Of each individual is not Sc
cured; each part aiding in the healthy action of the
whole, and receiving in return its quota OF yigor
and life from tue mighty pulsaions OF Che one and
undivided hear OF the country. We shudder in
stinctiyalv when ,,e tuuk OF liberalism and reflect