Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-12-05
Spirit af .ycffrsolr.
AN ERA OF CHANGE.


seek to peer into tho anxious and unknown
future, it is interesting, If not cheering, to
observe that the same tremendous uncertainty
Oycrhaugs the future Of every great nation on
the globe. If rc find it impossible to cons
preheud the full work Of change and destruc'
ton which the last decade has already wrought
in tho,yery warp end wool Of American, and
especially of Southern civilization, it seems
equally impossible for the citizen of Great
Britain or Of any one Of the leading cont.
mental nttiuus, 70 measure the force or the
direction Of the agencies seen and unseen,
that are now hurryiDg them far from the old
add familiar shores out upon an unknown sea.
Five years have undono the work Of centuries
10 Europe. Two Of the great first class
bowers that so long held sway in continental
pOlitics-Austris aud France-havc fallen
beyond tho possibility of immediate recovery.
Prussia, who is but an upstart among Euro
peAn nations, assuming the leadership Of the
progressive aud aggressive Gcrmanic peoples,
has suddenly risen to height Of dazzling
greatness and glory. Italy divided for more
than Thousand years into petty States and
Kingdoms, has come forth from the wars and
weaknesses of her neighbours single pOpu,
lous nation and Spain has awakened from
her protracted sleep to start forth 90 career
Of liberal constitutional government. Eng
land thoroughly alarmed at the sudden over
throw Of her hereditary foe, but recent fast
friend and ally, France, fuds her external
dangers Overbalapced BY internal fcrmeut and
cOmmOtiOn. The spirit of repubIicauism,
spreading rapidly among erpeOplo, is begin
ming to assail the bulvarks of both church
and stats. Even the innate loyalty Of the
British subject, added to respect for woman,
and personal regard aud affection for one Of
the most exemplary of her ser, has not pre-
vented his murmors Of disafec,ion ascending
to the throne itself; and when, os must soon
happen, that loyalty shall be tested aud
sustained by the succession to the throne Of
the present Prince Of Wales, who seems Do
sstyedly an object Of distrust aud dOtestation
among the English people, there is no prophe
sying the course Or tho result Of these grow
ing discOntent'. Royalty and hereditary arts
tOcracy are losing their sanctity, and begin
mig to be regarded rather as useless aud
burdensOmO charges upon tho people, then
ss ornaments of glory or bulwarks Of defence
The public discussions, among the working
clssses all over England upon the dowry yOtct
by parliament to tho Princess Louise were nu,
thing but cheering to the friends of royalty
aud the latest advices from England inlOrn
US that the question Of the abolition If til
House of Lords is raised in their pOliticn
struggles, and candidates for the House 0
COnmery are in some cases required to speaI
out upon it. This may be premature or, a
yet, an insignificant agitation, but there is y,
doubt that the House Of Lords dare not Oppos
any popular wish or movement, else this hos
Utility would be evoked in very dangerous pro
portions. So long as they glide with thu
current, aud humor the people, their dissolu
ton may be deferred, but it will come sOopel
or later, aud considering the rupidity will
which events now move, it may be muct
nearer than their grcptest enemies dare hope
s'H
Eg- 1t would be strange-aud yet not s
very strange-spys tho Utica Observer,
none of the President,making newspaper
should hit upon the name of the next Demo
cratic candidate. In 1913, nobody guesscr
that JAMES X. Polk would be JoHY TY
1ER's successor in the White House. Ii
1877, the people were few aud far between
chat faucied after Polk, ZACHARY TAYLoE
was coming. In 1851, FRANKLIN PIERcl
was not counted amongst tho possible Presi
dents. In 1856, JAMES BUCHANAN was Oul
Minister at tho court of st. James, and none
Of the President.makers scratched his namt
of their books. In 1850, ABRAHAM LIN
COLIN was conducting a lazy law practice IN
Springfield, ILL.,, and the SEWARD and CHAsl
factions il the Republican party never men
toned him as formidable rival Of their res
pective fuyOrite. In 1868, nobody knew OIL
suspected that ANDREW JOHNSON would take
HAMIM's place, and eventually succeed tc
LlScoLS's. In 1867, when JOHNSON and
GRANT wero hand.in.glove, GRANT was mol
looked upon as possible Radical candidate
All of which goes to show that prophecy i
one Of the lost arts, aud that the month o.
November, 1872, will bel safer time than The
month of November, 1871, to publish the
name Of tho next President Of the United
States.
ET Tho Baltimore Sun remarks that or
The very day that the U. S. Court in Rich,
noud was trying the cases Of respectable cit