new york-第6章

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conditions　of　the　Constitution；　and　the　recent　measures　of　the

country　go　to　prove　there　is　no　real　disposition；　in　the　masses；

to　do　otherwise。　The　attachment　to　the　Union　is　very　strong　and

general　throughout　the　whole　of　this　vast　country；　and　it　is　only

necessary　to　sound　the　tocsin　to　bring　to　its　maintenance　a

phalanx　equal　to　uphold　its　standard　against　the　assaults　of　any

enemies。　The　impossibility　of　the　North…western　States　consenting

that　the　mouth　of　the　Mississippi　should　be　held　by　a　foreign

power；　is　in　itself　a　guaranty　of　the　long　existence　of　the

present　political　ties。　Then；　the　increasing　and　overshadowing

power　of　the　nation　is　of　a　character　so　vast；　so　exciting；　so

attractive；　so　well　adapted　to　carry　with　it　popular　impulses；

that　men　become　proud　of　the　name　of　American；　and　feel　unwilling

to　throw　away　the　distinction　for　any　of　the　minor　considerations

of　local　policy。　Every　man　sees　and　feels　that　a　state　is　rapidly

advancing　to　maturity　which　must　reduce　the　pretensions　of　even

ancient　Rome　to　supremacy；　to　a　secondary　place　in　the　estimation

of　mankind。　A　century　will　unquestionably　place　the　United　States

of　America　prominently　at　the　head　of　civilized　nations；　unless

their　people　throw　away　their　advantages　by　their　own

mistakesthe　only　real　danger　they　have　to　apprehend：　and　the

mind　clings　to　this　hope　with　a　buoyancy　and　fondness　that　are

becoming　profoundly　national。　We　have　a　thousand　weaknesses；　and

make　many　blunders；　beyond　a　doubt；　as　a　people；　but　where　shall

we　turn　to　find　a　parallel　to　our　progress；　our　energy；　and

increasing　power？　That　which　it　has　required　centuries；　in　other

regions；　to　effect；　is　here　accomplished　in　a　single　life；　and

the　student　in　history　finds　the　results　of　all　his　studies

crowded　as　it　might　be　into　the　incidents　of　the　day。



A　great　deal　that　has　been　done　among　us　of　late；　doubtless

remains　to　be　undone；　but　we　are　accustomed　to　changes　of　this

nature；　and　they　do　not　seem　to　be　accompanied　by　the　same　danger

here　as　elsewhere。　The　people　have　yet　to　discover　that　the

seeming　throes　of　liberty　are　nothing　but　the　breath　of　their

masters；　the　demagogues；　and　that　at　the　very　moment　when　they

are　made　to　appear　to　have　the　greatest　influence　on　public

affairs；　they　really　exercise　the　least。　Here；　in　our　view；　is

the　great　danger　to　the　countrywhich　is　governed；　in　fact；　not

by　its　people；　as　is　pretended；　but　by　factions　that　are

themselves　controlled　most　absolutely　by　the　machinations　of　the

designing。　A　hundred　thousand　electors；　under　the　present　system

of　caucuses　and　conventions；　are　just　as　much　wielded　by　command

as　a　hundred　thousand　soldiers　in　the　field；　and　the　wire…pullers

behind　the　scenes　can　as　securely　anticipate　the　obedience　of

their　agents；　as　the　members　of　the　bureaux　in　any　cabinet　in

Europe　can　look　with　confidence　to　the　compliance　of　their

subordinates。　Party　is　the　most　potent　despot　of　the　times。　Its

very　irresponsibility　gives　it　an　energy　and　weight　that

overshadows　the　regular　action　of　government。　And　thus　it　is；

that　we　hear　men；　in　their　places　in　the　national　legislature；

boasting　of　their　allegiance　to　its　interests　and　mandates；

instead　of　referring　their　duties　to　the　country。



All　large　commercial　towns　are；　in　their　nature；　national　in

feeling。　The　diversity　and　magnitude　of　their　interests　are

certain　to　keep　them　so；　and；　as　we　have　already　said；　New　York

forms　no　exception　to　the　rule。　She　belongs　already　more　to　the

country　than　she　does　to　the　State；　and　every　day　has　a　tendency

to　increase　this　catholic　disposition　among　the　votaries　of

commerce。



That　some　extravagant　notions；　in　which　interest　has　thrown　its

mists　before　the　reason　of　our　people；　exist；　is；　we　think

undeniable；　and　we　concede　that　the　two　recently　promulgated

figments　of　the　equilibrium　and　the　rights　of　persons　over　the

property　and　Territory　of　the　United　States　have　a　character　of

feebleness　and　obvious　delusion　that　would　excite　our　wonder；　did

we　not　have　so　many　occasions　to　observe　and　comment　on　the

frailty　of　human　judgment　when　warped　by　motives　of　this　nature。

To　us　it　would　seem；　that　the　people　of　any　particular　State　have

just　the　same　claim　to　use　the　ships　of　war；　and　forts；　and

public　buildings　of　the　United　States；　as　they　have；　unpermitted

by　the　sovereign　power；　to　occupy　any　of　its　lands。　That　which　is

the　property　of　the　public　is　no　more　the　property　of

individuals；　in　law　or　reason；　than　the　estate　of　any　one　man　is

the　estate　of　his　neighbor。　Carry　out　the　doctrine　in　spirit；　and

it　would　lead　to　general　confusion；　and　a　state　of　things　so

impracticable　as　to　disorganize　society。　If　the　people　are　thus

intrinsically　masters　and　owners　of　all　around　them；　why　are　they

not　the　proprietors　of　the　banks　and　other　corporations　created

by　themselves？　They　made　the　government；　if　you　will；　though　in　a

very　limited　capacity；　and　they　made　these　corporations；　much

more　directly　and　unequivocally；　and；　admitting　the　truth　of　this

copartnership　principle；　in　which　every　man　is　so　far　a　member　of

the　firm　that　he　may　take　his　share　of　the　assets；　we　cannot　see

that　he　is　not　equally　entitled　to　lay　his　hands　on　all　the　other

progeny　of　the　popular　will。　In　a　word；　the　doctrine　would　seem

to　be　not　only　weak；　but　absurd；　and　we　find　a　difficulty　in

believing　that　any　cool…headed　and　reflecting　man　can　feel　the

necessity　for　refuting　it。



｛just　the　same　claim　=　Cooper　is　again　ridiculing　John　C。

Calhoun's　assertion　that；　because　the　new　Territories　of　the　West

acquired　from　Mexico　belonged　to　the　people　rather　than　the

Federal　Government；　Southerners　had　an　inherent　right　to　bring

and　keep　their　slaves　in　them　regardless　of　Federal　law｝



But　other　dangers　undeniably　beset　the　country；　that　have　no

connection　with　this　question　of　Slavery。　However　repugnant　it

may　be　to　the　pride　of　human　nature；　or　the　favorite　doctrines　of

the　day；　there　can　be　little　question　that　the　greatest　sources

of　apprehension　of　future　evil　to　the　people　of　this　country；　are

to　be　looked　for　in　the　abuses　which　have　their　origin　in　the

infirmities　and　characteristics　of　human　nature。　In　a　word；　the

people　have　great　cause　to　distrust　themselves；　and　the　numerous

and　serious　innovations　they　are　making　on　all　sides；　on　not　only

the　most　venerable　principles　in　favor　with　men；　but　on　the

divine　law；　must　cause　every　reflecting　man　to　forbode　a　state　of

things；　far　more　serious　than　even　that　which　would　arise　from　a

separation　of　the　States　into　isolated　parts。



The　particular　form　in　which　this　imminent　danger　is　now；　for　the

first　time　seriously　since　the　establishment　of　the　Government；

beginning　to　exhibit　itself；　is　through　the　combinations　of　the

designing　to　obtain　a　mercenary　corps　of　voters；　insignificant　as

to　numbers；　but　formidable　by　their　union；　to　hold　the　balance　of

power；　and　to　effect　their　purposes　by　practising　on　the　wilful；

blind；　wayward；　and；　we　might　almost　add；　fatal　obstinacy　of　the

two　great　political　parties　of　the　country。　Here；　in　our　view；　is

the　danger　that　the　nation　has　most　to　apprehend。　The　result　is

as　plain　as　it　is　lamentable。　In　effect；　it　throws　the　political

power　of　the　entire　Republic　into　the　hands　of　the　intriguer；　the

demagogue；　and　the　knave。　Honest　men　are　not　practised　on　by　such

combinations；　but；　with　a　fatality　that　would　seem　to　be　the　very

sport　of　demons；　there　they　stand；　drawn　up　in　formidable　array；

in　nearly　equal　lines　of　open　and　deriding　hostility；　leading

those　who　no　longer　conceive　it　necessary　to　even　affect　the

semblance　of　respect　to　many　of　the　plainest　and　most　important

of　the　principles　of　social　integrity　that　have　ever　been

received　among　men。



Anyone　familiar　with　the　condition　of　Europe　must　know；　that

under　the　pressure　of　society　in　that　quarter　of　the　world；　and

toward　which　we　are　fast