Such a movement is, however, against the order of Providence, and thus
is an evil that corrects itself. Men are happier (other conditions being
equal) in large communities than in small; and when selfishness and
ambition have broken up a large state into many small and independent
ones, the same principle of selfishness, still operating, keeps them in
perpetual mutual jealousy and collision, until, whether they will or
not, they are forced into a mass again by some strong military despot,
or conquered by a superior foreign power, and quiet is for a time again
restored.
* * * * *
From these considerations we conclude that civilization, as it advances,
is but the index of the capacity of human beings to form themselves into
larger and larger nationalities (perhaps ultimately to result in a
federal union of all nations), each consisting of numerous parts,
performing distinct functions; yet so organized harmoniously that each
part shall preserve all the freedom that it requires for its utmost
development and happiness, and yet depend for its own life upon the life
of the entire national body.
It may also be concluded that this capacity of men so to organize is
just in proportion to the development of the higher elements and
faculties of the mind, the religious, moral, social, and intellectual,
and the diminished influence of the lower, animal, and selfish nature.
Consequently, when in such a large and harmoniously organized
nationality as the American Union, there arises a movement which,
without the slightest rational or high moral cause, aims to break away
from this advanced, this free and humanizing political organization; and
not only to break away from the main body, but also maintains the right
of the seceding portion itself to break up into independent
sovereignties; then, the conclusion is forced upon every impartial mind
that the spirit which animates such a disruptive movement is a spirit
opposed to civilization, since it runs in precisely the opposite
direction; as, instead of tending to unity, to accord, to a large
organization with individual freedom, it tends to disunity, separation,
the splitting up of society into many independent sovereign states, or
fractions of states, certain, absolutely certain to clash and war with
each other, especially with slavery as their woof and warp; and thus
bring back the reign of barbarism, and the ultimate subjection of these
warring little sovereignties to one or more iron despotisms.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25