The Country in 1950, or The Conservatism of Slavery [pp. 426-439]

The Cotntry in 1950, or the Conservatism of Slavery.
and phyre aintenane, and not to the
formation of such moral sentiments ando
political views as would make them capable and zealous of combatting in their infancy the evils that threaten the State.
The eleves of the Common School may in deed be able to read understandingly the
lighter literature of the day, but their political gospels will most probably be nothing more than the public newspapers,
and they will be quite as apt to be misled
as to be led right by these interested
ouides. Both they themselves and their
mentors, the nswspapers, might be sufficiently quick to perceive and strike down
an open foe, but will most probably be
entirely indifferent to, or even unconscious of the growth of the influences we
have been describing, which work in directly and secretly, and through long
spaces of time. The condition of Prussia,
whose public school plan, is the model
after which the best in our country are
formed, affords a convincing proof that
general education may exist in a country,
combined with the most lethargic and
complete submission to despotic power on
the part of the people.
It might also be supposed that the existence of the Christian religion, so pure
in all its precepts and tendencies, and
which inculcates indifference to earthly
pleasures and acquisitions, would prove
powerfully antagonistic t) the spirit of
trade, and the accumulation of power in
the hands of capital. The actual facts
however do not support this presumption.
Thus in Great Britain and America,
which are confessedly the countries in
which Christianity has the most active
and extensive influence upon all grades of
society, we also find commerce and mianufactures flourishing with the utmost vigor; and the classes engaged in their pursuits are those likewise in which religion
has probably its most zealous followers.
We will not here attempt to explain the
causes of this apparent anomaly, but
only allude, in passing, to an effect wNvhich
will be sufficient to justify the ways of
Providence in permitting its existence.
It is, that while Christianity, or rather
the modern point of view in regard to it,
seems not to prevent the universal devotion to the pursuit of wealth, it has a considerable influence over its final disposition. Consequently no age has beheld
more muurnificent provision for the spread
of religion, the alleviation of distress and
want, and the enacouragementll- of science
and letters; and to accomplish these objects, is doubtless the reason why the
trading spirit has been allowed to become
so general a motive of action.
We have heretofore ascr" ced'lo Great
Britain a lengthened immunity from that
unrestrained form of government which
is produced by the concentration of power
in the hands of the monetary interest,
on account of the conservative influence
of its landed interest. The question may
present itself, whether we may not find
something analogous in the constitution
of society in our Northern States. The
consideration, however, of the actual facts
in reference to the movement of population, together with the tastes and proclivities of Northern Society with re spec t to
rural pursuits, enforces not only a negative answer to such a question, but produces the conviction, that even were
there no such power as capital to threaten its republicanism, the latter still
must stffer deterioration from the effects
of the above causes, considered of themselves alone. If we examine the movement of Northern population, we will find
that while there is a constant current setting towards the towns and cities-the
manufacturing centres and commercial
emporiums,-there is no counter stream
in the opposite direction.* In the early
settlement of New England we already
perceive this tendency, for the first prin
*As the writer in his remarks upon the various phases of Northern Society makes assertions
for which, perhaps, he may not seem to adduce sufficient authority; he deems it proper to state
that he himself is a native of a Northern state (Pennsylvania), and resided there long enough
to perceive the facts, which are the basis of subsequent reflections. The census returns, how
ever, numerically show the truth of the general statements here made, and the works of William
Chanmbers, Miss Murray, &c., upon this country, contain numerous passages upon the anti-rural
propensities here alluded to.
1856.]
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