is successful, and
thousands have won their deathless names in making it so. But the game
is caught; and I believe it is true that with the catching end the
pleasures of the chase. This field of glory is harvested, and the crop
is already appropriated. But new reapers will arise, and _they_ too
will seek a field. It is to deny what the history of the world tells
us is true, to suppose that men of ambition and talents will not
continue to spring up amongst us. And, when they do, they will as
naturally seek the gratification of their ruling passion as others have
done before them. The question then is, Can that gratification be
found in supporting and maintaining an edifice that has been erected by
others? Most certainly it cannot. Many great and good men,
sufficiently qualified for any task they should undertake, may ever be
found whose ambition would aspire to nothing beyond a seat in Congress,
a gubernatorial or a presidential chair; but _such belong not to the
family of the lion, or the tribe of the eagle_. What! think you these
places would satisfy an Alexander, a Caesar, or a Napoleon? Never!
Towering genius disdains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto
unexplored. It sees no distinction in adding story to story upon the
monuments of fame erected to the memory of others. It _denies_ that it
is glory enough to serve under any chief. It _scorns_ to tread in the
footsteps of _any_ predecessor, however illustrious. It thirsts and
burns for distinction; and if possible, it will have it, whether at the
expense of emancipating slaves or enslaving freemen. Is it
unreasonable then, to expect that some man possessed of the loftiest
genius, coupled with ambition sufficient to push it to its utmost
stretch, will at some time spring up among us? And when such a one
does, it will require the people to be united with each other, attached
to the government and laws, and generally intelligent, to successfully
frustrate his designs.

Distinction will be his paramount object, and, although he would as
willingly, perhaps more so, acquire it by doing good as harm, yet, that
opportunity being past, and nothing left to be done in the way of
building up, he would set boldly to the task of pulling down.

Here then is a probable case, highly dangerous, and such an one as
could have well existed heretofore.

Another reason which _once was_, but which, to the same extent, is _now
no more_, has done much in maintaining