Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-04-19
Communications.

sent form of government of the United States will
be continued the next half century?''
This Messrs. Editors, is the question which was
discussed at the Franklin Lycenn, on Tuesday
evening last-the greater part of which discussion
had the pleasure OF hearing. Its interesting cha
racter may be an excuse for my troubling you with
any thoughts in relation to the subject. Be this as
1t may, cannot forbear sending you a sketch of
the train OF ideas which suggested itself my
mind, during the progress of the debate.
The fair understanding or construction eff the
question presume to be: svill our government
continue to be republican for the ensuing fifty years,
will it degenerate into less liberal form? Will
it,ln other words, become amonarchy or despotism?
In the first place, it will be proper to inquire
whether the general tendency of things throughout
the civilized world is backward or forward-and
particularly whether, III the United States, the great
mass OF the people becoming more ignorant of
their rights and interests, or more careless as
their preservation than they heretofore have been.
Who that has critically observed the signs of the
times in many parts of Europe, can doubt that the
general tendency of things there is rather towards
democracy, popular government, than towards
the continuance of its opposite. The of this
be found in the general diffusion of intel
lgence among the anass, who have but to be en-
Eghtened in relation to their rights and interests to
be induced to make struggle at least, to attain and
secure them. This struggle may be civil and
silent one at frst-ndeed, it may be wholly So if
the fen are willing peaceably to resign into the
hands of the many the authority and station, and
emolument which are improperly held, and to lend
their aid and assistance in, at least not to thwar
such reforms may, for the good of the whole, be
expedientor necessary. Witness the struggle now
going on in Great Britain; struggle between the
ilgouen and much abused power of the .fe,o on the
one hand, and the ri gifts of the oppressed m,any
the other: And who can doubt what its grand re-
suit will be? IF we acknowledge that the march of
mind, the spread of intelligence, is onward we will
be forced to admit that long whatever is most
obnoxious to the interests of the mass in the civil
zed governments of Europe, must give way before
the popular voice which has been, is, or may be
raised against it,--as intelligent men, particularly
when they have the moral and physical strength re-
quise to redress their grievances, will never long
submit to arbitrary and unjust distinctions and ty-
ranical forms, elther in society government. Ri
yeGaer rivet in the shackles which have been pla-
ced upon the many must and will be severed, until
if existing monarchies be not entirely changed in
their every feature, they will be so in their most es-
sential ones-when, if the name of monarchy re-
mains, 1t will be but name, and if a King or Queen
is permitted to occupy throne, his or her authority
will be restricted within such bounds as may be pre-
scrlbed by the popular will To take the opposite
OF this ground is to contend that mind or nelli-
gence among the many has reached stationary
point, that it is retrogradng, neither of which po-
sitions is tenable, as never in the history of the
world have the evidences of moral improvement and
elevation been so great during the past few
years.
1t is unnecessary to refer to civilized European
governments in detail-the general signs of the
times cannot be mistaken. AS the great mass be-
comes heightened, and partially or fully sensible
OF their natural privileges and rights, the force and
authority OF arbitrary and tyranical systems must of
necessity become weakened, and must eventually
be destroyed, either peaceably, through the inlu-
ence Of public opinion and legislation, or forcbly.
by an appeal to the sword.
Let us inquire whether in our own country
the signs Of the times indicate any thing like re-
trograde movement, so far the general progress
OF intelligence is concerned, and whether, conse-
quenty, there is any danger probability that
present form of government, dependant as it is for
its perpetuity upon the intelligence of the many,
is likely to become changed, at least for the worse
The history of our government, it is true. since
its formation, has, certain extent, been one of
political strife and contention; and many honest diff
ferences of opinion have been, and still enter
tanned in relation to the proper construction in some
important particulars, of that grand charter of our
liberties and union-he northumberland by the
united wisdom of as vrtuous and intelligent con-
vention of men ever assembled together for any
great political object.
One party contends that Congress, in its legsla-
ton, should conhne itself to the strict letter of that
instrument, without the least deviation to the right
or left, the only means of carrying out the grand
design of its framers of preserving inviolaby the
separate and independent sovereignty of the states
OF preserving the union, and of transmitting to pos
terty the invaluable privileges which by the bra
very, and virtue, and patriotism of our ancestors,
attained and bequeathed to us. Ii is contend
ed that the powers intended to be conferred upon
the general government, were no more nor greater
than such as were absolutely necessary to provide
for the common defence, and secure the general
welhre-leaving to be exercised by the states them
selves every prerogatve which it was not necessa-
~ should be relingushed for the above specified
common objects Hence it is asserted by this par
ty that the establishment of T. S. Bank, not being
expressly sanctioned by the constitution is an as
sumption, and dangerous too, on the ground
that It has corruptng tendency upon government
and public morals-that il has tendency to conso-
ldation, by increasing unnecessarily through the
means of a vast moned institution, the power of the