The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-05-17
SPEECH


OF Mr.. DUNCAN, OF OHIO.
| In the house of representatives. March 6, 1874,
on the bill Introduced by him to regulate the
election of electors for President and Vice Presi-
dent, and members of Congress throughout the
| United States.
Mr. DUNCAN spoke as follows:
There is no higher duty we owe to ourselves, to
each other, ard to our country, in whatever stua-
tion we may be placed, or whatever sphere in life
we may Gil. than to understand The nature Of our
government. and the civil j. situ 10 by which
our rights are to be rnantaicd as citizens, and by
which our civil duties towards each other are TO be
regulated. This duty is not mi re binding uTo, US
in civil than in political SCI Sc. 1t is indispesa-
bic to faithful discharge of duties as private
citizens that we should understand the duties of a
citizen. Those duties involve knowledge of the
legal and political restraints viii n civil government
throws around US and brings us under. These
civil duties ard obligations are common to and
binding upon all men IN state of organized socie-
ty. whatever the form Of government may be, bur
we, as American citizens, in addition to these du-
ties, owe some Of higher character which may
more properly be denomiaated political duties
which contradistinguished from civil duties for
the purpose Of illustration. Civil duties, and
knowledge Of the obligations which civil duties
impose, appertain to the subjects of monarchy
or an aristocracy The same civil duties, in pro-.
port IN to the requisitons Of law, appertan 10 the
citizens of republican government; but owing to
I,l,o ~
zen, but also member of the republic and part Of
the aw-rnaking power, he owes some higher duties
than a mere citizen. Those higher duties call
political duties. Obedience is the duty Of the
while command is the prerogative of the monarch;
but in republican government the duties Of obe-
dience and submission are united with the preroga-
tive TO command in the same person. Such is the
nature of our government. With us, no man can
be so low as to shake off the duties of legal and
constitutional submission; no man Can be so high
as to be exerapt from them. No man can be SO
low Gin crime excepted) as to excuse himself from
participation in the duties Of governing. No
man can be so high as to transcend exemption from
the obligations and duties of the most humble
citizen, or to exercise powers in the establishment
of rules of civil conduct not common to each and
every citizen, only as that power Was delegated to
him by the suffrage of those he represents, in
whatever official position he may occupy. And
this leads me to an expose of the character OF our
government. That do, not only in conformity
with high duty which owe as citizen in CON-
mon, but as representative; do it not only be-
cause we no, too frequently refer TO first prin
cples, whether in private or official capacity; but
because the bill under consideration, its defence
and advancement, requires such an expose, in
order to illustrate the absolute necessity Of this bill
becoming law
Sir, our government is government OF the peo-
Pile. 1t was created by the people; and the people
are the government, to every p.litcal purpose and
intent. And in these consists the great and funda-
mental difference between republican (or demo-
cratfc) form of government aud all others. | be.
lieve there are but three direct forms of govern
ment regarded as fundamental, viz a monarchical, m
All aristocraiital, and republican form; all others
are notifications or mixtures of those. All gov
errments were republican in their origin; no peo-
pie ever were blind to their own interests, and
so regardless of their individual privileges and
natural rights as to surrender them into the hands
of any one man OF set of men to disper Sc them at
his or their pleasure or caprice. l make another
asserton-that is, that man possesses all the requ-
sites for selfgoverLment: and to deny those requi-
Sita ;o eta al, I,,- b,eo
imputation OH the Almighty | also assert that no
government ever fell by the corruptions of the
people. Why, then, lit has been and will be ask
ed, have all republics falen' Why have all gov
erEments which depended upon the aggregate
wi,dom and stability of the people, failed! II i,
part of my purpose, in my support of the present
bill, to answer these interrogatories. At present,
wish to define and illustrate the character of our
government; and, for that purpose, to illustrate
the principles Of other governments, and to expose
the difference to the end that ours may be better
A monarchical government is that which con-
centrates all power, legislative, Judicial, and minis
teria, In the hands ofa single individual An ars.
tocracy is that form of government whi>h places
the same powers, aud the same amount of power,
in the hands of a few individuals. Such govern
ments are called absolute monarchies, or absolute
as the case may beabsolute, because
he mass Of the people have participation in max.
ing, adjudicating upon. or executing the laws by
which they are governed. Their civil duties con.
st in submission and obedience; prerogaive duties
n commanding submissive obedience to the laws
which they have no hand in making, and submission
md obedience to the adjudication Of laws. without
my part in the adjudication and submission, and
obedience to the execution of the laws, without
hare in the execution, only the subjects of exc
ution In such governments, the people are
lind ofpolitica automatons. without political will
r volition, which move merely as they are moved
y the win Of the laws which govern them, or the
viii Of him or them who make the laws. Such