New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-09-10
The Philosophy of Government.
WASHINGTON, Friday, September

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The Philosophy of Government
WASHINGTON, Friday, September 6, 1883
To Ms Editor Of The Tribune:
The Dollar Newspaper of Last week fell under
NV eve today and find its leader With the cap
ton OF "The Philosophy Of Government" 70 DO
c,itioue upon letter Of mine to TIE Tribune in
which mentioned remark Of Mr.. Winthrop, TO
she effect that no law can be enforced In the United
States which runs counter to well defined Puonc
sensimens upon which remark added some COM
ments. 10 those comments the editor takes ex'
canton and flies to the defepse OF MIR. Winthrop.
He says the utmost extent" OF Mr.. Winthrcps
meaning, was that, as the United States are
copfederacy, upon the principle OF agreement ana
compromise, laws, to be generally enforced. musI
be- satisfactory to the whole, and not exclusivey
acceptable to one State or minority OF states
He did not intend to say," says the writer, "thas
a law not acceptable to q minority cannot pc en-
forced for this would substitute anarchy ana l1ey
the Hartford and Nashville Conventions, the w MS
ky Insurrection OF Pennsylvania, or the Nulllhca-
tiop of South Carolina Mr. Winthrop underataads
too we'll the philosophy of our political system 70
co beyond this and ia too discrese and naturally
oonsefv alive to preach revolution or anarchy" 10
this have to reply that DID nos unoers1 hnu Al.
Winthrop to refer to mutual agreements or com
promises at all, but simply az stating q facs tnee
lazy. al mere law-an arbitrary expression OF the
will OF the legislator, cannot be successfully enlofc
ed In these United States any further tnen sucn
law happens to be genuine expression OF sne wlll
OF the people Do not Mr. Winthrop, and 1.-THE
commentator correspondent Of The Ittbnns" and
the editor commentators upon him, all agree in shlsi
Is it not truth, little more than matter OF co u
mon observasion Further than that 10 it NOT rlght
thst it should be trae7 Is 1t not OF the very es-
aance of Representative Government that IL ahould
Jl.l =
Clearly not.
But the gat Of my ofFense lay in my comments
and NOT in my report. The editor goes on to say:
nBut this IL not enough for the Commentator. conepoE'
dent de says that MI Winthrop has stated 10 substance
what every man and woman 70 tun sue ~a 10
his p,ipats Judgment regarding inc law YIN no 10Y
eence aud merely a. an ~ e hat be
ohes may regard this az an awful symptom otdeEehericy
he hail, 1t glorious ,hss Ia oi Of n ndvdusv Within
U.s. which phs finally make every man mao, ana every
are Initiating and hsDgng upon The ukirta Of zach other
Ths 10 progress with vengeance! AND II ar wlntntop
said minated shu which ne 9hs nos I'VE hpon ne
iunarc asylum and not lhe Federal Senate"
Now, Sir, let US diarnisa Mr.. Winthrop and his
sentiments. What my critic means to say 10, taas
/. for the opinions express, ought to ein alunatio
asylum. That's it, plump out. Very yell, accord
inn to nv principle OF Individuality he has
perfect right to entertain that opinion or any osne
which he may happen to haya. The fact is, that
thia great law CT Individuality as held by my.
aelf and few friends, who do not think ourselves
As subiecta for the mad house, and which ID held
too al the grand solvent of the most intricate oil
Goulties of the social state Is the most unlucky
thing to combat in the universe, The very TACT Of
aysaulting it pr0reS it. Has net the oSElngul5hed
Editor, by regarding me as lunasio, for ideas
which | regard as among the no7t Benslbe IDEAS
ever uttered proved he proves nothing else, thai
each of us is an individual, having mental charac.
teristcn and pecuatties as diverse as the esturss
which distiD guish us rom eacn other: NOV tns
point with me is that recognise that fact par
ceiye that is true Of him and me not only, bat OF
every human being and conclude: L. That every
law, every human Institution, euery creed, eUery
rule Of action, which assumes that We ara alike,
in these respects, and not different, Is based upon
a fnlse assumption and Is therefore false, and
g. That every man made lac, institution, creed, or
Sule of action which attempts 10 compel the con.
fofmty OF one man to another in thought, w0rd, or
action il both false and oppressive inasmuch AZ it
attempts 10 shape by the man mada institution she
God ade subject OF that institution. Is that CLEAR
to the comprehension Of the Editor Of The DOllar
NepSpaper, and if so, does he see, as Jack Down
ing saws, the bearin On's.' The Edfror says that
he don't believe my representation Of Mr. Win.
throp's remark. Very well perhaps he was once
a green country school boy, and behaved eyory-
thing he saw in print. II 40 he has gos moro Isdi
pidaQ9Rv now. Has it then proved 20 hin law
of progress, or otherwise.
If was oD better terms OF intimacy with tue d..
itor, would ask him to do me couple OF fayors.
In the rst place, let him avoid the fault OF all those
who are defenders OF what is against the aults
ofinnoyssion, la ths quite unintentional and
extremely provoking assumption that he Of course
Ia light, and tha. bis opponent has, by mistake,
committed an ofFense against what is well estab
lished to be atrue and proper VIII he, hereafter,
1.-The has any occasion to say anything to me, simply
take it for granted that know quite as well az he
knows, that am assaiing thu very foundations Of
exiatiDg things and institutions. LIE. him perceive
the fact that his true poaition is not tlat OF attack
but Of defense, and that if no conyicts me of being
the most unmitigAisd distutber Ct the ezsting ar.
rangements Of society and the esserter OF unheard,
Of doctrines, he will msrely convict ms of what
am ready to begin by admitting. We shall then
get on good deal better. The only question wo
aha have then to settle, will DO whether these doc
trines are true, and if So whether whas No wants
to daiend can be justified by them.
The other request ahould have to maze 49, snat
he should distinguish little more accurately my
assertion Of principles from nay statement OF
stated az fact that reverence for law as sl0n -
ID aosoriousiy becoming slaakeaed u the minas :.
Aha ea.ornunisv fr other wordsthat reiiancs %