Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-05-20

d ',4o S'a'ed theatre OF political HE end PUB
nc distinction and still Jess do speak OF those
butterflies VINO sport in the circles and in The
saloons OF tashion-bn speak of the plain, prsc-
'icai yeonanry OF the couh,ry-the bone and
slhew OF tAe land--upon W hose virtue. whose
tirIhness and integrity, this government has al
ways relied, and must always continue 10 rsly. |
ior Its peace, its security, aud its permanently.
KNOW do not pretend to conceal the fact. !
OF 10 deny lis exlstence-i know that the more
wealthy and arlstocralc classes of society. with
few honorable exceptions, aro op,osed to the
adoption of this useafure. They cling to the
feature OF an executive appointment OF the iudi-
Gravy; as 1se drowning mariner cIines to the last
plant that floats upon the waves, to keep him
tron gong down into the unfathnmea depths
be'leath. The tenacsty Of the grasp is the same.
though the motives and circumstances are vide
" different. La one case it is TO save ,aau GER
tam aad inevitable destrucion-in the other.
from tal.cied and imaginary peril.
There have always been two PARTIES that have
divided the people of this country-one of them
has been IN favor of popular government from
pfshetpia and hence, as the intelligence of the
| country advanced, and as experience demon
Stfated the feasibility and security of the Plan
they have advocated, invariably, an extension
OF 'te range Of power, The other party, equal
~ opposed to popular government en- principle.
have steadily and uniformly resisted every al
tempt 10 WIDEN aud enlarge the circle of popu-
lar rights. Nothing discomruses The nerves Of
those gentlemen to such an extent as rroposi
tioa to extend the power Of the people Ii comes
upon taela like the shock OF Il Gstivanic battery.
They can see nothing but death ruin and disas
ter IN every departure from Old & established IT,
sages; and SO deep-rooted & deep seated is their
antipaihy to popular government. that doubt
not there are individuals among them who had
rather see our Judges nominated by the Bashaw
| nj Hpnic tb, A,,t1 .f.I III IL
to see them elected by the direct votes OF the
people. Between these sen.l.meR au.! myself
there Is no community OF feeling or Of thosle hit
we stand as WIDE asundaras the poles. There
is Chiism between Us as wide as that which
separates paradise from purgatory.
The ilfst polut which naturally suggests itself
to the mind In the investigation of this subject
is that which relates to the political right of the
| people to elect their Judges. VIII honorable
gentlemen; opposed to us, conceae that the peo-
pie have the political right of electino their
Judges II SO, we shall be grateful for small
avors. Should the admission be made, it then
ie!loWs that ana arguing in favor of nothing
ihat 10 wrong. am merely coHtendifte for the
exercise OF a right which is conceded But ner-
Elaps they may deem it advisable not TO permit
us to make such a strong lodement on the field
OF argument, Us would be al once secured BIZ the
concession Of the right. II the right be on our
SANS3 W. "aS Sii.iNAe httl al UilGG DctIJ a
ton, thai can be carried neither by siore nor nv
storm. From under the cover OF this redonbtt.
we could pour upon :ham The hottest thunder
bolts OF Tight hale rerosing ourselves in perfect
! security IRON their assaults. Hence tie necessi-
y bet anie urgent to disloga Us FROM this strong
hold, and to bring the question at once 10 tho is
sue by DENIAL OF the right OF the people 10 e.
ect their Judges.
10 deny the right of the people is to dcnv at
/ Tint trlt tufj -, ~
dependence, that 'a!l governments are msliiut.
ed tor the benefit OF the Eeoli,,' ant! that other
truth, asserted III the i!iil OF Rights, that "all
power Is inherent i'll the peo. e.n This denial
assalls the hfst principles OF a popular govern
ment; and prostrates in ruins the Rerutlic
which was reared by the hands and ctinel.ted
| by the blood OF OUT ioseia,hers. No man can a.
use OIL this floor, in the face of the assembled
representatives OF the people, and DENY that the
people from whom he holds his trust. are not in
iul possession OF all the rights and powers i.he-
rent III the sovereignty OF the State. That cues
ton, them shall regard as settled, aud I will
hereafter hold the right Of the people 10 elect
their Judges as lndlspuiabe and undisputed.
AT this stage OF the aigument we NAV be told
that while the right OF election I.y the people is
granted, that the expectancy of exercising thai
right is utterly denied. The concession, or the
establishment of the RIGHT is sufficient of itself
|
No man can Ike deprived OF a political rieht IN
der the preteA that il is inexpedient for him to
exercise 1t. The right once granted Or proved,
the free exercise OF il follows, else the term
'rieht'' is an unmeaning and seliseless word
having neither force, nor body, nor shape. OF
what avail will it be- to possess a right in theo
| ry II it be possessed III theory aone? For in
stance, if have been invested by the laws and
Constitution with the political richt Of suffrago.
| vet ! abnSa that rssyft fhal i
you deprive me of lis exercise upon the pre-
lence that might abuse il Again, I have
the unquestloned right to manage and control
my Owl private affairs and property as please :;
yet it might well happen that | would abuse
that riehl--that | would squander my means,
dlsslpate my property, g. reduce myself to bank
ruptcy and ruin-stiJl would the Legislature be
authorized to Withdraw my property from my
control and place it in the hands of trustee
under the pretext that might abuse that right
But what, after all is this denial of the expe-
dlency OF the exercise OF popular rights but The
| old and exploded argument of The lnonarchist a.?
There is no monaichst on earth but what will
tell you that all governments are Instituted for
The benefit OF The people yet he will gravely ar
que that it is for their bentf fit that the powers of
| The government should not be exercised by the
| people. This is the soothing Argument which is
! 10 comfort the SORROWS and bind up the wounds
| OF the crushed and down-trodlen masses of the
| world Behold the condition of the people of
England There, the very bread is taxed 'ere
it approaches the starving lips-everythng is
taxed that man touches or wears; the light of
heaven iselfisa source Of governmental revenue.
and the very habitations of men are datkened
by taxation yet the people of that countr. are
consoled by the information that it is much bet
Ter for them that the powers OF the government
should be wrested from their hands, where thew
properly belong, and placed in the hands of Their
tyrants--a pamrered and bloated aristocracv,
and man that wears crown upon his head,
and holds sceptre in his hands And now, Sir
The very argument which is employed to defend
the most odious and grinding despotism on earth
is the very argument which is used by the oppo-
nents OF an elective Judiciary. They tell The
people that it is much better for them that they
should not exercise the powers that belong to
them, OF e,echns their Judges and as the King
| better than the peorle can so can The GIOVANNI.