New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-09
porrrIc.I PHILOSOPHY.


IN that des0nstou II has certainly been effort 70
max, the wbig party more Democratic, in the true
sense Of that much-abused terIn-Ehile we are very
sure that there is nothing in the proclaimed creed or
tslsua practice Of the opposite party which entest
70 the distinctive n@me it assumes. But, just pres
ent we are not anxious to bear any name nor to bld
up any party We rather DESTROYS OF the dsin'e-
grafton Of partes and the formation Of public senti-
ment which shall override party distinctions and over
rule party nominations the unpreudced dictate OF
Public Good shall require But The Commonwealth OBJ
ects 10 our doctrines touching the functions of Gov
ernment,"ss the very opposite of Democratic lt
quotes to condemn from our recent article on The
Future Of Politics. as follows:
aNo one who thoughfully considers philosophy Of
Government believes that ever become disciple
of the self STYLED Democracy Of our time Aside from
our dislike cOurers and taterers whether Of Monarchs
or Maoriies hold to Efficient pervasve energetic Gov
ernment-tO Government which shall repress Vice and
Danish Temptation and not merely den0unce Outrage and
punish Crime We desire Affirmative, creative. construct
i've Government-that wlch aims 80 make two blades OF
grass grow where but grew before not that which
limits il constructive function and energies u the orct
ion Of and the erection OF gibDet In short our
Political Philosophy probably more radically hostile 10
that cher,hed by the sOcaed Democratic party than
that Of any other Amsican-"
Hereupon The Commonwealth comments in the fol-
lowing strain We quote its criticism entire:
"The Gar of Russia could say every word of that Ii
expresses precisely what the Government 81 LOUIS Na'
poeon does IN the opinion Of those VINO proclaim thA hvs
The elect Of Goo and has his foot on the mech OF Gods
enemies OF course the Iri5sae does not agree with
them.
The more we study that paragraph the more seem. to
usequvoca and vsgue iihe writer hesats - give aI
and precise statement hat be does ev-rtheles
proceeds on the assumption that the sesyed Democra-
cy" have an acknowledged theory OF Government which
The TJiJun ri Gets ana 10 which opposes the deaoi
strongly centralized ana powerful GOvernment-an e.
fcert pervasive energetic Government Government
whose forces must peryade everything DO everything and
treat the people if they were dyspeptc inyads % we
the T,ijune has grown to be kind Of Institution in
the land Therefore its political theories caln't be unm
portrait We like rs humane impulses We Ike rs trend
Ship for reforms We Ike rs bodness and vgor But we
do like either is theory of government or ITS habit OF
falling 10 nculcate precise and thorough system OF prnci
pies pocs Its Democracy appears 10 BE- OF the French
sort Heretofore he French Democrats have not proceed
ed So far as have serious quarrel with that terrible cen
tram which so bedevs France and battles the hope OF
every French revolution They have retained is machn
cry and sought "a make all things new by Transferring
from Legitimacy to the hands of their Own LEADERS, Ihey
have not understood that freedom requires argd Limitation
Of the central and demands that the people
themselves have full scope manage their affairs, aud
make two blades of grass grow where only one grew
before
Their habit Of acquescence in the Governmental ma
chnery Of France shows itself in the theories othe French
Socialists who are, generally, men Of noble AIMS. They
are constantly heorzng the assumption that the peo
panzed for that purpose The Tri5u1ss theory OF the
functions Of Government explains to US why has failed
10 notice this defect IN their theories.
we could always have rulers so wise good and capa
BILE Is TO be really angelic would still be true that they
should be- limited 10 the exercise OF such powers as are alb
soutey inGis 9ensabe 10 central Government It's bet
ter IA take care of than 10 be taken Of
by the best rulers The Importance of such limitation Is
esened when consider what sort OF rulers we have
nghtto expect
Comments By The Tribune
g. 1.p ipba in
iusory distinction it draws between ourselves that
is. the People-and the Government which, for our
mutual benefit, we institute, uphold and direct. In a
Monarchy the Government rules and the People obey
the rulers and the ruled being distinct and often
taconist but in Republic based on Popular Education
and Universal Suffrage rulers and ruled essentially
the same OF course since the People are by means
angels it is hardly probable that the rulers will be such
and vet We hold it manifest that in regard to all such
matters as are involved in this discussion the VIII of the
People must very generally itself to be respected
We doubt that any State has established or i'm
proved sytem of Popular Education constructed Canals
or Railroads or done anything else in the direction Of
efficient. peryasive, energetic Government which
was not demanded and sustained by the Public Voice
We can hardly remember instance in which the PeO-
pe of County City or other locality, have voted
in which the result has not been an affirmative majority
And now We should hail the submission to the whole
American People of this question Shall the United
States pay Thirty Millions TO the construction OF
six feet double-track railroad from the Mississippi to
the Pacific as ensurng the early triumph Of that mag
nfcent enterprise.
We hold it clear, and rejoice in the fact that
Republican Government is stronger than any other
We will cite in evidence The Maine Liquor Law,
which The Commonwealth, notwithstanding its dislike
TO energetic government, approves aud uPholds We
doubt whether there is despot in Europe who could
safely decree and enforce SO stringent measure of
reform And yet We see il enacted and maintained by
Legislators considerably short of angelic We see it
upheld by the People and an efficient engine OF social
ard moral amendment. And thus our fathers rejected
Tea as the Italian Patriots Of time have, for
months, refused Tobacco; when power or authority,
not emanating from themselves, could have induced
either People thus TO mortify their own aPPetites.
Let The Commonwealth, then, be assured that our
theory of government is that acted on By ITSELF in
supporting the Maine Liquor Law. Whether our
system Of principles" or its own is the move pre-
else and thorough We leave for others to decide
As to that terrible Centraism, We may not cherish
dread Of it intense our neghbOrs but glory
in our Federatiye system and believe IL the Ssest and
best ever devised by man. We wish nothing done BY
the Central Government which can be well done BY
the States, or by the minor localities specially inter-
ested. Let the States make their railroads. while
the Federal Government unites those of the Atlantic
with those Of the Pacific States. by National line
through its unpeoped territory. Let the States deal
with the Rum Traffic within their several Jurisdictions,
while the Federal Government banishes Alcoholic BeE