Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-11-28
by WILLIAM LEGGETT.


"There is no necessary evils in Gov
ernment. Its evils exist only in Its abu-
ses. IL it would confinc itself to equal
protection, and, as heaven does its rains,
shower its favors alike on the high and
the low, the rich and the poor, it would
be an unqualified blessing"
This is the language Of our vencra'ed
President, and the passage deserves TO be
written in letters Of gold, Tor neither in
truth of sentiment or beauty of express.
sion can it be surpassed. We choose it
rs our text for few remarks on the true
functions OF Government.
The fundamental principle of all gov.
ernments is the protection Of person and
property from domestic ana foreign enc
mics in other words to defend the weak
against the strong. BY establishing the
social feeling in community, II was In
tended 10 counteract that selfish feeling,
which, in its proper exercise is the pa.
rent Of all worldly good, and, in its ex'
cesseS the root Of all evil. The functions
Of Government, when confined to their
propc. sphere Of action, are therefore re-
s:rictcJ TO the making Of general laacS,
uniform and universal in their operation,
for these purposes, and for no other.
Governments have no light to interfere
with the pursuits Of individuals, as guar
an,ieJ by those general laws, by offer.
ing encourag gements and granting pfivil
eges to any particular class of industry,
or any select body of men. inasmuch as
all glasses of industry and all men arc
equally important to the general well
fare, and equally entitled to protection.
Whenever government assumes the
power of discriminating between the diff
iefent classes of the community, it be-
comes, in effect, the arbiter of rpros'
peri.y, and exercises power not con
temp lated by any intelligent people in
delegatiny their sovereignty to their Iu
lers. 1t then becomes the great reSula
tor Of the profits of every species OF In
dus,ry, and reduces men from dePe,n
dence on their own excrtons, to de
pendencc on the caprlccs OF their Gov
e:nments. Governments possess no del
egaled right to tamper with lndlvldua
industry a single hair r's.breadth beyonl
what is essential to protect the rights o
persons and property.
In the exercise Of this power OF inter
meddIing with the private pursuits ant
individual occupations OF the citizen,
Governme at may at pleasure elevate one
class and depress another; it may ont
day legislate exclusively Tor the farmer
the next for the mechanic, and the third
for The man ufacturer, vino all thus be
come the mere puppets ofleslsla'Ivc cob
bling and tinkering, instead OF iniepen'
dent citizens, relying on their own re-
sources for their posperity. II assume:
the functions which belong alone to al
ovcrruling Providence, and affects 10 be
come the universal dispenser Of good ana
evil.
This power Of rcgulatins-of increa
sing or diminishing the profits OF labor
the value OF properly Of all kinds and de
grees, by direct legislation, in a great
measure destroys the essential object o
all civil compacts, which, as we nave
said before, is 10 make the social coun
terpoise to the selfish feeling. BY thu
operating directly on the latter, by offer
ing one class bounty and another
discoura cement, they involve the seliisl
feeling in every Struggle Of party for TIT
ascendency, and give TO the force OF 20
IticaI rivalry all the bittcres, excitemen
aggravated to degree dangerous 10 tn
existence Of the Union and to the peac
Of society Is it not that by frequen
exercises of partial legislation, almos
every mans personal interests have DC
come deeply involved in the result Of tn
contest /? In common times, the strife 0
parties is the mere struggl le Of Ambitious
leaders for power; now they are deadl
contests of the whole mass OF the people
whose pecuniary interests are imPlIca
ted in the event, because the Govern
ment has usurped and exercised the pow
er Of legisIa.ing on their private affairs
The selfish feeling has been SO ssrongl
called into action by this abuse OF au
thority as almost to overpower the SO
cial feeling, which it should be the 90
ject Of q good Government TO foster y,
every means in its power,
| No nation, knowingly and votuntarl
ly, with its eyes open. ever delegated 7
its Government this enormous power
which places at its disposal the property
the industry, and the fruits OF the INDUS
try. Of the whole people. AS q genera
rule, the prosperity Of rational men dc
pends on themselves. Their talents an
their virtues shape their fortunes. The
are therefore the best judges Of their ow
1 affairs, and should be permitted to see
their own happiness in their own way
untrammelled by the copricious interior
ence Of legislative bunGlihg, so long o
they do not violate the equnl rights
/ Others, nor transgress the general law
for the security Of person aud property