The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-08-11


together, and forging them into one great
machine with such wonderful skill, that AT
the very FIST touch OF The propelling popu-
lar spring. it went ut once into full and per-
feet operation, and has continued its move
menis for seventy years, in prosperity as
well US in adversely, amid the factions gen.
Grated by long peace and the disturbances
OF war-not only without interruption or
Iirregularity, but even without apr. Con.
sidering the sagacity OF people that, amid
the clouds Of jealousy and the storms OF
passion, raised by heated partisans, deliber-
ately examined, and resolutely adopted, that
wonderful, yet unrried mechanism, so con.
rived for their use, and decided that II should
no, merely have 4 trial, but should stand
forever, the only government OF themselves
and their posterity. Consider, that no, only
was this vast engine set in motion by the
voluntary act OF the people, but 1t has been
kept in motion by their own personally re-
newed consent aud direct activity and that,
although like every other combination OF
forces, il has its dead points, yet It passes
through them with perfect regularity, and
without even any sensible elimination oil
motion, owing to the wa,chul performance
by the people ut critical moments, OF the
functions deyolyed upon them. Con-
slider how many and various are the human
wills. which meet and concur every time u
fresh impulse is given to The great mechan-
ism. A majority of the States, neglecting
or refusing to net on such an occasion, could
bring the government to dead stand. Con.
slider that the people no. only Interfere on
such critical occasions. but also that they
.ro continually supplying the necessary
\ force To sustain the movements oil the SUD-
ordinate parts Of the machine.
i There are two and half millions OF cleo
tors, and every one is charged with the per-
furmance, for the most part annually, with
four several classes OF functions, in us many
distinct spheres. Once, generally, in each
year the electors choose mayor or superyis-
or, alderman or trustees, or selectmon, jus.
tees of the peace, police officers, clerks, as
SCISSORS of taxes, commissioners OF public
charities, commissioners oi streets, roads and
bridges, and subalterns, or other officers oil
the militia. in their respective cities, towns,
or other forms OF municipalities. Again,
the electors generally, once in each year,
choose officers nearly rs numerous, and OF u
higher grade, to execute Judicial, ministerial
and fiscal powers of similar nature, with
the counties, which embrace several cities,
towns and municipalities Again, they elect
governors, Acknowledgements, sena'
tors and representatives, judges, treasurers,
ministers ot finance, of education, OF pub
lie works, and of charities, in the States
constituted by such counties-Stalcs sover'
eisn in all things, except the few depart
meus they have voluntarily assigned to the
federal Union. Once mOre-the citizens
choose once in two years Representatives,
and once in three years Senator's, who eSer
else the legislative powers Of the Republic
and once in four years, the Vice president
and President of the United States, its chicl
executive magistrates. The peace, order
prosperity and happiness, and even the safe
" of society, rest maniles,ly on the sound
ness Of judgmen, with which these many
and various electoral trusts are discharged
Reflect, now, for u moment on the perturba
tons of society, the devices and cOmbina
tons Of parties. and the appliances OF cor
ruption, to which the electoral body is Mt al
times exposed. Could these functions be
performed with results so generally auspi
cious, if the people of the United States die
not, rs mass, excel other nations in intel
lligence, us much as in the good fortune o.
liuheriting such extraordinary institutions
LoCk at the operation OF The system ii
yet another aspect. Not only the Constitu
tons Of the several States, but even the
!, Constitution of the Union, stands only by
/ the voluntary consent OF the people. by
physical force, which the Government cOulC
not suppress, they could subvert any and al
of these Constitutions. Even without force
and acting only by agreement, but in con
forlnity to several established conditions
they can change or subycrr all of these Con
situations. There is indeed no res raining
power acting upon them, from within OF
from without. Practically. they do change
the Constitutions OF the several States once
in twenty years. Yet they work such
changes generally without commo,ion, aud
they have never made one without replacing
the Constitution removed by better one.
| \ lew of the States inherited the jurisprn.
Idencc of The civil law. and all the Others the
common statute laws of England. Does
any one deny that they have Sagaciously re-
tanned all the parts OF those excellent codes
, which were essential to order aud civil lib
/, cry, and have modified Others only so far as
Was required by the changing circumstances
, of society, and the ever.improving senti
ments Of justice and humanity Let our
, logical amendments Of the rules of evidence,
aud our simple process Of pleading and
practice in courts Of justices and our mel
, iOntiors of Imprisonment for debt, and Of
eIeemOsynary laws, and Of penitentiary sys
r tens, vindicate the intellectual yigor and
, wisdom Of the American people.
A Modem invention, until the close Of the
last century, was chiefly employed in dis
e covering new laws Of nature, anG in shap
= lng these discoveries Into forms of iheOrie.
n aud maSims. Thus lar,n the present cen
n fury, Invention has employed itself in ap
plying those theories and maxims, by vari
/. Gus devices OF mechanism, or Otherwise, I,
: practical use. In Europe, those device
: Iale chiefly such rs regard eSihe:ic effect
, In America, on the other hand. those de
!. vices are such rs have for their objec, tn
\. increase OF power. Required 10 subdu
: mature Though broad range quickly, AM
q TO bring forth her various resources will
: haste, aud yet having numbers inadequa,
aud capital quite unequal to such labors
the Anne lean studies chiefly economy anC
efficiency. He has examined every inslru
!. ment, aud engine, and combination, an,
4 composition, received from his elder trans
9 atlantic brother, in the light OF those OF
D jects, aud has either improved it, or devise,
0 a new aud better one. lie aims nj doin;
S the mos, that is possible as quickly rs pos
!, sihle and this characteristic is manifesto,
equally in his weapons of war and his in
. strumen,s of peace, whether they are 10 b
$ used in the field, or in the workshop, or OF
he seattle firearms the axe, the plow