Washington sentinel., 1854-01-11
"THE PEOPLE,

Monarchies do not relate to the people-oli-
garchies have to the people the same indifer-
ence. 1t is only in democratic or republican
forms of governments that the rights and pow
ers of the people are recognized Republi-
eanism is but modified form Of democracy.
Ours is republic. Here, the people are, with
suitable restrictions, and by means of represen-
tation, the whole power of the government.
We are not demagogues The demagogue,
despiseable everywhere and under every form
of government, is chiefly and peculiarly despi
cable in republic. But we acknowledge the
rights and the capacities of the people. Our
Federal Constitution, and our State constitu-
tions are based on popular sovereignty and
predicated on the assumption that the peo-
pie are capable of self government. This
is postulate that all must concur in, who are
at all imbued with the spirit and genius of our
institutions.
The Southern Quarterly Review for January,
contains an article headed " The People" 1t
processes to be review of volume recently
issued from the press Of Little, Brown and Co.,
Boston, with the same title, "The People,"
containing Considerations on some Secret
Social Theories"
This book we have never seen, and it would
be unjust to the author for us to make it the sub
ject Of critical remarks, with no knowledge of
it, but such as is furnished by the few and brief
extracts given from it. in the review of which we
speak That review, however, We regret to say,
lays itself liable to severe anmadversion. The
first sentence Oft is" We are glad to see that
The People are not always to be called great
and good Republicanism is not always to be
trumpeted as the only government under which
good can shelter itself. Liberty is not to be
throned as Juggernaut to ride over all pros.t
trate Kingdoms, principalit;es, and powers"
A fair translation of this paragraph is-that
one government is as good as another. If it
does not mean that-it means nothing.
Again, it says: "Our author dismisses in
few happy pages, the extravagant pretensions
in favor Of the masses which have been set up
by demagogues, clamoring of the "inspiration
of the people, calling them prophets, glorify-
ing their perceptions and their utterances, tor
turing the old phrase, "Vox populi, vox die,
and its kindred watch words, until the element
surdity."
Now, what is the meaning Of all this? If
it means that the people are not infallible and
not perfect, everybody will admit it; but if it
means that a peoples government is not the
proper government, every true republican will
dispute it.
But the Review quotes from the olume it
reviews, as follows: The progress Of liberty
does not depend on any form it may be i'm
peded or it may be helped, by any government
whatsoever" The plain meaning of which, ifit
has any meaning at all, is, that one form of gov
lnent is as good as another. The government
Of Russia, where there is no liberty is as ia.
vorable to liberty as that Of the United States
Now this ssimply absurd. If the author does
not mean this, he should be more precise and
guarded in his language. Books are written
with deberation and care. The language
used in them should be accurate and clear
If it is only meant that men are imperfect,
and many Of them corrupt, and that when made
rulers, they may abuse the powers intrusted to
them, then the language should have admitted,
and only admitted Of that Interpretation.
We would not be hypocritical we would be
but lust. 1t seems to us, however. that doctrines
are to be drawn both from the review Of this
book, and the book itself, taking the few ex.
tracts as specimens) which are at variance
with all the sentiments and sympathies of the
American people
The people here are the source Of all political
power To discredit them is to discredit the
government. We do not believe that the peo-
pie are infallible-far from it-but we believe
that they are capable of selfgoyernment and
that, when they govern, the government viii be
more honest and better administered than when
a king or an aristocracy govern.
The article we have noticed is eontribu.