New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-02-14
TIE GREAT PLACER.

Two radically diverse conceptions Of the nature
and legitimate sphere Of Government naturally
divide mankind, and more especially our country
men, One of them yards Constraint as the sole
end for which the State exists-the constrai1t,
namely, of evil passion lawless appetite aud reck-
less ambition. When Government has kept out
foreign invaders and kept down domestic villains,
it bas done, according to this theory, al that i.
has properly any poxer to do. This conception
is substantially embodied in the creed of our pres
ent democratic party.
The antagonist theory alirms that the State is
often called to achieve positive good as we'll as to
resist and repress militant eyil-thst it may as
legiiimateT confront Obstruction, Ignorance
and Misery, as Invasion, Outrage and Crime
This is the fundamental idea which vitalizes what
has been known as the Wing party Tne Army,
the Sheriff, the Jail and the Gallows Cor other
Intermediates of puuishment,) are therefore
the cardinal elements Of Democratic sway; the
Wing idea does not ignore these, but regards the
Highway, the Public SCHOOL, the Canal, the Har
Dor or Breakwater, as equally objects of govern
mental solcitude. of course, where the politics
Of SO many are determined by tradition, relation
ship, ambition, or some other incident, we have
Democrats in the Wing party and Wings in the
Democratic; while Thousands in either are nei-
thtr one thing nor the other but something be-
tween. Many a natural Democrat turns Wing
for the occasion when the question of improving
a Harbor, near which he has property or at which
bis produce is shipped, is at issue, or when aRail
road or Canal in dispute is to run near his prem-
ses; but this does not efface the elemental diff
ference aforesaid.
There is now balance of some Twenty-Five
Millions in the Federal Treasury; and this ac-
cOrdiDg to the Democratic theory, is very grea.
peril ii not necessarily great evil. 1t teads to
defect the Government from its proper path-.o
seduce it into the field of General Welfare"
and to override the barriers which confne il to
the narrow path of legitimate duy. OF course,
Democracy would have the Tariff reduced still
lower, the Army increased, aud other Measures
taken to deplete the Treasury promptly and thor.
ougbly. The Wig, on the other hand, naturally
regards this as favorable time to clear out the
channels of Rivers, improve Harbors, and push
on the Great Railroad which shall ere long Goa
meet the Mississippi and Missouri with the Sa.ra-
mento and Columbis. In his view, q generous
surplus is only peiilous undesirable 10 case the
People have not wisdom and virtue enough to
elect fit men to manage snd dispose OF il.
But here interposes third party, drawn from
both the aforesaid, but radically different from
either-the party of JobbiDg and Pundsr. 1t
goes in for Iberslity on the part of Congress
not toward the People and their common inter-
ests, but toward the Office holders, public en-
plOyts ard jobbers. 1t Gays to the Wing: Par
"simony becomes one Of your liberal princi-
"ples-help US to be generous to this or that
knot of sturdy beggaIs. 1t says to the Democrat:
This surplus is an evil, dangerous thing; listen
"to me, and you will soon be rid of it'-lnd so
be will, to dead certainty. Aud so the great
army of beggars and borers at Washington is
constantly swelled by new recruits, as greedy
as the veterans and scarcely less impudent, be-
seechng Congress for Pensions, BOunties. in
crease of Salaries, Extra Allowances, and what
is fscetiously termed relief"-sver Gsld,-
Plunder,-More Gold,
Now We detest nggardly Government as we
DO skinfnt in private life. We should not OBJ
ject to Federal expenditure of Fifty Millions
per annum, provided the People receive fair value
for it. Let us see half the SUN represented at