Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-10-30
WHITTIER ARE WE TENDING2

l
is the stable prosperity Of the people and
their progressive improvement in morality
and intelligence. It matters not how per-
feet may be the theory of the government,
if its administration does not reduce that
theory to practice the ends contemplated
by its authors cannot be attained. And
as even a despotism may be made tolerable
by a wise ruler, SO the freest government
may become an intolerable despotism of a
corrupt majority over an enlightened
minority.
With the best form Of government yet
devised by man, what is the present con-
dition of the American people? Posses
sing unequalled energy, and blest with an
extent, and fertility of soil, and a variety
of climate unknown to any other people,
they have made rapid progress in physical
devolopement-pressing forward agricul-
ture, manufactures and with
unparalleled success. But, amost periodi-
cally, revulsions occur, attended by wide
spread monetary troubles, wrecking the
fortunes of the rich and aggravating the
expressions of the poor. Is this to be
ascribed to a defect in the theory of the
government Certainly not. Then what
is the cause? 1t is the mal-administration
of p%artizan knaves, elevated to power by
corrupt, or p%artizan fools. This is the
plain english of the whole matter, and he
who sets out in search of any other solu-
ton, goes on a FOOLS errand.
But have we, as a people, improved in
virtue and political intelligence in a ratio
with our progress in physical science, and
our growth as a nation? Look at the base
corruption that disgraces every depart
ment of the government-originating with
the federal administration, polluting the
government Of the States and permeating
the great body of the people, until the
whole mass stinks in the ~nostrils of every
rue-hearted patriot. Is it the fault of
our institutions that politicians merge
country in self, and lie, fawn and fatter
for place and spoils-or that the ballot
box has become the receptacle of illegal,
purchased and besotted votes? If the
form Of the government is in fault, the
error lies in giving too much ~licence to
fools who know not the value of liberty,
or how to preserve it. They become the
tools &c Enauaa ouI rv.tI amo.l ls
for rulers, and a reckless, irresponsible
constituency, the government may well go
to the devil.
The wisest men and truest patriots that
ever conferred honor upon any country,
were they who fashioned our institutions;
but even they, in their earnest zeal for the
broadcast expansion of popular liberty,
erred in believing the people capable OF
self government, and that their own lofty
virtues would descend to the future rulers
of the country. They framed a govern
ment for such men as themselves, and sci
its machinery in motion, hoping that
patriotic virtue would ever guard against
its arrangement, aud that honest intelli,
gence would control and elevate the masses
In short, they fashioned a government 70,
man as ho should be, and not as he is; and
whilst they did not, in practice, sanction
the subversive doctrines of the now domi.
nant party, yet they left open the door
through which they have entered into the
policy of the government, Thirst fol
Office and spoils tempted talents to sin
against truth and patriotism, and com.
petition between unscruplous aspirants LED
them to seek success by corrupting those
of easy virtue, and dccieving those who's,
weakness is of the head. The next steJ
was to increase their chances of success,
by extending the right of suffrage to tn,
floating masses-a portion of whom hav
ing no 6xed interests that engender parioti,
vigilance, and a portion unified by foreign
birth and education for the higher dutieI
of American citizens. This done, tn,
next step was to multiply elective Office
to DO filed by political cormorants; anc
to this end, tho Judiciary was dragged
into the political arena, and its ermin.
polluted by the debasing association.
For these evils, p%artizan ~demagogue
are responsible; and though the Constitu
ton may not be violated, directly, by thes
radical innovations, the idea perpadshg i
that virtue and intelligence were % b.
it's safoguards-has proven fallacious; anc
a systfa nearly perfect, were the peopl
upright and intelligent E has proven no ba
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