The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-10-28
The state Debt.

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tie has been said or thought OF the amend
menis 10 the Constitution submitedto The
Constitution submitted TO The people in the
election day or two ago. AS sener a
rule, It is true that lille is gained 10 the Pco'
ple by mnch linkering Of The Constitution
But all will feel the importance of any mea'
sure ,hat can efTeclually restrain the State
from the possibility 0: ever again having
another State debt.
As 10 the question of the best way OF get
ling rid of It's present Obligations, thal need
not here be discussed. The great objection
10 State de5 may, in part, be thought 10
apply 10 the complicated mechanism OF a
sinking fund, but only in part. II cannot be
counted that all public funds, no matter TO
whom committed, are the greatest source oi
corruption imaginable, 1t is puirid carcass
that draws the eagles together. Ii is always
dangerous for even the best men 10 famil-
ariZe themselves with handling and negota-
ting large sums of money not their own. On
! ly men Of great mercantile intellect and skill
can be trusted Is such matters, and these see
at once a thousand openings by which such
money can be turned 10 private advantage,
while no one has sufficient personal inleres,
in looking after such funds, 10 see that they
are managed with the most implicit honor
and fidelity. The recent embeZzlemenl of
the Stale funds in Ohio amply illustrates this
! point.
Then, TOO, The Slate patronage which PUB
lie works and extensive accounts confer, is a
constant source of corruption. If a vote on
any money has In pass The Legislature, not
few OF the members will seek how il can be
made 10 turn TO their personal advantage. Ii
an officer is TO be elected 10 manage thesr
funds, the one question with many is how
he can serve them III return. In some States
which borrowed money largely 10 go into
the banking business, the membets Of tho
Legislature cualtivod TO elect such bank Off
Gers as would discount their notes with men
OF straw for security. Millions we're thus
squandercd before the banks was stopped.
The oniy Legitimate objects OF a government
are much fewer and simpler Ihan are COM
coriine themselves 10 these, the greater will
be their prosperity. The chief object Of gov
ernmsn, is simply 10 defend The weak from
the EXPRESSIONS OF The strong, by maintaining
the equal right OF all. 1t is no for govern
meut TO make itself into bauk, or c4naL 0t
railroad company or all combined, any more
than it is ~ assist one sect of religion 10 es.
| laLl-h itself nj the expense OF oil Others.
| Bnl lis ann should he simply 10 remove all
| uh,tructlnus ard allow every grand and use.
! Iul institution to deveio2a isrit aud grow
freely by lis own Inherent energies unmo
lesied. Whatever really tends 40 ptomole
The Interests oi The community wil have this
kind Of vitality of lis own. Bat whatever
has rot got this self-sus,ainng power is net
wanted by the community al thai stag, OF It's
existence. Improvements that will not pay
iot themselves under priva,e companies,
where seil.interest watches against traudu-
len, and eXIravagant expenditure are certain
to he Only sources of debt aud disaster, where
paid for out OF the public purse. No one has
any sufficient interest 10 watch in these ca
ses. aud there must even be a thousand soGr.
ces OF leakage, extravaganza and dela!cl.
ton. Nor i there any source oi public 2li n
| that private individuals cannot secure. Even
in the tree school system i! will be found TO
prosper best exactly in proportion as the as
siSancc afforded by the SlaIe is so conferred
I as to stimulate the citizens OF each pIecine,
or township 10 cherish education earnestly
amoag themselves.
la absolute governments, everything is un-
deHaken by the State power, from the sale Of
tobacco 10 tbe construction OF a railway. But
| under such syslem, the people invariably
lose their interest on such thugs and their
enterprise ofsplrit. Ii there is religion es-
lahIished by law. all duties are performed
in a hirsling and per iuuclionary manner,
and that universal self culture of the reliai
Gus spirit dies out-ahhoush upon the uni.
versatility Of this hauss the life of nations. So
if government taxes the people TO construct
railroads or canals, The people will leave
these things TO The government, and lose the
energy and en,erprise so necessary TO carry
these works on successfully.
Low PRIcE OF WurtTIN IN Inws-Ths Iowa