Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-08-01
r'Aa Conservatism Of Democracy

The great thooryyof self~-government has
never been atirmatiyely attested except in
the United States. and it is not yet u1lyers-
ally admitted as an established fact even
here. In the American mind, however,
there can be but little doubt that our pecu-
liar political system will continue to endure
until the end of time, withstanding oc-
c~asional contradictory and alarming incidents
that arise to encourage the hopes of the en-
eraies of our institutions, and to disturb the
eouiIibrium and menace the safety of socie-
ty.
The only danger of destruction to the re-
nublican government of the American peo-
ple. lies lurking in that constant tendency
to rampant radicalism which must necessar-
ily more or less characterize the effects of
free institutions in any country, and especi-
alIv where there is an i~ntuitlvc spirit OF lib
erty, of thought as well as action. The
very groundwork of our government, the
basis which its founders laid down to sup
port the superstructure that has been raised
inou it. affords abundant evidence, not only
Of the far-sighted s~agacity of the architects
Of the Republic, but also of their conscious
ness of the necessity of imposing certain re-
straints upon the exercises of that spirit of
liberty, which they then embodied into an
organic and feasible form. An unqualified
Dcmocracy-a government, in which there
are no bounds beyond which the ordinary
legislation at the dictum of the people can
not 90, which recognizes no imposing pre-
cedent. no established policy, no written
Constitution, or prescriptive cxainple-such
a government would be an anomaly i'll the
%scienee of politics, utter impraeticable and
suicidal. from the character OF its own inle-
rent and essential elements. 1t is evident,
thcn. that Republicanism is difficult, deli
cate and dangerous in it's exercise. To an
swer The ends of good government, it must
be neither too latitudinous nor too contract
ed. IF the conservative elements are strong
Nv infused, the rights of the people are Ii
able to be impeached and intringed and,
ifon the other hand, there is too little re-
gard for legitimate restraints upon popular
prcjudices and passions, liberty degonerates
into license, the republic will fall from its
" excuses and f%ollies, and anarchy and
tyranny are sure to rise upon the runs.
To insure success in such a system of
government. it is Indispensable to strike the
golden mean between both extremes. The
LARGEST liberty must be allowed 10 the peo-
ple, but the people must restrain themselves
by devising and exercising conservative safe
guards to avoid monarchy, by relraining
from an abuse of the privileges with which
they are invested.
The Democratic party of this country
possesses in "A pre-eminent. degree all the
requisites for the observance and maintain
ance of that policy which alone can enable
. free people to enjoy the fullest liberty,
without mourning the danger of self-dcstruc-
ton from its abuse. Its principles are all
plain enough 10 be apprchended aud practi-
cal enough to be appreciated and acted upon
by the most unenlightened citizen IN the
land. It is the party of the people. The
great conservative doctrine of State equaii-
- p~crya.les and is in fact the essence aud
soul of the policy Of Democracy. The De
m%ocratic party Processes aud enferees a faith,
which denies 20 the federal government any
ether authority thai that directly given IA
it by the States regarding It altogether a.
an agent appointed for purposes sufficiently
special u enable ls slightest departure from
the proper p~r6viRee u fo readily detected. =
y til ilttlce, ST III ~ lt'itidt NStb Fat3fta
az a tendency To g itrai izatien Is Concerned,
- long as The agiaei!2es II Democracy con-
trol the country, there is little dane.r that
oNr institutions will Verge towartts that tx
trolnc on which monarchy is eutiIfoned. On
The other hand, they answer equally rs Il
preventive Of lrat degradation Of o%ousfita=
tionai liberty which may result III Red l.
prblicanis.n and az overthrow of all law
aud order According TO Democratic policy,
the people truly govern themselyes aud
while enjoying all the rights consistent with
the safety Of society. they arc at the S1nle
tiute protected from those dangerous abuses
Of freedom, which have proved tie ruin Of
other republics.
In the principles Of Democracy aloue are
found those countcrpoiscs which are essen
tial to the existence of constitutional liberty.
Rich. Enquirer.