The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-11

be contented withs .constHutional5 monarc by.
When the South American States rebelled, and
Clay and many other statesmen were enrap:nr-
ed with the prospect of Continent Of Repub-
lies, Jefferson declared they were not prepar-
ed for republican governments, and cosld not
maintain them, At the same time, he was
very far fs0sn thaakiag, .so.as- OF OUT noaean
writers do, that men can BET oIne fit for free
dom by remaining slaves. ~ 49, e,r1 - =
The third proposition, that the sphere, Of
government is limited and its action should be
confined to that sphere, is the one to the illus
traton Of which Mr.. Jefferson specially devo-
ted himself. Upon his services in .his respect
rest his claims to consideration as political
philosopher. a af 9
!, II has been the custom to think tn at the gov
ernment was the enly source of honor it is
stllt looked npon as the source Of The highest
honor. BY barbarians the monarch is deitled
In many civilized countries of our own time
kings are said to RUE by the special faver Of
the Deity; no one stands erect, no lond word
is spoken in their presence; and, indeed, ev-
erywhere they, are approached with rever-
ehce so great that more could hardly be shown
to God himself This homage is not given on
account of eminent personal attributes
These persons are well understood 10 be often
mean in mind and meaner in morals. The
same feeling is shown towards other high Off
cials. To be in the public service is easy COW
eted; such employment attracts the finest
minds, and is most munifcently rewarded. 1t
is so in this country. We are accustomed to
confer upon official characters honors which
we would refuse to Shakespeare or New
ton. Yet it is well known, that, while the
comprehension and eIucidation Of the great
laws which govern society are labor watch
will task the strength of the strongest, in or
dinary times affairs may be, and generally are,
quite acceptably administered by men Of no
safy to say that the sentiment must be wrong
which leads US to such strange errors,-which h
oblterates the broadest distinctions, and per.
suades us to give to feebleness and vice re.
wards which should be given to genius and
virtue alone. I g 5nra -j..tqs
For the wisest purposes. the Creator has
planted within us an instructive disposition t6
revere the illustrious OF our. kiud.L 1owin
that admiration is the most powerful incentive
! to action, lit is the ardent desire of passionate
natures. The swee: incense OF popular ap-
plause is more delicious than wine to the sense
of man. Deservedly obtained, it heals every
wound, and soothes all pain nay, the mere
hope of ii will steel him against every danger
aud sustain him amidst disease, penury, neg.
iact, and oppression. To bestov his rever
ence isa pleasure hardly equisite. While we
commune with the inteiects aud contemplate
| the virtues Of the great, some portion of thei,
exceeding light descends upon us, their aspir.
ing spirits enter our breasts and raise us t.
higher levels. But to yield our homage tc
those who do not deserve IT is to pervert a
pure and noble. instinct We cannot wor.
ship,the degraded, except by sinking TO tbs
lowest depths of degradation.
When one considers that the admitted func-
tons of government have been almost without
limit, this mistaken sentiment is not to be
wondered at. Why should not they who are
able to provide for every want OF the body or
soul be revered as superior: beings I? Govern
ments have established creeds, aud set bounds
to science they. have been the .censors of liter
ature, and hela men.n slavery; they have told
| the citizen how many meals to eat, how many
prayers to siy, bow to wear his beard, and in
what manner to edacate his children there is
no action so trivial, no coacern is so important,
hor any sei,,iment so secret, that the COVE ming
power has not interfered with aud sought to
control it. This system has invaria blv failed
constantly coming in contact with each mans
sense Of individuality, it has been the prolific
source of revolutions, despotisms, the ruin of
states, the extirpation OF races,-and in its
mildest forms, where life has been preserved,
every thing which makes life desirable has been
destroyed. In most countries this system still
exists to a great degree, nor is there any
country whence it is entirely eradicated.
Seeing the constant and uniform occurrence
Of these evils, Mr.. jefferson was led to believe
that they were not caused by remediable i'm.
perfection in the existing system, but by radi-
cal defectS. lie COhclu1eu tldt ubey were
produced by an attempt on the part Of gov
ernrnent to 10 what it could not,-that the
power Of government wa, limited by absolute
and inherent laws, like those which limit the
strength Of man ,--and that there were certain
.funetions belonging TO. government, in going
beyond which il not only failed of its purpose,
bnt did positive harm. In this visw,' the
definition OF these functions becomes task
Of great difficulty and involves the whole
science of politics. We cannot follow his en-
tire line Of argument, and without detail there
is danger that our statements will not be sufii-
ciently qualified. His general theory, how
everis simple, and is drawn from his first
proposition as to the eqnal rights of man.
He held that the object OF society is the pre-
servatiotr OF these great rights. SINCE expe-
rience teaches ns, that, however incompetent
we may be to decIde upon the interest of 9TH
er., we are able 70 regulate onr own, this So
cial purpose win be best accomplished by
leaving to each one all the liberty consistent
with the general safety. Security, being the
only common object, should be the sole duty
of the common agent. The government be-
ing confined TO the performance OF this mega