Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-07-02
From the New Orleans Bulletin.
REMEDIES FOR THE EVIL TIMES.

From the New Orleans Bulletin.
REMEDIES FOR THE EVIL TIMES.
The apprehsnsons Of some Of the fou nders Of
the government that we should lose our liberties
through the gradual encroachments of our Federal
System, resulting In grand, consolidated desp Of
ism, the progress Of events has already done much
to dssipate. The danger we have to fear, os facts
are beginning to demonstrate, lies in the opposite
direction. We are already suffering, In the great
ceniers of population, not from too little liberty,
hut from too much, or rather from the degenefu-
tion Of liberty into RIGHTEOUSNESS. The restraints
Of so,iety begin TO give way. All the indications
Of the times point to this as the rock upon which,
ii we destined ever TO be dashed 10 pieces, we
shall split. We have been cheapening and dilu-
ting the popular principle and widening the scope
OF its application till Il is scarcely strong enough
to answer the ordinary ends of the government,
till Il is hardly ably to protect us from violence
and anarchy, till law with us has become almost
synonymous with license; and as things must nec-
essarily become better worse with the lapse of
time, II follows that, il no efforts be made TO re-
move in part at least the causes that have produ.
eed the evils felt, must ere long find ourselves
In condition from which we shall be compelled
to seek relief in revolution and military despot-
ism, or be plunged into all the horrors of anarchy
/ and civil war. This being the case, the inquiry
naturally arises, what can be done to remedy pres
ent evils and to avert greater ones impending
us? What are the remedies, practicable and eff
Gent, within our reach 2 To know how TO pre-
scribe effectively for disease, the physician must
first understand something Of the causes that have
produced It. What, then, are the causes which
have superinduced the effects and felt by the
inhabitants of every considerable city in the I'm
ion, aud with increasing force from year TO year
Whence does the lawlessness arise2 What keeps
il up, affords IL sustenance, gives IL vitality and
powerl Let intelligent and honest men look about
them, and, divesting themselves of all party pref
udice, of everything that would obscure their men
tai visions, let them candidly to themselves
the questions. Can anybody doubt what would
compel them unhesltatingly to give The worst
elements in our large cities heve been endowed
with political power to do evil. Is not that it Z
Has not political power been put into the hands Of
the turbulent TO exercise vast and actually pre-
ponderatng influence in our municipal. govern.
ments DO property holders and tsx-payers now
exert that influence over their municipal elections
and in their City Councils to which they just
lly entitled by every principle of right Are not
J elections virtually decided by those who contrib
ute scarcely anything TO municipal treasures.
and who have little or no interest in the good name
of the place where they live Do not those who
pay no taxes indirectly vote away the money Of
property hoders and others having an established
interest in society We must strike al the root Of
the evil il we expect TO eradicate it. 1t will be of
little use TO Top off the brances Of the tree for
they will soon grow again and spread themselves
? wider than ever.
The fatal consequences Of placing power in the
hands of men not qualified TO II, and who have
no interests to guarantee its right use, we think
by this time must be painfully apparent to every
one who can elevate himself above the fogs OF
party prejudice sufficiently to take In the condi-
ton Of things which actually Transporting
around him. Circumstances make the effect Of
the application of universal suffrage In the
try vastly different from what il is in the city,
The turbulent elements In the country do not Goa
lessee, combine together, and consequently they do
9TH xvh, for n,
i evil always gives. These elements thus remain
r ing separate comparatively harmless. Besides
in the country there are very few opportunities
ept In special cases, for persons to live by plum
o der. Every man in the country Is known TO the
community, and il he pursues honest mean,
for support, the fact cannot long be kept secret
Hence, allowing that the disposition to live by dis
honorable means exists in any individual in the
Y country,it is almost impossible for him TO follow
, his instincts, and short career in this direction
u usually suffices to bring him up square before pub
lie sentiment and the law, In which case he ha'
few associates 10 swear him off. We admit tina
;, when the country becomes so densely populated
r it may century or two hence, that the vicious
elements Of its inhabitants can unite, the evils al
: ready largely experienced in chief cities from
e universal suffrage will be felt 10 great extent il
the rural districts also. But under present cir
n cumstances those evils remote that thei
n consideration may we'll be deferred, at least unit
we dispose of those already upon us.
u Another way in which the vicious elements II
i urban populations are endowed with power to dc
evil to the community. or the channel through
n which it manifests ITSELF is the multiplicity o
- elections, and the number Of Offices made elective
II was not in the earlier and better days Of III,
e Republic, and then the disorders aud corrupiion
apparent at the present time, had no existence il
the large towns. Could more significant ant
is powerful commentary be made or asked as to the
= deleterious effects of the change that has beer
u made upon the good order and peace Of these sam
e chief towns7 With this analysis Of the subject
it seems to us that we now prepared to answe
% intelligently the interrogaons propounded as 4
I what must be done TO remedy the growing evil
everywhere complained Of in the cities OF thu
IL American Union. We must reverse the process
o which has been gradually going on, restore thing
to the condition in which they were when W
Is found them. We must undo the tinkering which
!. has been done, and return to those principles o
a representative government which the great ia
y theirs Of institutions Investigated, finally adop
o. ted and put into practical operation for our ben
. eft, and Of whose efficiency TO fulfill the grea
d ends they were designed to secure ws have ha
in proof that unerrng demonstration arising from
he trying ordeal of practical and prolonged test
e n actual life.