St. Mary's beacon., 1859-12-15


PnPtrAu EIEcrIoHs F"aMEWLv IL NIR-
sIxIA. IN ,.Gucr I" sh"s how wide hAva
L,cu ,,ur after depart Az, from the prccca"ut-
bcqucat, cl t" IL Is tho lnh"y> oil the k.pub-
Cc ~. .,rIy uursc.l - tie GsAtIiI'-atIuH
Il bTIu-! D, - the l.uiIcc and thong ttui con-
>d,rAtson Of our readers the suhhim,d Just r..
IL CtiouS from tic pen u tar Hon. William {.
RIvcs, as called, ia hls rccc'.tly published v,l-
urnc on the "I.,Ie and Times 81 Ma!ispn.' To
review tic theory AM! plan OF government g.
tIUlIshcu ny the patriots Of the Revolutionary
eta IN Virginia Nal. ML
"lu looking lack t. tie Virginia CuIstitu-
iira Of lI7G, with all the .nrs which the in
tcrmvdinlc experience -! eIGhiy Years has shed
Oh the science "f popular g'vgTnmcut, we can
Mt but tr struck vI'h the reach OF practical
wisdom AND SAG ,iuus NtLtcsnI nsnlp exhibited
IN IL coustrurtrua. 1t vas 4 sy>tc,n which,
while resting Oh the general principle OF the
soverclsi u uf tie people and equal nights
Was 50 ur.auiz,d as l. combine justice att.
moderate n with power aid T. trvet barriers
against every sPccI"' "i ar"trary Authority,
whcthcr ui one, the few, % the mtny.'
"Whi.c every department If the Govern
ment was derived, GIrct!y OF indirectly. from
a popular origin. the night OF su.ira.;c WAS cx-
crCiscd bv those who. ly "a fixed ownership.
J.
attacked by permanent common interest t.
the society whose dcstlhIcs they C"utT"I c,i -
Nor was this .rca, and naturally v.rtu"us body
Of clcctor<-the middle classes Of society, re-
moved alike from the temptations Of richie, or
ppv,riy--.call,d upon to til by their own I'M
mediate choice, al! the various grades Il ,uh-
lie macl>tracy. After the election Of thcr
representatives. in the Legislative Department.
ygbirh mainly fl.V,,i,..i
ship oi tle pubic interests. Il was thought
;!.a: the choice of mp>t Of the ether public
iunctionarics, whether l"caI or gencrAi. might
safely aud wisely, aud greatly to IA, relief Of
the people themselves. he l'lt 20 intermediate
agencies Grated by their will and possessing
their Cot iidence."
''ilc it. n ;ru, friend ~ popular government
or popular liberty. who is for calm, tie syv.
creign power Of the people into act, or cv-
cry dccaaon. whether great 81 small and thus
disturbing that calm. Deliberate and impartial
revision at stated times OF the contact Of pub
lie servants. which is the highest aud mos, cs-
scntial attribute OF popular sovereignty, as it
is tir best preventative Of trccd"m. The ne
cessary Consequence of 81 frequent and teas
ing recurrence to the popular suffrage IS IL
weary and disgust the people with Is exercise.
and L" 6nSlavc them to the habitual guidance
-! party lea lcr> and managers, who Cover, and
hardly ,"vcr. their own interested and selfish
ends, under a pre,cnce Of public zeal.
Suspicious CHARAcTERs.-Two men who
cane over firm Baltimore on the Wilson
Small Yesterday. were last night arrested on
suspicion of motivcs of an inccndllry charac-
ter. Their ostcl.Sihle business was selling
pearh trees, but being unable Ia give salts
laCturv account Of themselves. they were held
10 bail. TO appear before Justice Handy this
uInn,ing. to answer such questions As may hc
pTopnui,lcd 70 them. These arc tirkii>h
timts ami we cannut be two vis:!lut anu
r;rict IL finding out the real motives ami i
tcls;irna Of Northern sira:slerS wi" are srr".,
ing ah,ut among u, un'vr tnr gaiu 81 .rgl-
tiniaie occupation.
We understand that :he two painters win
paid W a visit ab,ui two week a..., and wL"
guided .ome Of our citizens with tu,'r hum
bugery. are now iu Drnmm.a.il"Wu Juj.
haSin. conE=>eIl their mn'iveS WIZ t. ."cIt'
slaves To instruction. Thee things should
arouse Us fr.,m our decisive lyiiIaryv. our IT,
tereSt Demands i;--.Somers-i I.uE CHi5n,
ca