Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-07-05

originating ideas and Of giving them form, In
the light Of consciouaness But NJ man Is q
fallen being, his rational power u thought Is
necessarily impaired, and hence be " not able
Mt once spontaneously TO conceive true idcae
on every subject This fact has been dcvcl.
lopedip tho history 81 ppns ihiutipgja the
sphere Of the Right Many of his idehs con
corning govornheut, hnvef becn mere abstrac.
tons, which, when practically developed,
resulted In Utopian sclcmes Others have
been 10 erroneous that when carried out, they
have proven oppressive 10 the people, who
have either been crushed 10 the earth by them,
or risen up in their majesty Of their streugth
and overturned the governments formed accord
ing TO them. All this our fathers knew from
the history of mankind in general, and much
Of Il they had experienced in their own. They
we're consequently not 40 inflated in view Of
their own rational powers ns 20 believe that
they could call forth h etrue idea of self gov
ernment in its highest perfection, independent
Of the light which history and experience,
civilization and revelation had furnished them.
With the lamps Of truth thus provided they
examined the various ideas which had been
incorporated into human governments, and
modified aud corrected theirs by them, Dc
cupying this high vantage ground, actuatcd BY
pure patriotism, and directed by the hand oil
Divine Providence, they were enabled to form
q true conception Of the idea Of self govern.
ment This idea IN its development assumed
the form Of Republicanism, and as such stands
in striking contrast with the idea expressed in
every other form of government, Anarchy,
Despotism and Monarchy The idea OF An.
archy, is that Of self will running riot without
the restraint Of law; that Of Ropublicanism is
self will self governed, blessing itself aud
blessing others The idea Of Despotism is the
government Of one self over all other sels,
without the consent Of sells, by n usurpation
Of right for the promotion Of his interest at the
sacrifice Of theirs that Of Republicanism is
the government Of all the sells over the inli'
vidual self through their representatives, by
the consent Of the sells for the benefit Of the
selfs The idea Of Monarchy is the govern
ment Of one class over all other classes, OF an
aristocracy over the common people, by an rs
sumcd right based upon distinctions of birth
and wealth for the advantage of the few nj
the expense OF the many that of Republican.
ism is the government Of all olasses for all
classes, without the acknowledgment of hercd
itary distinctions or political superiority in any
class
2. We remark that during this era, the true
idea Of self government received lis full AMI
united expression.
II man be governed by ideas they must pos
sess controlling power. While ideas, exist how
ever, only Us spiritual conceptions, in the sphere
of the imagination, their powers ARE latent ant
imperative upon all, except those who have
conceived them; and in order that they may
exert their Legitimate influence upon others
Il is necessary that they receive n clear cN.
preston in appropriate language. The true
idea of self government had received differ
ent forms Of expression in other crns, and by
other people of the old world, by the Greeks
aud Romans, the Germans aud English, hui
each such form Of expression was partial
restricted and incomplete, and hence il wa
left 10 the patriots of the new world TO give II
It's impartial, unrestricted and perfect form Of
expression. As such Il had been uttered 81
their Preside and made the subject of conyo2
sation in their daily intercourse 1t Ind beer
declared in their public meetings and discussed
in their Colonial legislatures. II had beer
Incorporated into their literature, embodied in
their poetry, aud chanted in their songs It's
enjoyment was demanded in their petitions fol
colonial charters, aud It's right asserted in then
remonstrances against its unjust violation,
II had been clearly set forth, earnestly debated
eloquently defended and powerfully adyoca'
ted in the Congress of the Colonies. But
while each Of these forms Of expression was
individual aud informal, they nevertheless pre-
pared the way for the formal and united eX'
precision ct it. This il received in the report
of the Committee on the Declaration of indie
pendence, from the pen Of Jefferson, presented
on the 18th day of June, l776, to the Continen-
tai Congress. Listen to it e
"We hold these truths to be self evident
that all men are created equal that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain inalien'
able rights that among these are life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness. That, to secure
these rights, governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed that, whenever
any form Of government becomes destructive
of these ends, II is the right of the people to
alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new
government, laying its foundation on such
principles, aud organizing its powers in such
form, as to then shall seem most likely to
effect their safety and happiness,
In this language they declare that govern
ment is n necessity founded ON the social
constitution of man; that those exercising the
powers Of government, could do so only with
the consent OF the governed, that the source
Of these powers is in the people themselves
that the degree and form in which they are tc
be exercised is to be determined by them
that the end for which government is ostab
lished is to secure 10 its citizens their right IL
life, liberty and the pursuit Of happiness thai
these rights are inalienable, and can therefore
never be taken rightfully from them that
these rights belong 10 man az man, and
that US such man stands upon political equal
ty with his fellow and that these truths are
self evident, that is-that they constitute po-
litical axioms, which are seen TO be true n
the first insight of reason, which cannot be
successfully denied, and which no proof cur
make more apparent than their own simpl'
statement
3. We remark that during this era the true
idea of self government was authoritatiyoly
declared.
The idea Of self government has instrinsi,
force even In the form Of n true conception
but as such that force il eXerted only upoI
the mind by which il has been formed. A
soon ~ il receives its full expression, however
in language, il awakens the same conception
in all other minds capable of comprehendinl
il, and TINS brings them likewise under it
potent influence. We have just seen that TIN
great idea of self government had received
its clear and comprehensive expression IN va
rious forms, and as such had exorted It's con
trolling power, over the minds and hearts o
our fathers II had Engaged in an %intellec
tual conflict with every other idea Oft RICH
developed in the form of government, over
coming its enemies and multiplying its friends
until il had rallied q sufficient force TO embold
en- its advocates 10 announce IL in the form q
an authoritative declaration. In this form
one greatidaa became clothed with higher pow
er than II possessed in any other form /
which il has yet appeared before us, and II