Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-12-24
sonE mornings ago we published an

S0nB mofnluR9-A6O We puOuSuS1 Au
article from the Savannah (Ga.) Times,
the aFRau8ent Of which was, that the great
American experiment of popular govern
ment had tailed, and thai the nation being
now In state Of rapid and unquestionable
disintegratiou, we should betake ourselves
70 Constitutional Monarchy as preserva-
ton against the horrors of anarchy or un-
certain military desPotism. To the eyes of
the Times it had been abundantly proved
that the popular theory in government had
failed, while on the other hand it had been
proved to them, in the example of Great
Britain, that Constitutional Monarchy had
not failed, but on the contrary that it
seemed specially fitted aud adapted to the
genius of the Anglo-Saxon race. The
article Of the Times was ably and carefully
written, and, however much our American
prejudiees may have refused to sympa'hize
with its tone, yet there was no denying
the fact that there was much that was
sensible and just and even practical in
its premises and in its arguments there
from. It is to the minds of thousands of
patriotic people in this land, at this present
time, matter of serious distrust rs to
whether our attempt at popular govern
MEET has not indeed failed. In6dels in
democracy are At this moment a good deal
plentier tuan infidels in religion. And
they are not your high-born peOple-rich
and far removed $50 to speak,) from
the populace-but ttey are your every
day men of the world, who do the
business of the country and possess
large stores of theoretical and practical
knowledge. They are beginning to look
upon popular government as about play
ed out, and as being incapable, like the
mule, of perpetuating itself or its species.
In fine, they don't believe, or at least they
seriously doubt. that if once brought to
the test our institutions it won't stand
the strain. The London prints, ed
tied by the most practical and intelli-
gent minds in Great Britain, have
done much to superinduce this feel
ing in the American mind. Their articles,
written with great ability, have been ex-
tansively copied, weighed and considered
in the light of threatened events. Many
years ago, what are called the Tory Quar-
tsrlies aud High Church periodicals took
learned ground against the possible per-
pOtuity of Democracy like ours. We
read many of thesearticles and in common
with all Americans, only felt Il sort of a
Pharasaical pity for the authors. We con-
fesS that at this time we recall their spe-
cious logic with quite another feeling
The signs of the times do indicate, deny it
as we may, that there is imminent danger
that those writer's shall prove prophets
In their day, and that the Democratic
theory has failed under our experiment.
The hard-money men always contended
that the fallacy of the banking system was
shown in q financial crisis-that then it
was utterly incompetent to answer the
ends of its establishment. In q like
manner the reviewers argued concerning
the theory of Republican government 1t
was inevitable, they reasoned, that when
one portion of Democracy became an
tagoniStic to the other, that the whole
should not 60 to pieces. There was no in
Of Great Britain against Ireland to put
down disa6ection or rebellion. In
other words, and in the language of Mr..
Buchanan'S message, the government rest
ed alone on public opinion. The more re-
cent articles of the English liberal press,
and the reproduction and comments upon
them by portion of our press, couvinces
our institutions that but few years ago,
was little cloud no larger than mans
hand, has grown and increased, until it is
now largely Overspreadtug the political
horizon. Now, it is commended, is the time
of times, when VS. need the fullest play
of tho preSerVative element in our system.
And where is it? ask the foreign press.
And where is it? sure enough, echo
thousands of sad American voices. The
belief Is gaining ground, that it is no
where that our machinery is exactly like
30 much defective Ere enginery that has a
screw loose at a desoIating conRagration,
end is utterly powerless to stay it. The
English press point triumphantly to the
fact that malcontents in all their colonies
and dependeucies-at home and abroad
have, in turn, been brought under the
strong arm of their central, self-preserva-
tive power. Even India cannot rebel
with IMMUNITY. The government is every
where respected, and people of every ma
tiouality, even Americans, have at differ
ent times preferred the Cross of ST. George
to all other flags, for protection. An OBJ
Bervable fact about these late articles of
the English press, is, that they are not