Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-07-09

career Of dsussres.ed service, one model Of public
vrtue ono type Of human excellence, Of which all the
countries and all the ages may be searched in vain for
the parallel. / need not this day need not
speak the peerless name IL Is stamped on your heart
il gsens In your eyes, it is written on every page Of
your history on the baefelds Of the Revolution the
monuments of your Fathers the portals Of your Cap
to Ii heard in every breeze that whispers over the
fields Of Independent America And be was all our own.
He grew up the soil Of America he was nuriured at
her bosom She loved and trusted him in his youth she
honored and revered him in his age aud though she did
not wait for death to canonze his name his precious
memory with each succeeding year. has sunk more deep
ly into the hearts of bis countrymen.
But have already stated, it was urged against US
on the occasion alluded TO, that within the last sixty
years the United States have degeneraed and that by
series Of changes at first apparently incousderable but
all leading by gradual and steady progression to the
result very discredtable condition OF things has been
brought about in this country.
Without stating precisely what these supposed changes
are this "result IS set forth in somewhat remarkable
series Of reproachfu allegations far too numerous to be
repeated in detail in what remaiRs Of this address, but
implying in the aggregate the general corruption Of the
country, political, social and moral. The severity Of
these reproaches is not materially softened by few cou
words Of respect for the American people, shall
for select for examination two three Of tie
serious of these charges observing only present
that the prosperous condition of the country, which
have mperecty sketched and especially its astonishing
growth during the present century, in the richest pro-
ducts material and intellectual of a rapidly maturing
civilization furnish sufficient defence against the gene
raj charge. Men do not gather the grapes and figs Of
science art TASTE wealth aud from the thorns
and thstles Of lawessness venay and violence These
fair fruits grow only in the gardens of Public peace and
industry, protected by the Law.
In the outset let be observed then that the assumed
and assigned of the reproachful and deploabe
state of things alleged exist In the United States
imaginary the effects exaggerated or wholly
founded in fact The checks established by Washing
ton and his associates on unbalanced democracy in
the general government have never alleged "been
swept away-not Of them. The great constitution
al check OF this kind tar the general government
Is concerned is the limitation of the granted powers Of
Congress the Reservation OF the rights Of the States;
and the organization of the Senate their representa-
tive. These constitutional proycions little comprehend
ed abroad which give the smallest States equal weight
with the largest in branch Of the legislature impose
a very efficient check the power OF a numerical
jory and neither IN this nor in any other provision Of
the Constitution, bearing the subject has the slight.
est change been made Not only So but the pre-
vaent policy since 1900 has been Ia favor Of the resefy
ed rights Of the States and in consequent derogaton OF
the powers Of the general government In fact when
the Reform bill agitaed in England aud by the
sentative statesmen of that country stgmatized
revelation" it admitted that the United States pos
sessed 10 their written Constitution and in the difficulty
of procuring amendments 10 it, conservative principle
unknown TO the English government.
In truth, If by IAN unbalanced democracy" is meant
such a government "a that of Athens or Republican
Rome, the Italian Republics. or the English Common
wealth, revolutionary France, there only
vas but be such thing in the United States
The very fact that the great of the population Is
broken up into separate States now thirty n
Der and rapidly multiplying, each with its local interests
and OF political Influence is itself very efficient
check on such democracy Each Of these States is
representative composed oftwo branches
with the ordinary divisions of executive legislative and
judicial power IL is true that in some of the States
trifng property qualifications for eligibility and
the exercise Of the elective franchise have been ahroga
ted, but not with any perceptble effect the number
or character Of the voters. The system, varying lit
tie in the different States always made approach
TO universal Suffrage and the great increase OF voters
has been caused by the increase Of population. UL-
der elective governments with free press, with
dent party divisions and questions that touch tie
heart of the people, petty limitations the right of
suffrage are indeed "cobwebs," which the popular will
breaks through The voter may be Of ten or one
OF fifty OF the citizens, but such questions he will vote
in conformity with the will and wish of the II be
ressts it. the government ITSELF like that OF France in
1918, will 60 down. Agitation and popular commoton
scott at checks and balances, and much in England
AZ in America When Nottingham Castle is in ruins and
half Brs oil heap OF ashes monarch and ministers
bend The reform bill must then pass Through Para.
ment it, in the significant words of Lord Macau-
lay aud that, whether the constituencies great
small That restricted suffrage and limited constit-
the representative may be inferred from the rather
markable admission Of Lord Grey in this very debate
that large proportion of the members of the present
House Of Commons are. from various circumstances,
afraid 10 act their real opinions" the subject OF
the Reform bill before them.
have already observed that II would be impossible
within the limits of this address, to enter into detailed
examination OF all the matters laid charge on
the occasion alluded TO. The ministerial leader lord
Granvlle) canddly admitted in the course of the de-
hat ba his brOth in
some OF his remarks they generally much exag-
gerated We too must admit with regret that for of
the statements made to discredt there is greater
foundation in fact than could wish that polit
cal system like all human institutions, however wise in
theory aud successful III its general operation is liable
to that party, the bsne of all free governments
works its mischief here that bad are raised
o Cice and good men excluded from il that pub
lie virtue here elsewhere sometimes breaks down Ut
der the lust of place Of gold; that unwisc laws
sometimes passed by our legislatures, and unpopular
laws sometimes violated by the mob in short that the
fralties and vices OF and Of governments dis
played in Republics as they in Monarch es 10 the
world as in the old whether greater equal less
degree, time must show. The question may peril
nenty be asked Of Nations Of individuals Why be-
holdes thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye and
cons:derest not the beam that is in thine own eye"
An honest aud impartial administration OF Justice is
the stone Of the social system The most serious
charges brought against u.s. on the occasion alluded TO-
country the JUDGES Of the Supreme Court of the United
States, who commanded the public respect at home
and abroad appointed for party purposes and
that Of their decisions have excited the Disgust Of
all high-mnded men; that the Judges of most of the
State Courts hold their offices by election by
nual election; that the undsputed dominion Of the
merical majority, which has been established will not al
low the desires and passions of the hour be checked
by firm administration Of the law; and that in
quence the laws in this country have become mere cob
webs to resist either the rich the popular feeling of
the moment; in a word that the American Astral like
the goddess Of old has fled to the stars. | need
saw ellowcitizens in your hearing that wherever else
this may be true land believe it 10 be nowhere
the United States it is not true in Massachusetts, and
that Westminster Hall boosted Court more hon
ored worthy Of honor than that which holds its
Office by life tenure and administers impartial Justice
without respect Of persons 10 the People of Massachu
sets.
Such court the people of Massachusetts, have no wish
to change for an elective judiciary, holding Office by
short In their opinion evinced in their practice
this amportant branch of the government ought be
removed, far possible beyond the reach OF political
influences but il is surely the gros ct Of errors to speak
OF the tribunals Of the United States generally tainted
with party represent the law, in the MAN, hay,
ing ceased to be respected and enforced Taking
prehensve view Of the subject and not drawing sweep
ing inferances from exceptional occurrences il may be
safely said that the law of the land is ably cheapy and
impartiay administered In the United States and impc
lily obeyed Ca few questions not half dozen in
Der since the organization of the government and those
partaking of political character the decisions Of the
Court like the questions which they refer have div
ell public opinion But there is surely tribunal in the
world, which, like the Supreme Court of the United
States has since the foundation Of the government not
only efficiently performed the ordinary functions of m
bunal of the last resort but which ats in judgment
the courts and legislatures of sovereign States Of