Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-06-30

subject Of Government. In his preliminary re-
marks, the speaker alluded to the subject Of this
letter, cbaracterzing IL as one full Of warning
and afording text for profound and anxious re
6ection. Lord Macauley is no mean authority;
no In our century has more profoundly
studied the theory and practical working of con-
stitutions He has chronicled with admiration
every popular advance in his own government.
every ight Of the people wrung from reluctant
power. Neither the man nor his opinions can be
whistled down the wind with sneer, nor angry
personalities, nor vehement recriminating attacks
upon the form Of government Of his own country
break the force OF his words. He must be an.
swered by grave and solemn argument
IL be be right, no people are as much Interested
In the discovery we II not to us it Is a matter
OF life and death TO children and our chldrens
children Next after the truth on which the pter
nal welfare Of man depends nothing can be so
important as this solemn subject, which involves
not only the study Of those charters which your
rights and duties are defined but also of man his
nature, bis rights, his duties. the good and evil
that are I'm him, his reason, inirmities vices his
physical intellectual, and moral capacities and
wants. IL Is the momentous question whatever
may De the form Of government, whether freedom
can exist where mSjOrities recognize only ri yhts
ana not duties. Government Is decreed of God
and the decree Is enforced by sanction so cogent
mat The race OF man must perish If 1t be not
ooeYed. But who shall exercise the powers of
government. and what shall be the mode and
measure OF their authority, are matters which He
leaves TO man to decide for himself That he
exercise care TO decide wisely 10 a duty which he
owes, not more to himself than TO Others and
most of all TO his Maker. No particular form of
government Is Of divine appointment but il is the
decree OF Heaven, stamped in the nature of man,
mat government Of some sort there shall be; as
Prof. Lteber says "GOvernment Of some sort is
abort ginal with man; IL is no voluntary associa-
ton; no continuance Of art; invention of suffer
ingi no work Of contract by individuals who pre-
viously lived out of Il; necessary evil no in Of
humanity which will be cured by time and civil
iZation no accidental thing; no insttutio on above
and separate form Of society; 1t is a form and
faculty Of mankind. 1t is the glory OF man.
Government must necessarily conform itself to
circumstances, and To changes in the condition
and character Of the people. 1t is to their adam
tation to the character, habits, and wants of the
peoPle that the best institutions owe all their
value IL Is impossible that the same govern
meHt which Is best for horde Of Door and iopo-
rant barharians, can be best for an enlig htened,
renned, and prosperous community The gov
eminent which the ptecarious condition of feu-
dial kingdoms made Indispensable to their safety
would at this day suit no nation under the sun
Even the government of the King, Lords and
Commons Of England, as il stood in the reign of
the Third Edward. could not now be endured
for day by the English people. To speak of
any form Of government therefore, as being alb
str1ctedly the best, is only to utter folly The
best form Of government for one people or one
age, may pc tne very worst for another people
another age Even when government is once
formed, suitable TO the conditions Of a peopIe n
IS the part Of wisdom to make il conform TO the
subsequent changes Of society. The government
OF England for more than 500 wears has been a
standing ILLUSTRATION of the truth of this That
policy has again aad again saved her from the
horrors OF political and social revolutions II ia
also undenlably true that most il not all these
changes in her constitution were purchased nv
her own people The inviOlability of property
has been the lever OF her liberties. Concessions
grants, charters, liberties, al were bough t by adj
yances OF money. The retention in the hands Of
tns tePresentativss Of the people of the power of
the other hand, by denying concessions and in
siSung upon form Of government totally insult
ed TO the condition of people living in the
blaZe OF ciVlzaton, Precipitated herself into her
memorable revolution Time attended in its
progress by civilization and refinement, had
changed the individual Frenchman, but had
passed on without touching the organization of
the government The stern feudalism of Charlie
magne existed in glaring contrast with the liter.
ature Of the times Of Louis XIV.
The speaker then went on to speak of the exac-
tons Of the King and mobiles to pamper the law
Pomp Of corrupt Court OF their failure to afford
ual teachers Of those times degenerating religion
into csremonial-''a repetition In the cathedral
Of the pantOmime of the theatre"-and Of their
own disbelief in and failure to practice what
they taught, while they forgot not TO receive the
wages which were wrung from the bony hand of
Penury and want; Of the noblesse, who not con-
tent with exemption from burthensome taxation
riOted in the lmmunities Of an old feudaIsm
until, stripped of their estates by their extrava
ganeies, they fell back upon the largesses of
corrupt Court, whose extortions equalled their
own excuses Thus the Government became a
rank, glaring impOsture-a machinery of fraud
hypocrisy and cruelty For centuries had these
abuses been carried on, and sovereign and mobiles
been beaping up wrath against the day of wrath
which al length came in the mightyrushing wind
he
roofs and OatteTnents Of the imperial fabric but
rent asundsr It's foundations and scattered abroad
Its hated materials. The truth was again pro-
claimed. that
''There is point
In misery, which, making the oppressed man
Regardless OF bis own fate, makes him, too,
Lord Of the oPPressOr."
There must BE- conformity between government
and society. The revolutions Of States have gen
orally been but the violent exhibitions of the ac-
ton OF this great law. Government and society
are so intimately connected that the former Is
! ever made responsible for the latter In society
has its eager and pressing wants, government
must NEE. them, or ifit fails to do So from want
Of power or disposition, IL Is made the omen
point OF attack, and the work of demolition he
gins there Government is not the noble aous iuct
that plants its firm feet beneath the torrent and
strides the waters like master, defying their
rage; il is rather the frail bark that goes form to
play familiar with old oceans hoary locks ,, and
Is wrecked when the tempest Is abroad While
republicans and believers in the theory of free
governments, We are ready to recognize the truth
OF what have advanced, when applied To despot
isnrs and even monarchal governments, seem
60 be singularly averse 10 their application 10 free
constitutions There never was a more terrible
or fatal mistake. In a country where much land
IS unsPproprisied, the tasks Of government are
few and simple, and Of easy execution When
however. the vast domain has become appropria-
ted and peOped, then the political action of gov
eminent begins and the wisdom of its structure
= aud administration is put 10 the test All sxpe-
Il rieHce hes shown that the more powerful class
will sacrifice the Interests Of the weaker whenever
Its own can be advanced by doing IL there
ibe a more numerous class than all others and
there is assigned by the constitution of the gov
eminent 10 tnat class weight and authority pro-
pOrtioned to It's numbers, what ia il but an abso-
futs surrender Of all power into its hands In
other forms of government that class Is denied the
power-it can only reach Ii through the horrors
Of successful Tevolution-in ours, the ballot-box
saves the necessity Of resort to so terrible an
alternative
The more numerous class, whatever Ii may be
would feel IL far more convenient, and certainly
far safer to redress a faneied grievance or perpe
trzte wrong through the ballot box, than to
resort to the revolutionary pike. The security Of
such a proceeding would lead TO its frequent
repetition One would be but the precursor of a
greater until the plundered minority would seek
It's refuge beneath the protection Of the strong arm
Of despotism II the machinery Of free govern
ment be but q continuance for ascertaining the
wishes Of the majority, what Is the result when
that majority, gOaded by want or impelled by
criminal lusts, are bent on robbery What is the
ballot box then, but the instrument Of wrong
When the popular heart becomes cotrupt-when