Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-01-20
oTOo Fond of Power"

1t was admitted by Mr. Miles, in some remarks
in the House of Representatives a few days since,
that President Davis is too fond of power." Mr..
Miles is friend of the President, and one Of his
spokesmen 10 the House.
"Too fond of power" Such has been the char
acteristic Of every tyrant and usurper from Caesar
to Napoleon. Good men are not 81 fond of power"
GEORGE WASHINGTON might have made himself by
word Dictator, but he rejected the very thought
as degrading to his peerless fame. When the war
was over he laid all his power at the feet of the
Congress at Annapolis, and declared that in divest.
ing himself Of it he experienced great relief and
pleasure.
President Davis has filled the land with bis party
favorites, who look to him as the source of their
privileges and exemptions from active military ser.
vice, and who, in most instances, are prepared to
surrender the liberty for which we are coutending
in order to crafty their own selfish views. II We
were sure, as We cannot be, judging by the past
that be would WELD the immense power which he
already has, and which he is evidently seeking to
increase for the good of the country, our fears for
the future would be iessened but we would not be
willing to trust even good man with the exercise
of arbitrary power. A good man entrusted with
despotic power, would soon become bad man.
We concur with the Charleston Mercurv that
violations Of the Constitution, disregard of State
rights, and such measures IS would result in Cen.
tral Dictatorship, are fraught with ilcalcuable in
jury
"CoEscRIPr ALL MEN-TAx ALL PRopERry-
T. - l.l
in place of the steady selfpossssson and calm ex
erc,se Of wisdom displayed by the Roman Senate
after the battle of Canns the recklessness of alarm
and the desperation of demagoguism show their pres
ence in the Congress of the Confederate States.
Propositions to trample upon the Constitution un.
derwhich the legislative and executive branches of
the Confederate government hold their seats in Rich
mondto violate the oaths of Office, and, under the
plea of necessity, without authority of law. and
against State Ri ghts to place all persons and ali
property and all liberty under Central Dictator.
snip, may be thought by some to be fraueht with
safety and peace But it becomes the patriotic, in.
teigent' and unterri6ed representatives of States
and peoples to comprehend the true causes of our
danger and to apply such remedies as the great leg.
lslat'Ve powers of the country afford. Not want
OF power, but failure to employ the best agents
and to use efficiently the powers conferred, has
brought US into our present condition Of peril The
msmsnagement of our financial affairs and military
resources, with the inefficient execution of impor.
tant laws, indicate the source of our weakness and
the direction where the legislative attention is most
needed Instead of going into wild revolutionary
talk, like some that has been uttered, and proposals
to accumulatdPa all power in the same hands, Con.
gress may bend its efforts to infusing competency
and vigor in the bureaux and departments of the
administration, without upsetting our government
Or overriding laws under the Constitution Con.
gress has power enough, if it will but use wisdom
Ihe Executive has power enough, if used With en-
ergy and wisdom. Anything else is madness"