The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-22
CentraIizatisn--A Democracy or a
DespOtiSm

| Dc-po ism
Are our people dIssat. SIZED with the re-
I suits OF republican form OF government
| Do they really desire 90 resign taat udi-
| vidual control OF affairs which IS th- very
| tsseace oil our institutions. aud which con-
stitutes the esseuua. aIstuctioa between
| democracy and despo.ismg Uss the large
amount Of personal liberty ve hay, Gu
| lOyed Tor tlree-gulrt=rs of q century
/ proved So unsatisfactory IA its re -ults that
| we desire 10 transfer the control Of our
| chief interests into the hands OF the Gov
| erumeut2 Have our representative be-
! come so mach wiser sud bet er than The
/ people, that II has become prudent % place
| ourselves under the lutelage Of Cons resss
/ Ihese,may appear strange questions 90 be
I addressed 10 a people vino consider them
| selves freer than any other ration ia The
world but il is impossible 20 deny that
| they are most FOiutedly suggested by the
| current course Of events. $ me OF the most
! prominent acts OF the eventiUl legislation
of the last four wears have involved the
| transfer Of local power Hud individual lD-
ertv t. the central Government During
the rebellion, under q shallow preteucs II
military necessity, the functions o. the To-
eaI courts were superseded BY the mandates
OF tue War Drpartmeut, and although Jhsl
state of things Is now abolished "a q
STATES but those lately IN rebellion, yet this
brief reign Of a0o.u ism has emasculated
the public sentiment o. respect for law aud
liberty, and has bequeatned a precedeug
ready a. any time 10 De used as the con-
venieut tool Of despotic aspirants. Under
the same plea OF the necessities o. war,
Con gress has interfered with the sacred
right Of Individuals % make contracts up0a
such conditions as might be agreed
uuln between man add man, by
passing an act declaring that the
Irredeemsble promises OF she Gov
eminent should be a legal tender ia the
pavmeutOf all pen diD 2 anu future contracts.
sooner than throw Al obstacle n TIE way
Of the Government, this law was tolerated
" IN no resistance beyond a feeble passing
protest. but now, the acE which all once tells
b b. wrong m principle, and dangerous In
tendency, is applaud1d By large numbers,
a master stroke OF policy, and beuel-
cent aid 20 c0mmerce-illustrstiDg how
easily the most dangerous errors come 10 be
popular, when stamped with The seal OF gu
thOriiy. Next, a system Of baukIug was
established, the great fascination Of which
consisted N its beng ~ atIoual.' All banks
organizing under this act were TO be placed
under the same regulations, were TO invest
their capital IN the same securities, were
"a issue a prescribed amount OF notes cor
responding 10 the local population, were 20
be controlled BY Government olicials, and
were b act, In all respects, within specified
uniform limits. Lest the public should iaIl
t5 give preference % this autumatou -yS-
TEN, &. TAX was imposed mon the circulation
of al banks choosing 90 BE- estate 30 her
than "Sational,' which compelled them
either 90 nati- uaiIz- OF 20 wind up their
business. The resultoi this measure is that
the whole financial interest Of the country
is now placed under the absolute control of
three HUNDRED hungry politicians assem-
5led at n asniugtou. We have never heard
it stirm@I that among these arb.ters Of our
financial desriul-s, There were over halt
dozen men who understood half as much
aboU. banking affairs o. the manager Of the
most picavuue village bank 0 q che G uutry;
30 that, on the ground of wisdom and ability
for controlling, there appears 10 be little
more reason why th.s great responsibility
shou d be cou6ded 10 Congress than % the
combined wisdom Of any common school.
The advocates ofthis great Governmental
Institution VIII tell Us that Congress will be
guided in Is legislation on banking By the
practical wisdom of the bankers; which, if
true. simply means that the banks vi %, a.
ter ali. govern themselves. But why should
the 5aLki choose 10 regulate their affairs
through The agency OF congress, iu preie.-
ence % d0ing % Individually, or through
voluntary combiuauonY Why place De-
tween themselves and their measures an
absolute power, whose consent they must
obtain i0r all purposes that may seem
% them iesirabl-7 What is 20 be- gaIuad by
investing prerogaiive where there is u0
VISION 20 advise OF dirert9 He'd the bsuzs
! ~ reason 10 suppose that this c0ut-oi might
prove 9 costly AFFAIR." We're they ignorant
[ o. the fact that Legislative bodies srs often
| largely constituted Of ul-u who expect % b.
paid for their vote upon al questions --lat-
.ug 10 the material interests placed under
/ Their caulrll2 Could they expect o. zas the
I assent OF Congress 90 any measure, the
[ 1d1ptla Of which they particularly desired,
| without a l5--szr pTcport.1ue1 % their
| large resources Tor I9erzlfy2 10 they sup
| posed otherwise, they were mistaken. Only
/ Yesterday The Comptroller 3i the Currency
/ publicly exp seo a movement among the
I rational bsnks i0r raising SZ50,950 % be
/ used Tor the purchase @. votes IN ttvgr @ an
/ sct zrsuting 10 The banks their loss cIreGIa-
| t.ou-a lair illustration Of tho expense, O. q
money and honor. 20 which these ilst.tu-
! tons must peTPetuaily submit a. the peu-
/ atty Of surreuderIug the control Of their Of
Z airs into ih- hands OF politicians. A.ter a
| few years, the fuaneieH who are now 50
I much fascinated With national I'D mage
I ment OF stiairs, may learn that DC j. e l-s s.,
I aud embarrassing. as vel az q very oepzav-
I ing pe.icy, 20 uesiiessly place the control af
/ the great iEts-ssfs Of the country 10 hand.
I who have no proper 11Ecsrn with them.
I We trust -iley may lot slgh fE the r1c0varv
/ Of their lost liberties when 10 Be- TOO Ists.
Nor does this maaia :cr ceutrui.zing an
I uszr % have exhausted itself With these
/ rash measures. The insurance interest has
] caught the .'natieaaP infection aud makes
I haste % rush into the arms Of Cgugr.ss. A
| convention Of represeu. st.ves Of the lIu this
/ insurance companies, recently held iu this
/ city, resolved ia, N vieH o. several State
/ havnsa al pied laws limiting ths free eam-
petition Of Insurance c1uF llies Organized
I Ia other stats, they W0uld memorial 81
Z Cuvrsss % adopt q national insurance laws
: suppressed 10 z 81 STATE lsglslatiou and placing
I insurance upon the same 600 ing 81 sve.7-
state os tbs Uui0n- The exclusive state
} legislation complained % By she eoayen-
4 lea. b on unjust uluopoIFr as much
I 50. Indeei, rs 4zy other sttempt CO prstsct-
I ing a specific class 1I capitslistsf tgt -
I #5uld respectfully suggest O. the mell1srs
! q said conveniign thar they 90 not appsar
70 have i1lly c0ns.derea
zasIhsr as better 10 d-s The I.. ta.sy have
! TEan -g % ctilsrs tley Ella H1t %
Tbs Insurance scheme e Of e rse-e With
I the general tenor Of our recent l-risIatlon.
: which IS o. concentrate al power Ia he
Z hands Of tEs general Governments The ina
laei zie -ss-t oi sash msa4lref viii BE- %
I corrupt C3ugress o. q degree hcvaad rlz.ffa.
t8lsration, and 20 produce ErsFseil 5srrasz-
. EeEt % the great material iuter-sts Of tte
country rs mere remote results vii b. SIN
more serious- saoh lsEislztion IS ssseat.sIl-
dssF1tss ;1r g despotlsu consists Mt IN .
part.cgiisr uFgaliastiou % sCFarulas-t. nor
IN having 2 here1i-gy ckisf Elsrlst-lts f.
| BAT iu the p0sc-rs with which The govern
meat, Whatever rs form may Be. Is eur-lst-
"a. History has over and over proved that
e TsPu5ileau fesEa Of egvsrument entrusted
with iarss poEsrs f. q l-sTot sui % O. fact,
and an lacipisui despotism q % form also.
Let ne people onee trust TIE coutrol githsir
liberties and thsI- material Interests v
GoFsFamelt, sHd it 3 thousand % ane