Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-11-07
THE GAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER I
THE DEsPOT.-By ]. B. Johnson.

QeSlreS TO Dc counted among It's seekers, VI
reckoned amid the successful applicants for It's
real or imaginary advantages. Man loves to
be important, and an empty vanity induces
him to strive for that influence which will eDa-
BILE him to control not only the acts, but even
the words and manners Of his fellowmen. This,
as rule, he considers the acme Of human des-
tiny and when he obtains command, its po-
tency is displayed in accordance with his ca
pacity to value truth, and esteem honor. If
the individual whom a community trusts with
the administration of its political relations, is
wise and yirtuous, it is fortunate for be will
not do with power, that which his consci nee
would oppose without it, and his lofty appre
citation Of an agents duty, prevents him from
entertaining a desire to extend his sway beyond
the bounds of the propriety Of those laws
which were intended to be the marks Of his rule.
Before he will be the means of inaugurating
movements that are repugnant to his just
sense of the duties of his sphere, he will resign
his commission, and leave the task Of innova-
ton to less delicate hands, If, on the contra.
~, he is ignorant and selfish, then the conmu-
nifty that reposes confidence in him as the adj
ministrator of its lawful government, and the
exponent OF its moral worth, will be visited by
the sorest evils OF legal confusion and social
disorder. He accepts control not in a high
sense OF noble duty, but in the base-splrlt-
edness OF sordld intentions, and, step by step,
subsidies all thar he can move to the wanton
behests Of vena or biased impulses. History
and consistency are as nought 10 him, and
using the advantages Of his place TO multiply
his retainers, be soon has them as corrupt as
himself, and he is never at a loss to have the
support Of those fungi who do bis bidding and
applaud his conduct His whole efforts are
devoted to the end of retaining the adherence
of those who espouse his plans, and so success
fully does he accomplish this object, that the
recipients Of his favor will so far forget obiga~
tions to their own life, liberty and property, as
to shout peans when he performs those arbi-
trary acts that jeopardize the sacred franchises
OF those opposed to them in sentiment This
appreciation Of his course amounts almost to a
prediction of whatever his presumption may
dictate as best adapted to meet his purposes
for it caioles his conceit by giving him author
ity and security for the prosecution If his plans
to the tarthest END, and embodens him to be
unserupulous of the just rights Of all whom
he may deem inimica to the accomplishment
of his designs. The violence Of prescription
begets the pressure ct resistance and feeling
the necessity of force to defend bis irregular
conduct, he quickly assumes command of the
sword and the purse, and turning their i'm
mense weight upon his opponents, their oppo-
stion, for the time, becomes so unimportant
that he scarcely considers it matter Of any
concern, and friend and foe, are alike brought
TO feel the good or evil Of his will for he
knows himself the absolute ruler of those who
designed him to be but their agent; and he
shapes the laws to secure his personal safety,
and to govern their ways.
Such is the growth of the Despot; and if he
has the address to add in gradual manner, the
sum of his aspirations, his subjects, though
enjoying but year before, the purest liberty,
will consent a long time to his rule, ere they
dissolve into their ultimate condition, or make
stalwart effort to cast from them the burden
of unusual restrictions; for the institutions of
country are never impaired by the influence
of the better portion of it's citizens, hut always
by an excitation Of the evil passions of the worst
class of its inhabitants and history has not
yet presented an exception OF nation having
escaped the perls that are incident to the fatal
blunder of allowing its cardinal ghts 10 be
placed under the control of the most ignorant,
vicious and irresponsible members OF its popu-
lation. As long as people remain rure they
adhere to strict construction of their organic
laws, and are exceedingly jealous OF violation
of even their spirit, but alas, political purity
rarely lasts beyond the mere youth of Il tree ma
ton, and the more rapidly it gains in wealth
and numbers, the more likely will it meet with
early destruction; for factionists soon poison
the minds of its people, and their efforts at gov
eminent quickly degenerate iuto struggle for
places of profit and trust, with the single OBJ
Jet of bending them to subserve the aims of
party chicanery. When people arc thus de-
moralized they lose their virtue, and reiorna- |
ton is almost. impossible. Expediency takes
the place of principle and ere many decades,
the name Of their nation is written among those
that persisted from deposition Of their pOliti-1
cal power into the hands Of the tanatica and
depraved. Therefore, it is worse than seati-
mentality to use the oft.repeated complaint: |
That Despots rob the people OF their rights.
bat idle nonsense. Could there be Despot if |
majority are not willing to obey his orders?
There could be no despotism without obedience,
and all outcries of populace against rulers
VINO use them despotleally, are bnt acknowl
edoments of its own baseness. 1t IS not Des- |
pots who usurp the rights of the people, but
it is the people themselves who grow discou-
tented end misguided, and put forth their rep
resentative man, endow him with authority,
and in defiance of justice, bid hiul use the
strength of the majority to press into submls-
sion the will Of an unhappy and anxious minor
ity. Fanatical and dishonest men may misuse
power, but they can never usurp it, unless the |
majority gives them its appreciation; for the |
Despot's delight is the ebeerfulness with which /
those whom he rules. receive his violations of |
their organic laws; and when the mass of De- |
mocracy grows insensible to the virtue of their |
palmiest days, their institutions go down, down |
that declivity from which no fallen nation has
ever YET arisen.
ALEXANDRIA. OCTOBER 18th 1866.