Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1867-02-22

pOlltlcai eNents, III EnBiahu, uhucr
the lead of such men as Bright, can
fail to discover its rapid progress to-
wards democracy, with all its spccious
show of popular liberty and hidden
germs Of corruption, anarchy and
mob despotism. This change will,
probably, be slow because the resist
ance is great. The government of
England-the best of which history
gives any Accountants deeply i'm
pressed itself upon all the relations
of social and commercial life, and the
pride Of country which has grown
up and expanded under its fostering
care the traditions which cling to
its long career Of glory and prosper
ity, and the almost superstitious rev.
erence inspired by its power are SO
many saving checks to the progress
of innovation. Our government be.
gan its career at the point which En-
glish democracy is now striving to
reach, and the short period in which
liberty, here, ran its course from we'll
regulated and clearly defined limita-
tions to RIGHTEOUSNESS and tyranny,
conveys lesson by which other ma
tons would do we'll to profit. But
history has so often repeated this
lesson without apparent benefit to
succeeding generations, that there
seems to be a fate which incorporates
into all our institutions the elements
of self-destruction. Governments,
like men, are born to mature, and
mature only to decay.
The cause of popular liberty never
had, to all appearance, surer basis
than in the Constitution of the U.
States, and nothing was wanting to
perpetuate its promised blessings but
q strict adherence to first principles
and careful culture and constant prac-
tice of those virtues without which
there can be no security for social,
religious, or civil institutions. Our
government was a masterpiece Of ex-
detrimental philosophy, and never was
more wisdom displayed in the nice
adjustment Of practical details, for
the working Of false but beautiful
theory. The trainers Of the consti.
tuition, misled by their own stern in
tegrity, pure patriotism and high in
teligence, made these virtues the
corners stone of To structure which
they hoped would endure. forever
but scarcely lad the architects pro.
claimed the temple finished, when
signs Of decay were visible. Public
virtue proved foundation Of sand
and the exploding of the theory was
followed by the fall of the fabric.
1t is in the face of the signal fail
ure Of this experiment that English
demagogues are urging forward theil
government 70 the same point o
madness and generalization. Thi
country is now teaching those agita
tors tho important lesson, that free
dom, to be truly blessing, must b.
restricted within far narrower limit
than comport with the loose idea
Of those who advocate the broades
liberty suggested by the word, democ
racy. The first step towards learning
this lesson, is the unconditional aban
donment of the absurd doctrine tina
man has, under an organized govern
ment, any natural rights which h
can plead in bar Of the WHOLESOME
restraints Of wise legislation. Man
rights are all conventional, and tina
is the best system Of government
under which those rights are con
tracted or expanded to the point bes
calculated to ensure the greatest goo,
to the greatest number And when
ever there arises a popular clamo
about natural rights and broade
liberty, and sgitators avail themselvc
of the OF easion to promote the end
of their own ambition, revolution i
fairly commenced, and though check
cd, will be renewed, again and again
until it compasses the ruin Of mate
rial interests. We see this truth mos
iearfully illustrated, to-day, by tn
wretched condition of our own coun
try. Experience has taught us tina
public virtue is myth, and that uni
versal suffrage will break down tn
best system Of government ever de
yised by man. Let British statesmen
Look to il in time.
THE telegraph reports the Presi
dent as still firm in the belief tina
the people will condemn the cours