The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-08-19

The Maintenance Of Republican In.
stitutions.


The Maintenance Of Republican In
siitutions.
Ii cannot be denied that the Oppo'
nents Of republican government, and
those who have maintained that such
governments are too weak to endure the
tests of great occasions. have at this
time the advantage Of the argument
1t is also clear that those who have in,
sisted that such GOV ernments are neces
sarily stronger and more durable than
any other form are utterly discounted
In theory it would seem that gov
ernment of the people. which it is 10 the
interest of the people to maintain, and
which is exempt from the strength and
rivalries incident to hereditary success
sion, should mere strongly commend it
self to the masses than any other form
In such 60, ernment, the people, hav'
ing the power TO change their agents
and rulers at short intervals, are not
under the necessity of resorting to rev
olntion to correct abuses in the govern
meut. OF Ia dispose of corrupt officials
They can always exercise their own dis
cretion as TO who shall hold the reins OF
power, and they can select the purest
and best men in the nation 70 represent
them.
But in the face of these facts it ap.
pears that republican governments
whether from some inherent defects i'll
the system, or because the people are
TOO ignorant or corrupt to be able
wisely and honestly to discharge their
duties, have resulted in lamentable
failures. and discord, tumult and weak
ness have characterized them almost
universally. Mexico and the South
American republics are striking evi-
iences of this fact, and bave been held
up by mOnarchists for many years as
coniirnatory proofs of their doctrine,
J. was not, however. believed that the
great North American republic, which
was passing over the road OF prosperity
with such gigantic strides, whose peO-
pie were so contonted and happy, and
which seemed to realize all that the
patriot and statesman could de-
sire, would ever DE added to
the catalogue Of such dishcartcnimg ex-
ampies. 1t seemed beyond the reach
of possibility that such should ever he
the case. No reason could he cOniec-
tured why Il people 50 free, SO unre-
strained in the pursuit of all that could
tend to their comfort and prosperity,
should ever become so crazed as yolun-
tarily t0 strike down the fabric which
had been reared with SO much wisdom
and forethought by their revolutionary
sires. We scoffed ut the predictions
and laughed at the arguments of those
who insisted that our system was q
false one and could not be maintained
We pointed to our rapid growth; to the
wonderful PROCESS and wealth of the
nation; to its mighty resources; to its
extraordinary expansion, and to the
unity and contentment of the people.
No one could possibly have fOrseen
that all of this prosperity and happi-
ness, this splendid promise of greatness
and power would be ruined by the mad
nassiOns of men and blood and desola-
tiOn and death succeed a condition of
things which was the wonder and admi.
ration of the world. Yet it has 80 re-
suited. We see q wrecked nation and a
people groaning under the weight OF
burdens too grievOus to be borne. We
see the powers of two of the co-oydinate
departments of the Government absorb
ed by the usurpations of the third, and
both the Executive and the Judiciary
PROSTATE at the feet of IN un
scrupulous and imperous Con
gress backed 10y military force
We see ten sovereign States held
as conquered provinces and lorded Ovel
by shoulder straps and bayonets. The
Constitution which created the Govern
ment is regarded as so much waste
paper, and the authority of Congress
is omnipotent throughout the land.
The inquiry now is whether tile nation
will ever return to the constitutional
principles, which before the war had
always guided US in safety through
every peril, or whether the existing
condition of things will be maintained
1t is not question whether the rebel:
shall be punished or not, but whether
we shall accept military despotism in
place of the practices from which we
have so widely departed. 1t seems in
credible that the people, who are the
real source of all power, shOnld long
tolerate what we have seen and eadur-
ed. Dark and gloomy Gs is the pros
pect, we confess that we have still some
hope in the ''sober second thought o.
the people, We look forward TO such
revolution in public sentiment as will
show the world that the love of consti
tutional liberty still exists, and that re
publican institutions are not incompati
BILE with good government, and that
under them the rights of the people car
be maintained, their liberties preserv.
cd, their prosperity secured, and the
power and glory of the nation ad
vanced -.....---
The Rody OF observation-disclosures.
NEW York, August H.-Ohicial ad
vices from Mexico announce that th'
y Mexican government has refused to de
liver the body of M.xim:lian to thu
Austrian Court. 1t is buried in ths