The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-08-28
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The GreAt Troubled .

The Great Troubled
The trouble with Mexico is the Mexicaps.
The trouble with Jamaica is the Jamaicans
The trouble with Hayti is the Haytiens. The
trouble with Turkey (says Christendom) is the
Turks. The trouble with Ireland (say the
is the Irish The trouble with Pc
land (say the Russians) is the Poles. The
trouble with the South (say the Northern
congressman is the Soutferners. All the
foregoing troubles are explained (perhaps)
wholly or in part, by the foregoing assertions.
But there is another trouble, of pre-cminent
concern to the whole people Of the United
States, which demands instant attention. This
also may be stated, and Ono perhaps) explain
ed briefly thus: The trouble with American
politics is the American politicians. And by
politicians we mean all who take an active
concern in public affairs, who contribute to
the general tone of public opinion, and who
help to give dominion to party and dictate
policy to government. In this sense, the
term politicians is almost as comprehensive
as the people. Truth to say, then, American
people have profound cause for complaint,
but the cause is in themselves; they suffer
grievious evils which are constantly increas-
ing, and ought without delay to be remedied;
but if there is any true and permanent RENE.
dy it must be found in themselves In phys
ical sickness it may happen that good pa
tient is more than good doctor that wig
orous, well-balanced constitution is more eff
icacious than most potent and skillfully COM
pounded medicines. Such is the case when
country is laboring under deep and pro-
tracted malady. The vis naedtcatrir nature
(the healing poeer Of natare) Of the people
is then worth more than all the devices of
craftsmanship. Only that political treatment
can be depended on which is governed by
the social diagnosis and there can be no per-
manent political cure which is not founded in
established social facts. The American peo-
pie arc in no danger of losing political liber-
ty, if the mass of them possess those virtues
which are able to guarantee, by deserving to
enjoy it. Slavery is in the slave, not in the
master. The first step which a people make
towards losing their liberty, is to abuse it;
showing, in suicidal apathy or in the mad
ness Of excess, that they are incapable of eff
fecting with it anything wholesome and great,
and can only make it the high road to mis-
chief, disaster and ruin. Time must soon
demonstrate whether the present confused
and troublous condition Of American politics
is to prove the grave or the new birth OF
American liberty. 1t all rests with the poll
ticians is to say with the people.
In the early days Of the Republic, the
Constitution was supposed to be an effective
protection for the liberties Of the weak
against the aggressions Of the strong. But
we can now see that the Constitution possess
ed in reality no such protective power That
was an imputed virtue. The weak were not
oppressed because the strong were good and
wise enough to forbear from converting their
liberty into unbounded license. All parties
then protested equal devotion to the Constitu-
ton as the supreme law, as above all opinions
and all interests, whether Of parties, Of place
men, or Of private individuals. It was the
great public monitor which, though cold and
unimpassioned, was on every hand not only
respected but loved, because men believed on
every hand that in the observance Of it was
comprehended all that makes up private hap
piness and the public welfare all the practi-
cable objects and Legitimate fruits Of civilized
industry, Of patriotic ambition, Of generous
reform, of religious culture.
But the country need not despair Of the
ultimate establishment of some system of
government, in harmony with the character
and tendencies Of the people. If the found
erf of the federal government made signal
mistake, it was in supposing perfect Con-
stitution to be synonymous with Constitu-
ton for perfect people. They pitched their
organic law on too hiah scale Of intelligence
and virtue. The Constitution Of the future
must be one fashioned in adaptation to the
imperfections Of vast, marvelously energetic
and progressive, various, incongruous, turbu-
lent, and hayward people. The institutions
of Utopia or Bmotica must be postponed for
an indefinite period.
Augusta White Sulphur Springs.
Parties visiting the mountains, for health or
pleasure, should not forget that we have in
this County, only ID miles from Staunton, a
watering place which combines, in an eminent
degree, all the essentials for both. Invalids
will find there White Sulphur, Alum, Chaly-
beate, Red Sweet and Free stone water, all
within easy distance Of the Hotel or Cabins
while seekers Of pleasure can make up full
measure of enjoyment from the views Of the
mountains, the bracing air, the bowling alleys,
L To- L,,k 1ooc h. n