Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1868-05-14
For The Shenandoah Herald.
A SHORT ESSAY On GOVERNMENT.
BY ,'WEELA KoNoNA. +"

heads, each in their order
l. Meaning of Cover nnent, in the sense we
use it.; Ii. The foundation, origin and object
Of Governments III. Tile different kinds of
overnment; " Advantages and disadvanta-
ges of each.
l. BY Government, we mean that authority
over the actions OF men in communities, sociee
ties or states, which the sovereign power exer
CT ses.
II. Foundation, origin ind objects Of Gouern-
ments.--Man created q social being that
Is, the pcssessor of qualities which make him
desire the companionship of other beings
hence we find him in his Eden home the com
panion of angels, and after the fall in this
world of darkness and sin, the companion of
his fellow man.
This relation between man and his brother,
God in his infinite wisdom and mercy ordain-
ed tor the advancement of the creature and the
glory Of the Creator We denominate relation
kinship, or fellowship, society. Governments
were formed for the preservation of society:
1t has hen its foundation in nature, and in
the thfee relations that grew out of this COM
munion, --that IS, of husband and wife, parent
and child, superior and INFERIOR planted
principle of sovereignty, which love and affec-
ton will prompt he two first to obey, and fear
of superior power and judgment the latter fe
"iS"SO' Ato vi III W <to a. tut SStdUilSl-
ment of society. Its object their preservation.
II. The different finds Of Observation-Disclosures
are only three kinds of Government! A Dess
potism; Monarchy; and q Republic.
/. Despotism is that form Of Government
IN which single individual, WITHOUT ANY Law,
governs according to his own viii and caprice:
We have as an example of this kind of govern
ment that of Turkey, where the Sultan exerci-
ses all the powers ef sovereignty in the admin
istraton OF public affairs.
Ill. Monarchy Is that form of government
In which single individual governs, BUT AZ
CoRDING TO ESTABLISHED LAWS. We have an
example Of this kind of government in that of
Austria, Prussia, France, and England. It
may be proper here to state that these laws
governing the actor of the Prince may fnake
his power so mild that in its fullest exercise
he cannot endanger the liberties of his people.
Indeed, we find his conduct so we'll guarded in
that greatest Of monarchies, our noble old mo-
Their. that those under his Immediate control
are held responsible for the workings of the
Government
Ill. A Republic is that form Of goveralfsent
in which the whole people, or a part of the peo-
pie, hold sovereign power. When the sover-
elgn power is in the hands of the whole people
we call Ii Democracy or Democratic Republic.
The ancient Republic of Athens where the
people governed themselves in primary assemo
bes, and the greatest of all existing govern
ments, the Republic of the United States.
where the whole people govern by delegates.
Or through the principles OF representAtiga. :
As examples of the Aristocratcal we would
point To- those little States Of Europe which
have battled so long and nobly to keep alive
the spark OF liberty which their fathers Genius
ries age entrusted to their care. I mean the
HaN,o ~
and the Dutch States.
". Advantages and disady antages Of each
[. Of Despotism. There is but one quality
in a Despotism which we will here notice. 1t
is the unity of the sovereign power His will
is the law of the land, supreme and irresistible.
He makes the law, construes the law, and ex-
ecutes it, as best suits his majesty, without any
regard to the justice Of the cause. AS he is
wise or prudent, base wicked, his people
are great and happy or low and oppressed
But us SO much depends upon This chance, we
may JUS ly conclude that in despotism there
are none of the advantages which secure o
brave people the blessings of liberty and hap
piness.
H. Ola Monarchy This form of govern
ment is quite an improvement on that of des
pOtism. The Prince here. though ''lord para
mount" is guided in the administration Of the
government by laws defining the rule of his
conduct: and deviation from them, however
slight, brings justly upon him public eondern
nation. These laws are different in different
countries, and as they are mild or stringent,
the sovereign will be arrogant and oppressive
or sober and prudent. This species of govern
ment in its mildest form is noble fabric of
liberty, worth the care and protection Of the
free people who can boast it as their own.
Ill. OF a Republic In Republic where
the right of sovereignty is in the whole people,
ness of intention is more likely to be found
than in either of the other forms of govern
ment. But its assemblies, especially in De-
mocratic Republic, where all the people govern,
and where all people Of whatever grade in So
ciety, however low or depraved or high and
manly, are politically equal, are frequently
foolish in their continuance and weak in their
execution, though they mean to do what is
right and just. Then while Il republic of
democratic order approaches nearest that state
of nuture in which a gracious Creator created
man, we might conclude, were his reason I'M
corrupted and his und erstanding free Of igno
rance and error that it is the wisest and the
best But as such is not the case, and man
has fallen from his high estate, with his reason
corrupt and his nature 1epraved, it is my hum
BILE opinion that that government which has
for its sovereign representatives, elected by
the people, in whom these qualities are the
most likely to be found the perfection of
which among the attributes of Him, who is
emphatically styled the Supreme Being. is q
model government, the wisest and the best
Such is the aristoc ratical.
.--n-.-zz.zz-n-a---.--
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