The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-16
Progress Of the Times.

general phrase is mischievous, instead of
serviceable, when it ia forced to surrender its
true meaning to the charlatanry Of false
one. The party that at present holds control
OF the Government has used the word "pro-
gress' until, from the marked contrast be-
tween the word itself and its application, it
has lost its virtue in its hands. Worse than
that even, it has been stripped of its skin for
a covering for aims Numerically its opposite
Radicals have much to say OF the progress of
the times, and many charges to make against
Democracy for falling behind in the march,
and even for trying to take steps backwards.
Any accusation is perhaps good enough until
it has been examined and found unable to
pass the ordeal. II radicalism is the true
index finger of this expansive age, it is the
bold pioneer in the path of genuine advance
ment; if in word, it is the embodiment and
synonym of progress itself, then it will be
easy for it to tell us whittier that progress is
tending. We ask not merely for the thing,
but for the logic of the thing.
Progress can tend only to larger personal
freedom, and thence to more marked indi-
viduality of thought. Our republican system
contains the germinal principle of it, as its
own central idea, viz, that the power which
people do not delegate they reserve. That
single idea is the inspiration of our written
people, and what is yielded is the whole that
agents and servants are authorized to employ.
But that plain idea is the very one which radi-
calism processes to spurn. 1t demands not
the Constitution, but the ''modern improve
ments" to it. Its undeniable aim is to concen-
trate power by taking it from the people. 1t
usurps, but does not distribute. 1t consoli-
dates, but does not difuse. Our federative
system, which is directly the opposite of this,
leaving power undisturbed in the various
communities that are named States-that, it
seems to any reasoning mind, is the system
under which to promote personal freedom and
true individuality. Then why is not that the
only progressive system, and why is not
tendency to consolidation the foe to such a
system
No political scheme, it seems to most men,
could be the equal of our matohless Constitu-
tion in respect of the room it leaves for per-
sonal endeavor. That is the secret of our
growth as federation. Our strength has
invariably been measured by our expansion.
In all the varied pursuits and calings to
which men addict themselves, it leaves them
perfectly free. Under such system, with an
unexampled soil and climate, no people in
heriting enterprise and energy could have
failed to advance and prosper. And in the
successful past our Government has been
strong, not by reason of the excessive power
held in individual hands, but because each
and all, remote and near, held so large share
of real power in their own. 1t was from the
diffusion of power, rather than its concentra-
tion, that our Government accumulated the
true resources Of strength and endurance. II
was with our civil. as Jefferson said 1t would
prove with our military systematic first ap-
proach of serious trouble would demonstrate
that it was the most invulnerable in exist
ence, because every man had share in 1t OF
his own. .l.r.t-,
Now the more there Is taken from the indi-
vidual and lodged in the central organization,
the weaker the system will become. II Is
merely turning the pyramid over on Its apex.
Is 1t progress" TO have dynasty, by what
ever name called, set up to do our thinking
for usf Or to put us to school; to show us
how some may make money and others may
wants more than we do ourselvesY ConsoIida
tion is the one great enemy which our repub-
lican system has to fear; and they are traitors