The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-20

lution) are, by whom this imperial central
authority shall be exercised aud, whether
those who exercise IL shall continue to be
elected by the people The changes in our
institutions having been brought to this ad-
vanced stage let us inquire whether there are
causes in operation tending to revolutionize
the structure of the Central Government,
which has absorbed the sovereignties, annihi-
lated the independence, and usurped all the
greater powers of the States. Will the con-
solidated Central Government continue to
maintain its present organization
The t. n encies of the new order Of things are
all in the opposite direction. The fierce AMI
stubborn contest between the President and
Congress, which has been waged for the last
four years, has already shaken the structure
and destroyed the balance of Federal govern
ment. The President has been subjugated,
and reduced to mere ministerial officer OF
Congress. This may seem, at first view, to
favor the expectation that our new oonsoli-
dated Imperialism will be permanently repub-
lican in its character, and not monarohical.
But reflection does not warrant this hasty
view. The dwaTfiug of the executive is too
recent to have developed its real tendency.
In a country so vast as ours, with such
multitudes of officers to be superin-
tended and kept to their duties, there
is need of a strong, efficient executive;
and, as a numerous legislative body is
wholly unfit for executive functions or
executive superintendence, the systematic
weakening of the President will introduce and
perpetuate infinite disorder, corruption, and
feebleness in the civil service. The necessary
consequence will be strong reaction in the
popular mind in favor of strong and unfet-
tered Executive; and if the Congressional
regime runs on until the evils become scanda-
lous and intolerable, the violence of the reao-
ton will be in proportion to the public sense
nf tho mi schiaf III q resOluta man q rna N w n
shrinks from no responsibility, happens to be
President when the current begins to set
strongly the other way, the people will readily
support him in assuming most of the powers,
though not at first perhaps the name of a
monarch. He can easily acquire power
enough at the beginning to serve as
| the sure foundation of all he may sub
| and orderly administration shall present a
| sufficient contrast to the state of things which
| he suppresses. Considering the scandalous
corruptions that have already grown up under
| Congressional supremacy, there is nothing ex-
travsgant in the supposition that, even before
the termination of General Grants first term,
the public mind may be ripe for very vgor-
| Gus reaction, on which a man skilled in the
command of armies, and having all the ablest
generslsH as his personal friends, may ascend
| to height of authority from which he cannot
| afterwards be dislodged.
Another cause which is destined to operate
| even more powerfully in supplantipg repub
lican institutions in this country is the de
basement of the suffrage by bestowing II
| universally upon negroes, giving the race tn,
balance of power and the real control of the
elections. There could be no more effectua
way to disgust the intelligence of the country
| with republican government than such
| debas ing caricature of it. A great many
people are coming already to doubt thu
wisdom Of republican government in ou
large cities, where there are large classes o
vicious and disorderly people who debase
| the suffrage, and reader honest government
well-nigh impossible. The effect of the negro
suffrage amendment will be to debsse the
| suffrage to still lower level in the rural dis
| tricts of nearly half the country. 1t is moi
rebable that the suffrage can ever be taken
away from large classes who have once pos
sessed It; and remedy will be sought In
withdrawing the most important affairs and
officers from the popular vote. When a de-
bas ed universal suffrage comes to bear its full
| fruits, the intelligent public sentiment Of tn,
country will demand in our political system
| strong balance wheel not dependent on uni
versal suffrage. People will prefer to b.
governed by an intelligent, independent mo
march, rather than misgoverned by universe
suffrage, such az universal suffrage will b
when the negro experiment shall have de
| veloped its consequences.
There are various other causes which ten'
in the same direction, but those which vi
have explained are the most powerful ant
| portentous.