The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-05-19
imperialism.

uIns eF'nce Gaient 1t openly advocates y
the disruption of the Republic and the for
nation of an empire. 1t does not, however,
enter into particulars but treats the subject
in the abstract. We do not intend to dis
cuss the questions of the relative merits of
Republics and Empires, as there is no neces- 3,
sity for so doing. The question. SO far as
America is concerned, is settled and no NOR
tai power can ever induce the e,Americanpeo-
pile to consent to the formation of an EN- j.
pire in the place of the Republic. Every
trait Of American character is opposed to
any governmentTwhich gives to one class of
men hereditary right to rule over another
class, or which does not acknowledge
the equality of all men. True there may be-
a difference of social and political rank in
our Republic, but it is difference which, is
won by intellect, worth, and patriotic ser
vices. 1t is this difference which is the
crewning glory of our institutions, for it
gives the high places of government only to 3
men WHO have proven themselves capable
and worthy OF filing them--for they have won
them by their own exertions and the ap-
proyal of their fellow citizens. Now any
American citizen, no matter what his sta-r
tion or advantages, can attain to the highest
place in the gift of our people if he has
proven himself worthy. Noman is ineligi-
BILE because of his previous condition. The
to n II &c 70 oil
alike, and each mans place in
the world, and in society, is deter
mined by bis own acts and capabilities. ,
The hnpe,ialist kindly proposes t" change
this system, and to have an Emperor who
willrdo the American people the favor to
govern as long as his sacred life may be
spared, and then will pass thesceptre to his
descendants. An aristocracy of titled per-
sonages of the realm will kindly relieve the
people from the task of selecting the officers
of the government by becoming the rulers
of the people. 1t would of course be too
much to ask His Grace the Duke de Jones,
or his Royal HIghncss Prince Smithers to do
all this for nothing, and those noble lords
will, therefore, take to themselves such
property as they may fancy, but will, in the
goodness of their hearts, allow the former
owners to occupy all that they do not wish
themselves, in consideration of the payment
of annual rents. This course of action will
be based upon the following maxim of I'm
perialism as announced in the Imperialist::
"We believe but small percentage of the
"American people can be considered fit, by
character or education, for the unrestricted
"exercise of self government. ,.and that, con-
"scious of this truth, they have already re-
"signed the absurd theory which is ad-
"vanced in their behalf" We are much in
clined to the belief that the American people
will refuse to subscribe to the above doc
trine, but will maintain that they can con-
tinue to do that which they so long have
done, and done WELL We think the "srnall
percentage" who wish to arrogate to them
selves the entire wisdom of the country, will
be allowed to remain in that obscurity from
which they are so anxious to emerge, and
that America will manage to govern her
self without their assistance. 1t is an
old maxim that revolutions never
go backwards" and the tendency of
civilization is to free and enlightened
systems of government in which the people
are to govern. Despotisms have faded away,
! and governments which were despotic have
been preserved solely by abjuring their des-
potism The feudal systems have long been
done away with. The one man system of
government exists no longer in the civilized
world. But one nation of Europe is des-
| potism, and that one is but semi civilized.
Even in that one rapid progress towards civil
liberty is being made. History has fully de-
monstrated that those nations which enjoy the
largest degree of civil liberty, arc the most
powerful and the most prosperous. Prussia,
which IS the most liberal of any monarchy,
is also the most powerful. Spain, which has
had the least civil liberty is the weakest. Her
people have experienced the /" blessings of an
empire for centuries" yet they are now en-
thusiastic in favor of republic The people
of France have had both an imperial and a
republican system of government, yet the
French people are now strongly inifavor of
republic, and are kept down only by the
iron hand of imperial tyranny. England
has ever had monarchia form of govern
ment, yet no government is so unpopular as
the English government, and no people SO
unhappy and discontented as the English
| people The history of every nation records
the fact that according to the progress of
civil liberty is the progress of a nation in
power, prosperity, intelligence and all that
goes to make people great and happy And
still more, the progress of the American
Republic has fully demonstrated that the
republican is the best form of government
known to the world. When emancipated
from the hlighting influence of monarchial
control the American colonies were feeble,
not respected by the world, and with their
country but vast wilderness. Scarcely
eighty years have gone by, yet America is
! now the most powerful nation of the world
"a country whose resources are inexhausti-
Bile, aud people. of forty millions of free
men. Our history is without parallel for
rapid Increase in power and prosperity. All
! this Is the effect Of our free government, and
this fact has never, and can never be denied
W.T. .l,or a RI A n,nrioanc asked to destroy