The Hickman courier., 1869-05-08
state Aid to RaiirOads--The Pa
dncah Herald Again.

the error of supposing that the PROPOSE
fion of giving State aid to railroads is
question of party as well as of policy
because it says "some of the best Demo
Gratis that Kentucky ever had were friends
of liberal and equal system of State
improvements and because "some of
the best and truest Democrats that Ken
lucky now boasts are the ardent friends
of railroad improvements. These two
propositions may be true, but we still
hold to the opinion that State aid to In
ternal Improvements was opposed by the
Democratic party of Kentucky when |
our present public debt was being con-
tracted, and the scheme now advocated |
by the Herald, is notin accordasee with
the ancient doctrines OF Democracy no
matter how many good democrats may
befound among its friends and advocates.
James Guthrie, who is good authority
with the Herald, and who was one of the
old internal Improvement Democrats, in
u
tional Convention reported in the de-
bates of that body, page $50, after stat
ing that he had voted for the system of
internal improvements then being de-
nounced as reckless and extravagant.
said that in
"Looking over the acts of the State,
Al l. I Il
large portion of my own political friends;
and was there found voting generally in
e<heEanks of our opponents, and often
co sI lave j met the charge, that in authoriz-
pg,ng that expenditure, under their man
g sgement as it generally was, [ had aided
Z and assisted them in procuring the means
to strengthen and perpetuate their pow
1ex in the State
Yes, Mr. Guthrie, in favoring internal
by the State, differed with
his political friends who were Democrats,
and voted in the ranks of his opponents
who were Wings, and for so doing had
NO account to his party for the assistance
he thereby gave to the Wings, and yet
the Herald says, internal improvements
RaY. the State was never opposed by the
sts, ~ocrafic party, and was never ques-
hoDeis party politics, but only one of ex-
4 5; It 7nattcrs not what mag have been the
rfe policy of the Democratic party in
sylyania, New Jersey, Virginia,
"a, or any other State, we are right
rt5.c Athat the Democracy of Ken,
- ! rss as.sses1se4i6iinifssnf sf'si;rs' Sc.
!asaylns .skon was made y al issue.,
! IA ID istiss.; ;sEss..ions.
I'VE insist too that we are right in the
zproposition "that the people can only be
keei<zlhately taxed to that extent which
lldy Be necessary to defray the indispen-
sable expenses of the government,
whether you apply the rule to the Gene
gal or State government. The power of
Neither government over the property of
|ethe citizen is necessarily limited, other
wise the minority would be completely at
the mercy of the majority. According
to the Preamble-our present Constitu-
!. ton was ordained and established, "To
ceecure to all the citizens of Kentucky
\ the enjoyment of the right of life, liber-
ty, and property, and of pursuing happi-
! ness" That these objects might the
.msre certainly be attained, individuals
lffNrrendered to the State government the
power to restrict to some extent the right
= = Of each individual or citizen to the un-
dzIualifed enjoyment of life, liberty, pro-
perty, and the pursuit of happiness. To
the extent these rights have been surren-
dered by the individual citizens, the State
government..can do anything not forbid
den by the State constitution, or in con-
fict with the powers delegated to the
General government. This much we
readily y admit, and if our State Constitu-
tion gives to the State government the
right to make internal improvements, or
if it be essential or necessary, that rail-
roads Or other Improvements shall be
made in order to 'secure to the citizens
of the State the enjoyment Of the rights
of life, liberty, and property, and of par
suing happiness" or to secure to them
the enjoyment of either one of these
great rights, then the peoples money
may be used for such purposes, and no
man or power can rightfully object; bat,
if this power is not expressly granted,
or its exercise is not essential to enable !
the State government to answer the pur-
poses of its creation, it is the right and !
duty Of every friend Of constitutional
liberty to protest against any such an ar
bitrary destruction by the majority of
the rights of the minority. If this be
not the correct position, and the State
government bas any such "Original pow
ers, as those described by the Herald,
y IA the Constitution is a snare, and 2
gisat, and minorities are wholly at the
1srcv of interested majorities The
Kentncky bill of rights declares "That
zbsolute, arbitrary power over the lives,
Sberty, and property of freemen, exists I
o3where in republic, not even in the 8
argest majority" and, in the next Sec I
ion, that s'The right of property is be- a
ore and higher than any constitutional r
acfion." a
The right of an individual to his pro- |,