The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-06-03
GENERALIZATION AND CON.
GRESS.

The most prominent difference dis
tinguising despotic from free govern
meuts, lies in the fact that the former
centralizes all power, while the latter
permits Of local or provincial govern
ments in oil matters purely provincial.
In oursystem the trainers Of the Consti-
tuition went beyond the English prac-
tice of permitting TO their colonies the
exercise of limited local authority;
changed the name Of Colony 10 that of
State; and instead of'limiting the To-
cal government Of the State, limited
the powers OF the central government.
Under a central system, especially
when extending over O vast territory
like ours, with representation based
upon population, it is evident that Il
combination between one or more sec
tons having comparative preponder-
ance in influence, might, by obtaining
control of the central government,
rule despotically other sections OF the
country. and by unjust legislation
force the latter TO bear more than their
just | roportion of the expenses Of the
government. This is exactly what has
been and IL now being done by the
Radical Congressmen at Washington
From the first there was a large
party in the United States in favor of
abolish ng State lines, and centralizing
all power in the Federal Government.
The Radical is the successor Of the
Federal party, and having at last OBJ
tanned power, they have with all pos
sible speed proceeded TO give effect to
their cherished creed Of ccntralization.
They have stripped the States Of the
most important of their formerly en-
joyed rights; are still engaged in the
work of emasculating State authority
and, at present rate Of progress, will
soon make State Government q mere
farce. They have taken from the
States the right TO control the suff-
rage, and even refuse them represen-
tation in Congress urlcss they will
send delegates whose political ideas
accord with those Of Congress; apd
they seem determined To stop THEN
warfare upon local seif-goverment
only when there is nothing of it left.
and then. as finishing blow, declare
the State governments abolished.
But this even is not the worst fca-
ture of this attempt to establish cen.
tral or despotic government in tho
hands of Congress. Already they have
taken from the President his Legitimate
preroeativcs, and made Of him, like
England's Queen, useless but costly
appcndage of the Government, and
they have plainly notified the SUI
preme Court that it is q nonenity
only allowed by sufferance, and that
twill, IL it,, allows itself out OF any
ridiculous regard for oath Of Office, OF
law. to decide any Act OF Congress
unconstitutional, be summarily abol-
ished. The work goes bravely on.--
Congress is now, in fact, the Govern
ment, and exercises all Of its powers.
We see the result of this theory OF
centralization in the universal corrup-
ton of Congressional legislation
Being now absolute, it regards only
the welfare of itself and will prolong
its existence, by Legislation, to the
verge of revolution. All of its acts
are done f,oin greed of power and
from ayarice; and hence it enacts laws
exclusively in the interest of capital.
When it fails in its efforts to perpetu-
ate itself and its members retire to
private life, they will go home, with
purses SO heavy and console .ces SO
scared by long practice of every spe-
cies of venalty and corruption, that
the execration of their countrymen,
fated to follow them, will pass by as
the idle wind.-.S. +. Eraminer.