The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-09-29

aud County, we would extend hearty
welcome to them.
How Ccntralism IIns Wen Ikcn.d France.
The most awful and impressive lesson
taught by tho stupendous spectacle now
exhibiting in France for the warning of
nations, says the Now York World, is
the eneryating effect Of centralized
government on national strength. The
French are the most ingenious, cult
vated and civilized of modern people.
They are nation of 4O,OOO.O0O consist
ing Of one of the best stocks of tho hu-
man race--brave, impetuous, patriotic,
ambitious, smitten with the love of glory
and greatness; quick, adaptable, abound
ing in every kind of resources; and yet
this great nation crumbles and collapses
under few vigorous strokes from rival
whose power is of yesterday. Two mil
lions of it's people are enciroled and be-
sieged in their capital. and the remain
ing 38,0O0.0O0, instead of organizing to
raise the siege, release their compatriots,
and drive out the invader, are paralyzed
spectators of this great national humilia-
ton.
If New York, instead of Paris, were
thus hemmed in by an invading army,
with what prompt alacrity would the
whole country rise in arms and rush to
its relief How little would an enemy
accomplish towards subduing this nation
by investing its metropolisi 4 central
lied government partially realizes the
wish of OH ancient tyrant that tho whole
human race had but one neck so that he
could hang them all by one stretch of
the rope. When tho French army is
beaten and the French capital bcsieged,
the whole nation seems disabled for any
further immediate effort. This is a e.
gitimate consequence of the system
which permits no local life and reprcsses
all self-prompted exertion and indepcnd-
ent activity on the part of the people.
A vigorous, spontaneous political life in
all the parts of great empire renders
absolutisr, SO insecure that despot
cannot afford to tolerate it. His only
safety lies in dsaccnstoming his people
to the exercise of political functions,
and preventing their acquisition of those
habits of ready organization and concert
OF action Oh public occasions, by which
their dormant power can be rendered
efficient. Such efficiency might be used
by the people to vindicate their liberties.
When despot repressNs it to prevent
their making reclamations against him
self, he equally weakens the power of
the nation to withstand foreign aggres-
sion when his armies have suffered de.
feat. A decentrnlizcd nation, in tho full
enjoyment of local liberties, trained to
sclf-reliancc, and accustomed to act in
dependently of superior direction, can
bring it's whole strength into organized
exertion on sudden emergency Like
Millions angels,
"Vital in every part,
1t cannot, but by annihilatng, die"
The condition to which France has
been SO suddenly reduced, is the most
forcible argument furnished by modern
history against Capitalization, and in
favor OF permitting free play to tho spirit
of local solf-regulation md self-help.
There is a philosophical passage i'll De-
Tocqueville, which we are tempted to
quote in this connection: "Centraliza-
tion," he says, 'imparts without diff
Guilty an admirable regularity in the rou-
tine OF business; rules the details of the
social police with regularity; perpetuates
drowsy precision in the conduct of af-
fairs, which is hailed by the heads Of the
administration as sign of perfect ordor
and public tranquility; in short, it ex-
cells moro in prevention than in action.
Its force deserts it when society is to be
disturbed or accelerated in its coursc.
and if the co operation of private citi-
zens is necessary to the furthrrancc of
its measures, the secret of its Impotence
is disclosed. Even while it inyokes their
assistance, it is on the condition that
thnV shall oct Ioranicn1v nc tha (,or.-,.