Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-10-12
The Lesson Of the Hour.

.
the lesson involved in the great events
now enacting in Europe. We have
often tried to exhibit il in these col.
umns nor do we claim any originali-
ty in doing So We have often quoted
the writcr whom we deem the best
Authority on this subject Alexis dc
TocQueville, n Frenchman of remark
able arumen, visited this country
about thirty.six years ago lie saw
it in al its glory and greatness, under
true. Democratic institutions. He
made IN elaborate comparison of them
witllslhc institutions OF his own coun-
try, and IN several works, gave the
result Of his reflections to the world
The source Of this oountry's prosperi-
ty, he found in the provideniial cir
cumstances Of the first settlement Of
North America in separate, distinct
colonies. This was the germ of our
happy and admirable Federal Republic
Of free States, in which lies the true
source of American strength, liberty
aud greatness 1t grew up naturally,
it was not made in day, nor invent.
ed by the trainers of the Constitution
1t was the States that achieved Amer.
lean Independence, and fought the
good fight OF the American revolution.
1t was not till the sixth year of the
Revolutionary war that they adopted
even the inchoate form Of government
known as the ARTICLES of Contedera.
ton" Till that time the Continental
Congress was but meeting of mes
songers or ambassadors from the
States. The Federal Constitution
was adopted long Afterwards, IN time
Of profound peace, and after years OF
deliberation This may give us some
idea of the terrible strait in which the
French are placed now. They have
for centuries laborcd under the curse
of Capitalization. This has continued
under every change Of government,
aud II has paralyzed the strength Of a
great nation 1t now encounters the
German States, in whom the spirit Of
| Federal institutions has been develop
ed by their system, incomplete il is
| true. but I'LL now the lurthest removed
in Europe (eSeept the Cantons or
States of Switzcrland), from the blight
ing, enervaling effects Of consolida-
tion. The BismarcSs and Hohenzol-
lcrns are only now beginning to imi.
tate the despotsm of France, which
consolidated everything in one centre,
to be grasped by every military usurp
er, or welded by an ambitious clique
or monarch. Let Americans take to
heart this lesson. This history of the
Radical party is the history Of an at
tempt TO oeniralize and consolidate
this government and to wrcst from
the etate the powers they enjoyed
from mvh origin, which they vlndi-
Gated in the American Revolution,
and sdemnly and expressly retained to
themselves in the Federal Conslitu-
tion Of 1881
The Radicals have been trying to
convert the Federal government into
what, in their slang, they call "a ma
tional government in short, to imi-
tate as nearly as possible the French
to its present unhappy plight The
Radicals are renewing the attempt of
George the ILL.,. against which the
American colonies drew the sword in
/ the American Revolution That was
mainly, il not solely caused 10y the at
tempts of the British government to
carry out the preteusion of the act of
Parliament of VI George the III to
"ful power and authority to make
laws and statutes to bind the colonies
and the people Of America, subjects of
the Crown OF Great Britain, in all
cases whatsoever" This is substan-
TALLY the Radical pretcnsion for their
majority in Congress, and IL has al
ready prevailed againts the rights of
the States, the rights Of the people, till
even The right Of each State to regulate
its suffrage has been taken away, and
negroes vote in Pennsylvania, and
| Chinese will vote in California, against
the viii and the interests of those
States, as solemnly asserted in their
State Constitutions.
An intelligent contemporary says !;
awhag France lacks, is a great leader
\ No this is an error, an anachronism.
What France lacks is spirit Of free
State and municipal institutions, the
habit and practice of self government.
We have referred to the testimony Of
de Tucluovillc. Ia former article,
i'IAugust 2ll we quoted opinions to the
Same effect, from the celebrated Swiss
statesman. Ncckcr, and his more Gel
ehrated daughter, Madame de Stael.
Wrunt on this subject seventy five
years ifgo, Neckcr pointed out the dc
iccts ofthe French Rcpublicby a com
parison with the American Republic ;
and Modamo de Stacl, speaking Of the
overthrow of the French Republic by
the first Bonapartc repeated by bis
nephew, the imiiator Of his uncie) used
this remarkable expression "Ihat IT
, might succeed, il would, perhaps,
! hare boen necessary TO sacrifice Paris
, 20 'rancuand adopt Federatiye forms.
, Bu France has always been little or
nothing, aud Paris everything All
the strings and wires concentrated
there, and each successive government
has pulled them; each "grcat leader
or revolutionary aspirant in scizing
them seized everything No, il is not
! great genius OF the jim Fisk or Ma
r poleon Bonaparlo order that France
B needs. The first Bonapartc brought
Franco to an overthrow as ignomln'
ious as that of the present hour. II
is f-eo institutions France needs, and
the education they give TO a people
They cannot be impruvised in day
7 and that is Frances misfortune now
= Tie corrupt, imbccile Empire has
topplcd over under its own rotten
i. ness, aud the work Of reconstruclior
= must begin from the very base. Let
: every thinking man learn from the
present crisis iu France its true lesson
mud learn to abhnr the Radical schcm'
q far convcrtinga FREQ, powerful Fedora
:, Republic into "National Govern