The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-10-03
The People and the Government.

In a recent speech in favor of the cleo
ton of Mr.. Greeley, General Banks re-
marked that this was q contest in which
the Government was arrayed against the
people, spectacle which, he added, was
now for the first time presented to the
country. The General was very emphatic
on this point, and alluded darby to civil
war. But to the unsophisticated nearer
and reader the remark was probably very
perplexing. How is the advocacy Of
the reelection of President who has
been unanimously renominated by the
delegates of what was, and to all appear
ances still is, a great majority of the peo-
pie, who are the rightful source of gov
ernment-how is this contest between
the Government and the people? Since
the General has left the Republican party,
has he come to the conclusion that the
minority ere the people? In Vermont
there was an Administration majority Of
some twenty FIVE thousand. That is, in
deed, a great victory of the Government !;
but only because it is great maj ority of
the people, In Maine there was an AID
ministratiOn majority in every county OF
the State That also is Government
triumph, but for the same reason. The
people are the Government in this coun-
try How, then, is an election a contest
between them and the Government
What the General probably meant is
that the friends and officers of the Ad-
ministration are warmly engaged IN adj
vocating its continuance But that is
always the case The party in power,
whether with new candidate or with the
incumbent, always endeavors to main
tain it's ascendency. For instance, in
1854 the Republicans renominated Mr..
Lincoln, and all the friends and officers
of the administration. and General Banks,
vigorously advocated the reelection of
the President The Government was
then arrayed against the people precisely
as it is now; yet General Banks was twill
in" The result showed then, as we hope
it viii now, that what the General often
sively terms ''the Government
ing the Administration-was really the
people-that is to say, the majority. In
Europe, where Governments have gen
erally no proper origin in the expressed
consent of the people, "the Government"
is word synonymous with more or less
oppression. 1t is superior to the people,
not made by them, not responsible to
them. And Jefferson's 1rishman landing
in this country naturally declared that he
was for the party which was against the
Government.
General Banks would say probably that
the office holders support the Admins
tration But is it possible that they
should do otherwise under the present
pernicious system of patronage? 4etthe
General does not object to that system.
If the Republican Convention had NOM
mated MIR. Greeley, the off1ce-holders
would have supported him, because under
the system the success of the opposition
would have cost them their places. They
oppose him now most vigorously. And
is it not natural, since Mr.. Greeley has
himself declared that if he is elected those
who vote for him shall enjoy the plumber?
If General Banks is of opinion that the
office holders nominated the President, rs
it cannot possibly be proved, it must re-
main his opinion. Yet if ever the wish
of party was plainly manifest, it was
that of the Republican for the continu-