The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1872-04-27
The Standard Of Government.

ewn system OF government. One of the
fasorite subjects of English caricat ure is
'the Yankee whit,ling his Single aud
guessing that he has aboutvhit the cor
rect thing in political institutions. The
force Of the caricature lies in the pre-
judics of the artist, for the thing he
draws is absolutely true. Every Amri,
can worthy Of the name regards The
system of government under which,we
live as the best at present possible.
There are lew ignoble spirits, upon
whom the curse of Canaan has fallen
with especial force, making tlrem ser,
wants Of servants forever, who sigh for.
the hesh-Pots of the, Tuileries, and deny
their country in the atmosphere Of
Hyde Park. They are not unknown
even in this great city ofours. They
think politics low business. and so
leave them to tweed and his Kind.
They :he:ough'y believe in money,
which they may get, ani,ini blood, which
they know nothing of, aud in titles,
which are worth very little to their
~earers., OF the worth aud dignity of
genuine Repablicanism they have no
dream. They look with wonder and
contempt upon the efforts of intelligent
men in Europe to gain the advantages
OF democratic government, aud with
cain Inconsistencies oftheir own ignor.
ance assure them that there is nothing
In Democracy worth working for. This
class OF nuisances is of course very small
l'ut unfortunately a. large proportion of
them 20 to Europe, and exercise an in.
huence utterly disproportioned to their
real insigniicancc.
on the other hand, the Leading liberal
minds OF the Old World clearly recoy-
nize the fact that the American system
OF government is the nearest to perfec.
tion of all that have ever beou evolved
from the intelligence of man aud the
force Of circumstances. We do no,
mean that they think of adopting our
Constitution and our organization in
lump, nor do We have the presumption
to say that such action is desirable. Blu,
the universal opinion of intelligent an d
liberal men in Europe is that we have
found The form Of government which
suits US best that our government. is
hnal and permanent; that We arc, as far
as human sagacity can determine, outside
OF the possibility of violcn. revolution.
They also recognize the fact that no
monarchy of Europe has any thing
rese milling that immunity from change
Consequently the study of the Amcri.
Can system engages the attention OF all
who are interested in the problems of
government. BY observing the nature,
the method, and the result of our Demo.
cratic system, it may bo possible to settle
upon some analogous form which may
meet the requirements of those peoples
OF Europe who desire to better their
condition There is today not coun.
try in Europe in which the Fundamental
principles of government are not sub
ject Of daily discussion. For more than
half century We have ceased to think
OF these things. We discuss measures.
but not the form of government. There
is natural desire in Europe to under
stand by what means a people arrives at
the POINT of not discussing the form of
government.
This interest, and We may say this
tacit acceptance of the American stand.
ard, is not confined to liberal or pro.
gressive politicians. The Conservatives
never deny the excellences of democra-
tic government when these arc brought
forward by their opponents in debate.
They merely reply that these principles
are not practically applicable to the con
dition Of the country Prim never said
word against the Republic in all his
debates in .be Cortes. He merely said,
You can not have Republic without
Republicans, and there are none in
Spain" A French Orleauist will tell
you "the Republic ia beautiful dream
-ws arc not worthy Of it," All Con.
servatives seemed to have agreed to call
."o isspas.;o :.: ::.r:s., =7z=:h.:;-s -
bright and good for human naturo's
daily food. 1t is not astonishing that
this style of remark has had the effect
of leading most thinking men to ex-
anime our system, to determine for them.
selves whether it IS too good for them.
The principles Of our Constitution arc