Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-20

.ent, (of whatever theory or systcm)
Is to protect persons and property and
n given officer is wiliully and persist
emily defeating this object by squan- 8
public property, (Which was I
private property and must .
he replaced by private property If {
the trustee is abusing his trust: if the {
employee is running his employer, it {
is the right, nay more, it is the solemn
duty of government Of whatever sys- |
tenn, and more especially of our free
government, wherein the people are ,
the government. to prevent the object
for which it was formed from being
defeated; to disscut the faithlcss
trustee; to discharge the employee
who is bringing it to ruin. The Pc
c~uliarity of our system OF govern
ment in the feature Of its officers being
chosen by the people, weakens instead
of strengthening the position Of the
minority. That the people arc ire
vocably bound by their selection is
virtual suicide. effective tyrants,"
SAYS history, ''have proven us dcs-
tructivc to liberty as hereditary
ones" Then what docs it matter hor
the officer was selected who is defeat
ing the Legitimate object ola free gov
crnmcnt? BY rhut Court the trustee
was appointed who is bctrayinS his
trust: By ~hom the employee was
employed who is running his employ
er? The right of the government to
! prevent its object from bcin@dciratcd:
the right of the court to discharge the
p%criidious trustee; the right of the
employee to dismiss the wretch who
is bringing him to bankruptcy, is the
same. This right of self defence, is
a right dependant Oh 40 condition.
! Thus, | think it will be conceded that
have now demonstrated the right OF
society. that is, in II country the
right of government, to dismiss for
cause a rulpablc employee before the
expiration of the term for which he
was employed. And would now
proceed to inquire: Is it polite. Is 1t
wise? Our first business is to find
the basiS of political wisdom. Here
political thinkers have relieved us of
all labor by having agreed. that i'll the
affairs OF government, the matter of
right being determined, political Wis
dom is purely 4 question of loss and
gain. In balancing this loss and gain
we must not take too narrow Il view,
or omit any good or evil that should
20 into the scales. We must regard
tomorrow as well as to-day. hen
an officer is constantly and persist
entity abusing his power to the pref
judice of the community. his own
loss. arising from removal from office,
J.. will not be regarded by al intelligent
legislator, but he would keep a stca-
fast eye on the benefits accruing to
society. This gain to society is, in
one easily computed, and yet i'll
I. another. impossible to be computed.
=. First. as TO the gain of to-doy. lon-
~. est men are secured from futhcr plum
der security they have perfect
+. right to ask. Second, it stops thieves
! from further dcprcdations. Third,
the effect on public morals aud public
confidence in showing that crime is
not rcwarded-tlat knavcs are not
held above honest men, and that there
is u point at which villainy q over
reach and undo itself, are gains too
great to be computed. Fourth, for
:, the future. such all custer would be OF
. incalculablc value by teaching public
:, officers who may be tempted. that 1.-The
way of the tr%amsgreSSOr is hard,' and
that they will not be permitted tc
. persist in committing corrupt outra
yes upon q coniid!ng people. Suci
. are the gains.
think | have now shown that tn
displacement of an officer, for a fla
grant and persistent abuse of hi
:, power to the public prejudice, is right
and that it is wise: thus making on
u my case SO far rs concerns the prin
, ciplcs which should guide us.
Whether the county IL of Lafay
cite county has c%orrnptly and per
sistantly abused It's powers to til
u public prejudice. isa question offac
to be determined by evidence. If
fail to satisfy this House that til
o.u,t 1,oc 81, nl,ttSnl ifS nnIvnr Va
' will vote down the bill. If on til
. contrary YOU find that the allegation
-, Ofcorruptiom are true. it will bccom
your solemn duty to replace thcs
faitlIlcss stewards, aud relieve the pee
i. pie. And q failure to exercise the hig
pr~crogativcs, vested in yom alone, ;
representatives of the sovereign pee
pie. unpleasant as the duty may b
-; would inevitably result in %6cgcncrat
license horrible to contemplate.
~, One word on the question Of pref,
=, dice. Some capital has been attcmp
10 cd to be made, among certain mcr
bers, out of the strong antipatl
:; which they have (and | think justl
against the shameful abuse of til
II. ousting power heretofore exercise
in Missouri. On that subject l ha'
i. merely this to say. The action +
~. fcrcd to, and the action proposed
the pending bill, have not a partic
-. of kinship. a. then exercised, it W
u, al ejullitiom of that violent par
-, rancor engcndcrcd by the civil WI
-. and had no reference to official &C
-. ruption real or alleged; but was has
49,, solely upon difference OF polite
opinion. The action proposed in Il
bill, has not IL particle of reference
IL, political opinion, but is based on
49,, legged and proven official corrupti'
andincompctcncy. and OH nothing cl.
Hence the antipathy we have agaiI
the ous:ing power rs exercised
wears gone lay, has absolutely no pla
hcrc-ii it had, this bill would u
), find me among its supporters, mu
InsE oS its nriuiuofnr'