The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1872-12-21

The progress of that dehased and de
hasng NapoleOnic attribute NJ persunaliSn
in our American government is becoming
a study We viii not say that il is alarm
ing for that would only provoke the deri.
sion of the adherents of the idea Moth
ing cxcites a faithful organ of Republican.
ism into such an outburst of laughter as
tor anybody 20 betray concern at the way
things are going under the rule of the Re |
publican party Have not the people just !
reelected that party to power by an over |
whelming majority, and thereby approved,
not only all that il has done, but all that
II muy do? What right has a majority, so
signally beaten. 10 criticise the acts OF its
yictors? And under what obligation is
majority, 50 signally victorious 10 heed the
querulous criticisms of its beaten oppo-
nents What can an administration. re
elected BY a majority Of the royal people
Of thirty out of the thirty-seven States,
do, that need alarm those confding loyal
majoritiesg
And yet it is interesting, at least, to
study the apparition Of what may be called
the American counterparts of St Armand
Walewski, Morny, Bazaine and Rouher in
our politics We hoped that the re-elee-
ton Of President Grant would put a stop
% the eccentric antics Of the household
favorites in the South, by removing all
occasions for them But these too faith
ful servitors are still unsats6ed They
are using their masters authority in two
States with a recklessness that appals the
helpless people of these subject provinces,
and that may well make their master him
self uneasy President Grant is a power
tul executive but he is the victim of his
own power, or rather, Of the personahsm
that has given it to him. He dared not
use his great authority except in one direc-
ton. Right or wrong, he must throw his
heavy executive sword in favor of every
impudent law. breaker who violates the
law in his name Casey Packard and
Kellogg in Louisiana Clayton and Bax-
ter in Arkansas and Spencer and Lewis
in Alabama, are no more bound 10 the
President than the President is 10 them in
the offensive and defensive league for
mutual advancement that seems to govern
their actions Where they lead he has no
choice but 10 follow what they DO he has
no alternative but to approve and thus it
happens that, when they dare TO decree
the overthrow Of State government, they
find the administration standing promptly
and faithfully behind them with the
army and navy Of the United States to
support their enterprise They not only
knock over governors and legislatures
with their truncheons, decide elections,
make United States Senators, call out
federal troops and direct the movements
Of Gatling batteries, but they even extort
orders from federal courts approving all
these bewildering novelties, and then play
their game so adruitly as to place the pres
ident III the dilemma of being bound
either to uphold their rebellion, or uphold
their Democratic opponents Nor is there
any other redress for these provincial re.
beiLons melted by the presidents ambi
tlous adherents and made successful by
the supporting interpositiOn of the fedora
power. What the constitution says is en-.
tlrely out OF the question; the government
has ceased 70 be constitutional and become
personal The will Of the president sup
plemented with the approval of the Ad
mlnistratlOn majority IN congress, or the
Will OF the Administration majority sup
ported by the president is the supreme
law OF the land. When these two act to
gether, they are omnlpotent, and no mute
bit OF written paper held up by a feeble
minority can prevail against them. Who
ever assumes to do a wrong in the name o.
tHcSS may NC certain VI projection.
matters little what the case may be
whether Republican secretary Of stat
rejecting the votes Of the people and givin
certificates Of election 10 defeated candi
dates or a governor deliberately falsifyinI
the returns Of an election, in violation O
the federal enforcement act or a custom
house officer employing a revenue cutie
to break up a state legislature; or a fedora
Judge assisting TO overthrow a state gov
eminent; or a United States attorney
general giving an opinion in favor of thi
violence; or a secretary Of the treasur
using his despotic authority over the busi
ness OF the country for the benefit q
persons claiming TO be the president
tnends--Whatever the case may be, tn
offender is as certain Of escaping both pur
lshment and rebuke as an imperial Grimm,
was under the the late French emp;re n
Sonsplcuously support the president
held sufficient claim to be supported h
the president; and the president find
himself constantly plunged by his adhe
ehts into predieaments which he won
i Eisuy avoid, and made to lend, not on
~ n personal favor, but the power Of n
government of which he is the head y