The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-09-11
Democracy the only True Principic o.
government.
rFrom ~ Irish world


God, when he began to create in the visi-
bic order, gave to every distinct thing its
own peculiar law, by which it was to be
regulated and to be carried forward to its
objective end. The planets move with
lightning velocity, but with admirable regl-
larity, each in its own orbit; the earth
makes its annual revolution round the sun,
producing night and day every tYenty-four
hours, and the seasons in their order. All
is harmony. All is order. An shows forth
the power and the wisdom Of the great
Creator. ~.
But these thipgs-beautifui as they. are in
kind, and admirable as they are in their or
der-are capable OF performing no act Of
intrinsic merit. They glorify their Maker
but they do not will it. Neither, of course,
do they viii the contrary. They have no
volition of their own, but are actuated by an
Interchangeable law which controls their
every movement, aud carries them onward
in their appointed course. Such, as they
were in the beginning, such they are now;
and such they shall continue through all
time. .s s5 ~ $50 f.ff,ss
But God, when He created man, made him
free agent. He endowed him with judg
ment to know good and evil; and BE im
planted in him viii to do either. In this
attribute Of free will man resembles his
Creator. Holy Writ itself makes this re-
mark; "And he said Let US make man to
our image and likeness. And
God created man to His own image" And
God, when He had created man, rested
from his work. 1t was for His own glory
and for mans use and benefit that lie made
the world. And, looking over all his works,
He blessed them, and gave him dominion
fNr,1 IL
and absolute Lord. No created being can,
in turn, create or produce anything original
in an absolute sense. he can generate; he
can mould and fashion something that al
ready is but he cannot create. But man,
because he has !. will. and is free to act, has
been made like God, his Creator; and be-
cause of this again-because he has been
made to, Gods image he has been, under
God, appointed lord of the world.
"And he said: Let US make man to our
image and likeness; and let him have do
minion over the fishes of the sea, and the
fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the
whole earth, and every creeping creature
that moveth upon,the earth.
God made the world for man. He sub
jected all things to man, but made man him.
self free. And it is in the homage of this
free being, not in the nod Of a puppet, not
in the order and brilliancy Of the planets,
whose movements are regulated by fixed,
Interchangeable law, that God has his COM
placency. IS T ss.t s..f
We come now to the principle Of civil
government. Men are multiplied on the
earth. All men are essentially equal; all
men are free; therefore no man has natu-
raj or inherent right to rule his fellows. No
man is my MASTER and ], in turn, am no
mans master. - -. IS f..ti.s
But here q difficulty presents itself. And
it grows out Of this very liberty conferred
upon man, If my schemes run athwaTt the
schemes of others, how shall mine or theirs
be carried out2 And if my interests collide
with the interests Of others, how shall mine
or theirs be subservedl ff 81.
We must come to an understanding; 9TH
erYise things would never get on Wemust
consult with one another, and see how So
ciety may be held together, while yet no
man viii be deprived Of his inalienable lib
erty and his rights. And this agreement
which is entered into By common consent,
we call law; and the men who are chosen to
execute the law, or the compact we call the
government. IS rif
From this, then, it follows that govern
ments derive their Legitimate powers Iom
the consent Of the governed. Il .ssisss -.
Now, the object Of government IS to sus-
tain the law--to enforce the agreement. en-
tered into between man and man. In other
words, government is constituted to defend
every member of society in his rights, and,
at the same time, TO obligate him to do his
duty to the State--i. e., perform his part Of
the compact with his fclloW-men.
Nothing is above. the law. Both the gov
erned and the governors arc subject to IL;
and all men who intelligently perceive their
rights and duties illcheerfully pay tribute
to it. In tho natural state, as We have re-
marked, all men are equal. no man has a
night to make laws in his own name, to
bind his fellow-men, God alone is soyer-
eign; God aalOne has absolute authority
God alone has absolutopoW and jurisdic-
ton. And ''there isno power but from God. -
The power Of the Church comes directly
from God but the power Of civil govern
ments does not come directly from God II
comes to them indirectly from him and di-
rectly from the people. The people act as
Gods agents in selecting men from among
them and clothing them with power, 70 ex-
ecute the law; and rulers, when admins
tering government, act as the represents
tives both Of God and of the people.
Governments then, We repeat, derive their
iust powers from the consent 81 the gov
erned. This Is the dcmocratic idea All
forms Of government not based on this prin-
monarchy, oligarchy OF aristocracy--
are usurpations, and as such exist simply on
suifcrance.