The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-01-17
Rreakers Ahead.

Breakers Ahead.
Under this caption the New YORK 1,'0.,.0
uttcrs It's apprehensions concefnl''e Wv
croachmcnts OF the Executive DcI"itl'eh'
Of the Federal Government upon the CO.
ordinate branches of that Governments ana
upon the liberties Of the people. 1t invites
attention to:
al. The great influence which the Exc
cn,;ve branch Of the General Government
has obtained over the legislative. With the
present enormous mass Of patronage mt the
disposal of the Administrations and the po-
ltical power which the bestowal Of so many
offices carries with il, we Know not how the
scale Is 10 be turned 80 that Congress may
be again an effective and willing instru'
ment in carrying out the wishes OF the
people.
"2. When the members of legislative
body lose their independence and consent 10
take subordinate position they speedily BE-
come corrupt, This was the fate OF the
Roman senate, once the pro,ldest and most
powerful body, perhaps, that inc worlu ever
saw. Is there not u lesson which we may
heed In the fortunes which are now expended
to purchase seat in Congress i'll such revc-
lations as we have just had in connectIcn
with the Kansas senatorshipyi in the Credit
Mobiiiery
"3. In view of the observations made
above of the prepuderating influence of the
Executive, there is peril in President Grants
guarded suggestions of subsidies in favor OF
ship canals and other vast projects Of inter
nal improvements; in Secretary boutwelf :
warm advocacy of subsidies to steamship
builders, and in the PosttDa,ter.Gcnerat s
advocacy of the purchase of the telegraph
lines. We now know something of the
enormous waste of the public money by the
builders Of the Pacific railroad, and we are
beginning to ask whether the s60,O0O,oo0
which the United States lent the railroads,
and which they now enjoy almost free oil In
te"cst, will ever be repaid
II goes on with 4, ), f, and !, all relating
to financial matters and propositions through
which the Executive Department increases,
and proposes TO increase, its power, and to
control the foreign exchanges and the money
power of the land.
1t is quite notable fact that northern
newspaper should raise the alarm ON The SUD-
.iect of the encroachments of the Federal
power upon the States and the people, and
The fragrant corruptions of that power. The
South gave the warning long years ago, but
she was derided and insulted. and finally
overwhelmed by numbers and trodden into
the dust by a party-working through The
Government and by the navy and army OF
the natou-callipg itself Republican. That
party continues to proclaim it, republican
principles, although it has destroyed the true
republican principles rs contradislinSuished
from arbitrary power on the one hand ana
unlimited Democracy on the other. Repuh-
hcanism and Conservatism 60 together. Our
Government with its checks and balances for
the protection Of popular right, and to re-
strain the mere force Of numbers, was Re
publican; Democracy. under the disguise OF
the name of Rcpublicanism, overwhelmed
true rrr,hlicanism, and removing all the
barriers to arbitrary rule a. it always d ocs),
established that rule in this country.
This has become so apparent that at last
we have a leading northern paper sounding
the alarm. 1t is too late. The thing is done.
The power is concentrated and its corrupt
ing influences are established. The 1rt.
bune points them out; but is there any
remedy?
The South is the first victim, but the whole
Union must share her fate. To her now
the alarm sounded by the Tribune falls dul
and heavy. She cannot be aroused by the
voice OF warning now. Very probably the
old story will be repeated-vz., the dis
agreement OF the sections. The South was
first for protective tariff the North agains
it. They soon changed sides. The soutl
next resisted with all Its representative
power improvements by the Genera
Government, and all encroachment o
that Government upon the power
the States, and the North advocated
all the proposed improvements and wen
for the consolidation Of power in tn
hands of the Federal Government. Sc
how the North has profited by its view
and It's policy. Look at the land grants to cor
poratons-look mt the subsidics-look at th'
Credit Mobilicr. But the aggressive polio,
of the Government and the corruptions o
dividing the public wealth amongst Corpo
ratons that bribcd Congress have gone t.
such IN extreme that the North is crying
cut In alarm. But what says the South
Why, she Is indifferent. She las lost all
and has nothing left 10 fight for. The op
pressor can do her no further harm, and sh
cannot object to IA system Of subsidies tina
has been exclusively applied to the North
prorided it now extends q helping hand t.
her in her day of poverty as we'll as hu
iliation.
So it is not improbable that the South will
leave the North to ring the horn of appre
hension, while she essays to profit by tht
new governmental dispensation. For in
stance, she would have no objection to thu
payment of the debts of the southern States
by the Federal Government, and will under
take any pledge to reimburse that Govern
ment, and will agree to shut up her mouth
from all complaint for halEcentury.
So we go. There is never unanimity il
resisting the inroads upon true republi
canism. The sections never unite, and tht
powerful Central Government is ever grow
ing, ever conquering the States through theil
discords.
But Is this not all natural and inevitable
The Union cannot be governed consistently
with its power aud growth TO the highes
SiUnitp amoppuf pofipuS ,s ionO nc the ma