Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-30
IMPERIALISM OF THE GRANT AD.
w1HrsTR ALTON.

growing tOm0Muab AcotifO oA@ "a NAsOA
under the demonstration of the imperialism
of the Grant administration. Dictatorship,
they well know, is a form of government
the people of this country viii not tolerate
They have not yet been educated up to that
point. And they are also fully aware that
the dictum of the central will is imperative.
A Republican, to, day, must be submissive,
obedient, subservient, In fact servile; or else
be is stigma.ised as disloyal, and driven
from the ranks. We need only point
to the vindictive war lwaged upon those
Republicans who chose to support MIR.
Greeley, as illustrating this fact Petty
tyrranies, petty exsctions, characterize the
Grant regime, which is as odious as 1t is self
ish. Ina well considered article on this
point, the Albany Argus says: sInperial-
ism is the absolute supremacy Of the chief
executive power; whether that Executive
be elective or hereditary, and whether its
directions are wise or unwise. Its most
brilliant examples have heen Caesar and
Napoleon, who always insisted that
they were but the agents and ex-
ecutive of the popular will. The
most successful dictaters have been those
who have justified their usurpations upon
pretended evidences of authority from the
people. The most dangerous form of gov
eminent is that which concentrates i'm
mense powers in the hands of one man, and
then makes his Office subject to popular
election. Better an hereditary execu-
tive hedged about by effective limitations
upon his power, than President who
pays no respect whatever either to writ
ten or unwritten restrict ions upon his
prerogatives. Imperialism is the rule of
one man, either by the exercise of his d.
rect will, or by his power to intimidate or
subsidize others. The original ideal Of kingly
rule was that of wise family government;
but the trouble with Che ideal was, that
kings would not respect it, and assumed i'm
perial functions. The ideal of our Repub-
lie is the rule of the people; and yet it is
only in rare cases that the will OF the peo-
pie is respected, and then only under COM
pulsion. The President coerces Congress
to disregard the popular demand, packs Su-
IRENE Courts to reverse sound decisions,
forces officials upon States who were never
elected thereto, brides the representatives of
the people to double his salary, dictates
the incumbents of all official positions
in the several States through his agents,
and attaches business interests to his
own by an oppressive and enervating fnsn-
cial system. These a'e the processes of
the Roman and French Empires. Instead
of indulging in vague denials Of the over
shadowing power of tho Administration, it
would be more pertinent for its supporters
to attempt to refute these statements. 1t
would not be more wise, however, for they
are irrefutable. The tendency of the Ad-
ministration is TO absorb all power in Itself.
And such absorption is Imperialism. Those
who defend it are not Republicans nor
Democrats, but Imperialists. The most
conspicuous illustration Of this fac, in one
of its phases, is found in the Lou.
isiana case: where, By an Illegal use of ar
bitrary power, the functions of the people
were uzurped, the course of Jurisdiction de
rected into another channel, and Congre IS
superseded. In fact, the Legislative and Ju-
dicial functions of State and nation were
absorbe by toe Elk acutive by a series OF
carefully planned usurpations. The Gov
erpor thus installed and thenCeforward sus-
tanned, was never elected; and the LegislI-
ture which obeys him is largely composed Of
similar creatures of Federal rule. The pre-
cedents of Roman and French Imperial
ism are followed with equal fidelity in the
financial administration of the country.
The power of bank over those who receive
it's fayors is well known. And the banking
system of the country is held subservient to
the Administration by its dependence upon
it. The power of special manufacturing in
terests over employees and Others is well
known. And the protec'ed interests of the
country are held firmly bound to the interests
of the Administration. The power Of the
Custom House over importers is vel. known.
And the importers are gagged by their fears
ofunscrupulous Custom officials. In this way
an Imperialism is maintained, copied after
its brilliant prototypes, which is oppressive
and exacting in degree which would have
been deemed impossible few years since.
The absorption of all power into tie Impe-
rial machine of the Administration is Illus
trated in the method of filling offices. 1t is
characteristic of Imperialism that it acts in
harmony with popular forms. 1t is the
popular method in this country to select
candidates for one class of officials by
means of caucusses and conventions. The
control exercised over these csucusses and
conventions by government appointees
is well known. And they are sufficiently
numerous to exercise this control effectu-
ally. Hence, the whole machinery of gov
eminent i'll this country, elective as well
as appointed, centers in one man. Is he
not, then, an Imperial Dictator? The CO.
hesive power of public plumber is we'll
known. And the fact is notorious that all
plundering rings are concentrated in the
great combination which has the Union Pa.
cifiic and Central Pacific railways for its right
and left arms, and holds between its teeth
the outrageous salary grab. Taxes are ac-
cumulated with frightful rapidity, and
tho head-centers Of each of these
combinations holds strong relation to
the chief at Washington. Turn which
way We will, then, we find all things
subjected TO the Imperial sway at
Washington. l. holds sill business and in-
dustrial interests at its command, and COM
pels them TO feel and recognize its power.
Legislative and Judicial action is subordi-
mated to its decree. State governm 2nts are
held in subsection by it. Public officials
feel the tightening rein at all times. Local
officials dare not diSohnV ia mandate