The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-20
" ~ - uvuu
Montgomery Blair on the Growth
OF irresponsible Power.
TEE HERALDS BUGLE OF ALARM.
Parallel Between England Under Crom-
we'll and the United States
sb Under Grant.
M O NEY is KIN q.
Grant an Absolutist and Friend of the
Money Lenders. e
WHAT RUINED THE DEMOCRACY
How to Overthrow the Financial
Oligarchy.
CHANGERS VS.. CESARISM.
NJ NEY is KIN q.
Grant an Absolutist and Friend Of the
- Money Lenders. et
WHAT RUINED THE DEMOCRACY
How to Overthrow the Financial
Oligarchy.
CHANGERS VS.. oEsAR1sM.

CHAMBERS VS.. CESAK1SM.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 1878.
the discussion Of C@sarism, or Imperialism, as
the heavy thinkers disposed call 1t, promises
more than an ephemeral existence. From what
have been able to gather among those independent
OF party trammels 1t is evident that the precipita
ton OF the question is bound to shape permanent
political sentiment throughout the country by
warning the people against the Impending evil
by seeking the opinions Of eminent men, ire
spective of their party Affiliations, and publishing
then the HERALD has done an immense deal or
good" This was the remark Of veteran journal
fst whose knowledge Of matters and men about
washington Is equal to that Of any living writer.
"Whlle there has been no apparent concert OF &C
tion," he continued, lin getting the views of edi-
tors lawyers and merchants it is significantly evil
dent that the HERALD win eventually develop an
Irresistible force, narmonizng with the farmers
and grangers' influence, and become the peoples
organ IN herading the greatest movement OF the
age" This season OF the year Ii not favorable for
interviewing in Washington. The nations Solona
have other and more attractive homes or
abiding places. Congress, the Supreme and Dis
trict Courts all adjourn over the summer and fall
months, leaving the capital to the army OF depart
the old residents VINO have been sojourning at
watering places during the heated term are re-
turing to the city. Among the recent arrivals was
Montgomery Blair, whose name, In connec
ton with the Blair family is well known as that
OF any public man. His residence in Pennsylvania
avenue overlooks the grounds OF the Executive
Mansion the War Department and commands
picturesque view of the Potomac. Finding the
front door wide open your correspondent, who is
not stranger In that house, made bold to enter,
and was greeted by Mr.. Blair in his office. When
O man shakes Washington dust from his feet and
flies to the mountains for O summer retreat 1t
may be considered bad taste to ask him II he has
read the HERALDs editorials and interviews on
Cesarism. Scanning Mr.. Blair's desk, covered
with unanswered and unopened letters, my courage
weakened just as was ready to begin the inquisi-
ton.
DUTY FINALLY OvERCAME MoDEsTY,
and, presenting the compliments Of tho HERALD to
the ex-Postmaster General, l frankly announced
that had been directed to get his views on the
subject Of Imperialism, the political situation and
O horoscope OF the future. thought the day pecu-
liary appropriate for the interview as 1t was the
anniversary Of the adoption Of the constitution and
II there Is ything about which the Blair family can
talk eoquenty and endessly 1t is about that pala-
dunn OF our liberties. the bulwark Of free govern
meuI-tuc dIk VI Luo udJOu6 SBIeLys MI. Bl8lf
said ne had seen and read some Of the interviews
with prominent men reported by the HERALD cor
respondents. and was gratined TO see the HERALD
was endeavortng to attract public attention to
THE GROWTH OF IRRESPONSIBLE POwER
in this country. 1t did not matter by what name
the usurpatlon was designated, the essential fact
that political power was being withdrawn from
the people and was now exercised without sense
OF responsibility to the people, and in disregard of
public sentiment and OF the public welfare 10
manifest to all rejecting minds.
With this encouragement there was no longer
need for delay. and began with the following:-
CORREsPoNDENT-well, Mr.. Blair should like
to have your views Of the situation2
Mr.. BLAIR-I do not know that have anything
new to say. The present aspect of public affairs
is not new, and have been o busy talker to the
public for many years. I am, however, not dis
couraged. There ~ much to deplore, and II did
not know from tue history Of our race that re.
action against the absolutist tendencies Of the
times would set in by and by might fear imperial.
ISM But constitutional government Is inherent In
the English race, and though ct periods, as In the
struggle with the Stuarts and in the contest with
slavery, both parties disregard and sacrHce tho
liberties OF the citizen, In the end Magma Charta
reappears; honest public opinion reasserts ITSELF
and government responsible to the people is
restored.
CORRESPONDENTS there any analogy between
our recent and present controversies and
THOSE BETWEEN THE CAVALIERS AND HoUNDHBADsf
Mr.. BLAIR-There H. Both these contests origi.
mated In the assertion Of irresponsible power-the
stuarts in virtue OF the royal prerogative; the
Southern politician in virtue Of slavery and by ap.
plying It, to control the government, and was as
tyrannical and proscriptive and bloody In the
maintenance OF Its dynasty as the worst OF the
Stuarts Any man who questioned It's divine rghc
to rule In the Slave states did so at the peril of his
life. washington, Jefferson, Madison and Jackson
and all the ilustrious statesmen OF the South had
denounced slavery as Injurious to the country But
under the new dspensation, when It had become
the means OF controlling the political power of the
government II became as sacred as kings title
to his throney and no man could question 1t with
out peril. When finally, the Northern people, or.
gained through tho republican party, overthrow
this despotio oligarchy and dspossessed 1t OF the
government It left Its Northern allies in the urch,
declared for dtsunion and war, just as Charles
when defeated before the people ned from the
capital and appealed to to maintain his right
to govern against their WILL He lost his head for
this treason. But the protectorate which followed
proved to be 80 hateful despotism that
the people reverted to the Stuarts for time.
But In the end they were again deposed
and the people asserted their constitutional rights
under o new line. Here those who maintained
aosolutism through the slave relation were de-
posed from power and slavery abolished, but only
to make the freedman In the hands OF the con-
queror the instrument Of q yet more despotic gov
eminent. The punderngs Of the war were tribe
compared with those made through the negro In
the hands OF his new masters, used as part Of the
machinery OF both the State and national govern.
ments. The actual result Of the war far is that
the slave power has been superseded by the mill.
tary and money power which the war created; and
1t is a. natural that Grant should be the Executive
OF such power "a that Cromwell should have held
sway In England. And he will remain Its Bxecu-
tive while that power prevails, for he suits 1t and
II suits him. He Is
BY TEMPERAMENT AND TRAINING AN ABsoLur1sr,
and has always afhliated with the money men.