The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-10-01
What was Prophecy is now History

What was Prophecy is now History.
Mr.. JEFFERSON in his letter to GRANGER,
dated August 10, 1900, says:
..Our country is too large to have oil its
affairs directed by siu2lc government.
Public servants at such distance and from
under the eye of their constituents, must,
from the circumstance of distance, be una
Die to administer and overlook all th6details
necessary for the good government OF the
citizen. and the same circumstance by rem
derinn detection impossible TO their constitu-
cnts. will invite the public agents to corrup-
ton. plunder. and waste. And Go verify
believe that if the principle We're to prevail
which possesses the general government or
al! the powers of the State governments ana
reduces us 70 a sing lie consolidated govern
ment. it would become the most corrupt
government upon earth. You nave seen
the practices by which the public servants
nave been able to cover their conuucl, or
where that could not be done, deluslons 10y
which they have vanished II Tor the cyl OF
their constituents. What an augmentation
Of the field for job5lng, speculation, plum
deriup. otlice.bmldin". and 0tfi"e-hunting
would be produced by an assumption OF the
State powers into the hands of the general
pbNeIu - -tt tpt'"PS ~ I'"JS va ~
Persons Complete Works.
Could history now, after lapse Of seven
iy.fye years. more accurately describe the
ncsent General Government Of the United
Sules the most corrupt Government on
cdrM2"
Again jefferson to Holmes, May 1G, 1920,
twenty years Iater--viz:
Il thank you, dear sir, for the copy
YOU have been SO kind rs to send
ne OF the letter TO your constituents
on the Missouri question. ] his
momentous question. like a irebcll in the
night. awakened aud filled Inc with terror.
l considered il at once The knell of the
Union. Ii is hll>hed, indeed, for the moment.
But this is n repritve only, not final SEN
tence. | regret that | am now to
die in the belief that the useless sacrifice of
: themselves by the generation of lIlG to ac-
quire seli.goyernment aud happiness to their
country is to be thrown away by the unwise
and unworthy passions of their sons; and
my only consolation is TO be that live not
TO weep over it. If they would but dispas.
sienately weigh the Blessings they will
throw away against an abstract principle
they would pause before they would
pcrpetrate this act OF suicide against them
selves and of treason against tue hopes OF
the world" See rol. !, page l59, JeterSoTs
Complete Works.
Tine has shown that the generation Of
l776 did sacrifice themselves G vain for self
government and liberty TO their descend
ants This act of suicide against Ihemseve:
and treason against the hopes OF the wollC
has bees consummated. And We of thu
South, painfully treading the beaten patti
Of history, from popular deSPotiSm TO The
e.. IL, 4 lodi 0p1IlN
20 weigh the necessity of seeking shelter
from the horrors and outrages of IN ire
spopsible popular deSpotism to that safer apC
more responsible rule.
Grants aspirations for third term, aud
MS election, will probably be the first step
10 that safety We Seek-viZ., military rule.
The bond of cement of the Radica! party
has been hate Of the southern white man.
The tendencies Of all their acts have been
his degradation, oppression. and ruin. Uni.
form tendencies of acts warrant The Inference
OF motives. The advent Of a Morton, a
Couk!lng, or Wilson to the presidential
chair would probably lead to fresh outragcs
on the South, as means Of increasing their
popularity VITA their party. The present
practical Constitution OF the Uned States is
that the acfH Of the majority is tbe'sote limit
of Its power. The loss of constitution
which restrained majorities and protected
minorities and individuals is deplored by the
wise, its existence asserted BY kuayes and be-
lieved by fools. Il.
Judge Iorngs letter GU the arrest Of slave
Brine In Boston. and &. CusbiRs's address 1T
Fanepi Hail. 1859.
We print the foregoing extracts and
brief comment Of one Of the wisest
Of Tiginia's distinguished sous thus
prominently, because they are both
striking and instructive. We have called
attention TO the steady progress towards ar
bitrary power and the increase Of corruption
In this country thus foretold by JEFFERSON.
We have treated them n. the results OF eyo.
luton, and as irresistible, because logical
aud inevitable.
Therefore, we have spoken of the "third
scrm in this light as natural step IN con-
Sofmity 10 existing things. IN this respec.
.it,gonld be no Increase OF the expressions
Of The states. nc addition 70 their degrads-