The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-22
,nrtsoyar,,rnent.

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Ike the poor fellow whose tombstone .o'u
,lis story was well, took phssie, ana
here am" Poor fellow, he deserves pity,
although with the rigid stole It is qoes'
tionab.e whether he should not be passed. W
,,s one who has brought upon himself us
worst ,nisfortunes. and therefore ue'e' go
neither respect nor pity. =
Cur own Government was sne s.uoy "
the very best and wisest Of men. my
finally agreed upon II, and declared II gooul'
rhe, had hardly done so before us 'f FS'i
fe,, on, about 1t, aud the country was rent
with excitement about their dllierent coa-
str1,ct;ons of the instrument that they had
mutually approved. AS time passed TINS
difference increased in depth and width until
finally we had great war about it. And
still we differ, and we controvert the argu'
,nents of one another. We fail to convince
each other, and we but illustrate the con-
troyersies OF society from the beginning
down to the present day.
After all, man is but the creature Oh CIR
cumstances. His government changes Wild
changing events and circumstances, ana
nothing more thoroughly shows the VANITY
and short-sightedness of man than the de-
claro,iop he sometimes makes that work OF
his will last through all time. Mr.. WEBSTER
stood In the "south porch" Of the virginia
capitol and declared that the Union ~ouiu
last through time, until
Heavens last trump should shake the w0rl' DE-
low"
He bad hardly uttered the words before the
OBJECT OF bis idolstry fell to pieces, and
though what is in bigoted sense styled
"tbe life of the Union has been saved, it is
not so saved in ,he'pristine purity in which
1t was beheld by the sage of Massachusetts
From he same State now comes voice
from the family of ssges on the subject OF
the government, which only shows the ad'
yances we are making towards another form
OF government. the true character OF which
time must disclose. Mr.. BROOKS ADAMS, OF
one of the most famous families in the
Union we might say the most famous family
in the UEion-has published an essay 10 the
-NOTW dNGTtCOH 1iCOttO1 "biSH uSNiooSeeS
shows the drifting away there has been from
the true nature of the system established by
our ancestors. The ADAMsEs became, un-
fortunately, inoculated with the disease of
ncgrophilism but they have preserved the
legends of the Republic, and they come
forth now and then to trace the evils they
themselves have promoted, and, Cassandra
like, to tell us the troubles that are in store
for us.
Mr.. BROOKS ADAMS Is not at all satisfied
with things. He thinks that the early dis
sessions Of the Republicans only fore
shadowed the issue we are now called upon
to face. He sees in caucuses and conventions
and Federal patronage an immensely pow
ertul machinery which tends to the overpow-'
cripg of the States. Rotation in Office is an
auxiliary means of power increasing the
perIs Of the States, and they are therefore
in the greatest danger. He finds plenty of
present illustrations of his views, but chiefly
points TO kELLoGG's government in Lou-
siana, and to the invasion Of the independent
spirit of republican liberty in Massachusetts
through BUTLER and the otfice-holders'
power.
He further apprehends the greatest evils
from the corruption of the judicial power,
Of which he sees fearful signs. These need
moi have excited Mr. ADAMS so much. They
have been quite patent since the war. a
people who hopes to see liberty preserved oy
the courts when its bulwarks Lave yielded
TO the attack elsewhere, are doomed to dls-
.annointment. The courts are composed
after all of men-mere men-and they are
the creatures of circumstances. The judges
NAV be little slow to succuGip, but sue
cumb they will at last, and :ney may become
The vilest tools ola H.espotism.
II is not herd to foresee that MIR. ADAMS,
like the wise commentators of the times, sees
no u-ay of avoiding consoldation-the con-
centration of the powers of the States in the
hands of the Central Government. To make
this wise and proper, he urges that the Pre-
sident shall be stronghold rotation IN ONCE
must be ended-tbat men in place must be
forbidden to mingle in politics-and that
party caucuscs and conventions must cease
to exercise the power they at present WELD.
This is very like arbitrary rule. In other
words, he would strengthen the power OF
the Government and diminish that OF the
people.
The strong President !" " is good" as
PoLoSIUs would say; but MIR. ADAAs's ldea
Of the restoration of the caucus in some
way which he considers consonant with its
early purity is impossible. He makes no clear
statement how this Is to be done, andsorings
as into labyrinth out Of which he offers US
no clear way for delverance.
After all is said and done, we are left by
Mr.. ADAMS and all Of them In the dark tx
solve the difficult problem as well as we can
The truth is, the changes take place will
remarkable evenness. Society may postpone
one change and precipi,ate another; but il
can proven, none. We 60 gradually along
aud as society changes in character and mum
b.rs. so does Government, and years bring
with them metsmorphoses which the philos
ophers can do no more than comment npor
q, they are exhibited.
The present condition of this country at
fords but little idea Of what it will be fifty
years hence. The theories of the politician
have no more effect upon that than has tht
ny in the mail.coach upon the motive powell
which moves the coach. We are going t
see things little dreamed Of, and among then
will be retribution for wrongs that will b
nlnnnsf inrnoffan u.