The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-04-06
PURPOSES Or GOVERNMENT.

day by the DEMOCRAT, that government
Is instituted in order to restrain the fury
and injustice Of the people. 10
assume the authority to restrain the
people, says our excellent contem-
porary, "from their natural inclinations.
involves the assumption Of authority.
tutorship and mastery over them
"The Democratic theory" continues
the Bulletin
| Is that the masses of the people are their own
rulers that pubhc functionaries are their ser
th "a and i ior themselves that the nearer
| governing agents and representatives, are to the
| people the more truly republican their govern,
4 ment will be: that there In more to be feared
| from Irresponsible rulers than from anarchy or
mob violence; that the selected agents of the
people should al all times remember the source
the purpose and tho limitation Of their functions
| anu powers Hence every tree citizen should
feel thnt he Is at all times part ot the govern
ment. that 1t ia both an unuua HE'D right anu an
Imperative duty to participate III AL elections iis
well as to observe with careful vigilance me
official conduct If men whom he has voted Tor
on against.
We, h old that. in truth, all descrip-
tions of governments. republics, linn
tied monarchies and absolutislps are
instituted for the same purpose.
Hume, being Tory and living in an
age when strong restraints were neces-
sary, defined that purpose in the rigid
language we have quoted. The trainers
of the American Constitution, on the
other hand. being republicans, declared
that the American Union was establish
cd for the purpose Of establishing
Justice. ins,ring domestic tranquility.
providing for the general wei
fare. etc The language OF Hume
and of the trainers of our Constitution
ia very different. nevertheless. the
meaning is pretty much the same. A
different measure of restraint is implied;
but the necessity Of fixed laws and the
restriction OF tho propensities OF men
to an extent which will insure tho
supremacy Of peace. and justice, and
the security of life and property. Is as
clearly affirmed by the language OF the
preamble of the Constitution as 10y the
harsh words of the English historian
and philosopher All men, in entering
into society, tacitly surrender portion
Of their natural liberty and agree to re-
spect the peace and properties OF
other members of the society. This.
il we remember correctly, Is a
fundamental principle laid down by
all writer's on government. 1T Is GER
tainly the theory upon which all wise
aud enlightened governments act. ITO
assume the authority to restrain
tho people from their natural in
clinations," does not. as our friends
OF the Bulletin affirm, necessarily
involve n mastery over them.
The natural inclinations off large pro-
portion Of the human race would lead
them to live by preying upon.the indus
try and earnings of the balance of the
community. The natural inclinations
of many would lead them to live by
plumber. and even murder. For the
protection OF society, nay for its preser-
walton. and even for the good of the
wrongly inclined parties themselves. it
is right and proper for governments to
restrain such natural inclinations by
rigid laws securing the rights of property
and providing for the punishment Of
crime. Not day passes In which 1t Is
not necessary for the law to restrain
"the natural iDclinations'' Of men. high
and low. rich and poor. Indeed. were
governments for one day to neglect this
high duty. how many stores would be
unpillaged. how many cutters would be
unstained with blood, how many quiet
and law-abidipg men would be found on
our thoroughfares the following morn
ing 4?
In much of what our contemporary
says we cordially concur We believe
with it. that public fupctionaries are the
servants of the people. that govern
ments arc made by and for the people
themselves; that the nearer governing
agents and representatives are to the
people, the more truly republican will
be their government, etc. But when
it assumes that there is no restraint
which can be legally put upon the pop
ular will that the majority Of the com
munity can, at their will and pleasure
dispose Of tho lives and properties Of
the State, we dissent. We believe that
by the medium Of constitutions the in
clinations of the people should be re-
strained until their reason can have an
tPPoisuhapy w VANlNiSO ltS
upon them. We believe in q constitu-
tional republic such as the American
Government is in theory; such as It was
in practice until 1861, and such as we
trust it will be again when It falls into
the hands of the Democracy. But we
do not believe in popular democracy.
wherein there is no law save the will of
the majority expressed in popular cleo
tons. We believe in the largest liberty
of the individual compatible with the
security Of life, property and industry.
This is true republicanism, true democ
racy-true liberty. We assume another
proposition as underlying sound gov
eminent. That the old axiom. the
greatest good to the greatest number,
is false doctrine. LET Justice be
done though the heavens fall " should
be the governing principle Of all free
governments. Justice should be ac-
corded, in full, to the poorest beggar
upon the streets though it discommode
dozen railroads and all the balance OF
the community. Justice was the art bv
which Richelieu restored the wealth