The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-07-04

n tenn and thus to undernE
$, what cannot be directly overthrow
l. IN all the thangcs To whic
o. You may be invited, remember tia
q time and habit are at least rs necessal
o TO hN the true character of government
d Us OF other human institutions that OK
p perlonccd is the surest standard Il,
n when to test the real tendency Of Ia,
- existing constitution of the country
n that facility IA changes. upon the credit
e OF mere hypothesis and opinion, expo
= SEES to perpetual change from the end
less variety of hypothesis and opinion
a., remember especially, that for tho
nt,,,, ant management of your common
! ;ut,,,. = IN u country 80 extensive AZ
nurs an. Nefnment of as much yigor rs
IL cnnSst,r with the perfect security
of liberty is Indispensable I.ibert, il.
self viii G,I H. such Government.
with powers prop erly distributed and
adjusted its Surest y "Iu,"'' II Is IN
| deed, little else than H. N''p' "h1r' INC
Government is too feeble w Withstand
the enterprises of faction, 10 ,o'nhe
each member of the society ", h''' lhe
limits prescribed by the laws u uu To
maintain all in the secure and tram Nll
onioymcn. of the rights Of person AM
property
hayo already iutimatod 10 you tho
danger OF parties in the States, with
particular reference to the founding of
them ON geographical Determinations
Let me now take more comprchcn'
siyr view, and warn YOU in tho most
solemn manner, against the haneMl eff
ioct of the spirit of party generally
This spirit unfortunately, is lnsopcra
hlc from our nature, having its root in
the strongest passions of the human
mind 1t exists under different shapes
IN all Governments, more or less stlllod,
controlled or repressed hut IN those of
the popular form, it is seen in its great
est rankness, and is truly their worst
enemy.
The alternate domination of one fac
ton over another sharpcncd by the
spirit of revenge natural to party dissen
sion, which, in different ages and coum-
tries has perpetunted the most hOrrid
enormities, is itself irghtul dies
potism, but this leads, ut length, 10 a
more formal and permanent dospotism
The disorders and miscrics which re-
suit, gradually incline the minds of
men to seek security and reposo in the
absolute power Of an individual, and
sooner or later, the chief of some pre-
yailing faction, more able, or more for
tunate than his competitors, turns this
disposition to the purposes of his own
elevation on the ruins of public liberty
Without looking forward to an OK
tremity OF this kind (Which, novcrthc-
less, ought not to be- entirely out of
sight the common and continual mis-
chiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient
to make it the interest and duty Of
wise people to discourage and restrain
it,
1t serves always to distract the public
councils, and enfcoble the public adj
ministration 1t agitatos the commun
ty with ill-Iounded joalousios and
false alarm kiudlcs the luminosity
of one part against another,
foments, occasionally riot and
instruction, 1t opens the door to
foreign influence and corrup-
ton, which find facilitated access to
| the Government itself, through the
| channels Of party passions, Thus the
policy and win OF one country
are subjected to the policy and will of
another
There is an opinion that parties, in
free countries, are useful checks upon
the administration of the Government,
and serve to keep alive the spirit OF
liberty
This within certain limits, is prob
ably true; and in governments of II
monarchical cast patriotism may look
with indulgence, il not with favor, upon
the spirit of party But III
those of the popular character
IMPROVEMENTS purely elective, it is n
spirit not to be encouraged From their
natural tendency IL IL certain there will
always be enough of that
spirit for every salutary pur-
pose. And there being constant danger
of excess the effort ought to be,by force
fpublic opinion, to mitigate and as
suagc it. 4 fire not to be- qucuchcd it
demands a uniform vigilance TO prevent
its bursting into II flame, lest, instead of
warming, il should consume.
1t is important likewise, that the
habit of thinking in q free country
should inspire caution in those iutrusted
with its administration, TO conilnc them
selves within their respective constitu
tional spheres, avoiding in the exercise
orpowers in one department., to cncrouch
upon another The spirit of encroach'
ment tends to consolidate the powers
of all departments III one and thus to
create, whatever the form of govern
ment II real despotism A Just estimate
of that. love of power and pronencss
to abuse it, which prcdominates in the
human heart, is sufficient to satisfy us
Of the truth of this position. The ncccs-
sity of reciprocal checks in the exercise
of political power 10y dividing and dis
trihuting it into different deposltor les
and constituting each the guardian Of
the public veal, against invasions by the
others, has been eyinced 10y expert
ments, ancient and modern; some of
them in our own country, and under
our own eyes, To preserve them must
; be as necessary as to institute them. II,
in the opinion of the people, the distri-
button or modification of the constitu'
tionnl powers be, in any particular,
{ wrong. let ii be- corrected by an amend
ment in the way which the constitution
dcsignates. But let there be no change
by usurpation, for through this, in one
instance may be the instrument OF
good it is the customary weapon by
which free governments are destroyed,
The precedent must always greatly
oyerbalance, in permanent evil, any par
tial or transient benefit which the us,
Y can, Mt any time, yield.
| Of all the dispositions and habit'
which lead to political prosperity, rclig
, ion and morality are indispensable sup
ports. In vain would that man CLAIM
, the tribute of patriotism who shoult
, labor to subvert these great pillars o
human happiness, these iirmest props o
the duties of men and citizens. Tn