Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-02-22
WHAT is THE USE?

w klIL 10 LtC uCO VA
That is, what need have we for the
form or name of government when
the fact does not exist? The reality
no longer can be claimed. 1t is q
thing of the past. The doctrine has
been taught and accepted in the bet
ter days of the Republic,-when we
had a country-that governments were
for the people. "The fathers" held
certain 'struths to be self evident"
sproclaimed those truths feaI lessly, and
submitted them to a candid world.
The truths thus maintained were true
of necessity-true in themselves-be-
cause the God of Nature ordained
them. While recognizing the 'self
evident propositions that all men are
the subjects of one creative and gov
erning power, endowed with given
rights, such as life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness, the fathers re-
cognized the necessity ofgovernments
as essential to the securement and
maintenance of human rights in gov
ernments. Then there is
another principle that must be re-
cognized and preserved. This prin-
ciple is of grander import than any
other connected with governments
instituted among men," 1t is the
foundation of our form of govern
ment,-the rock on which rests the
Constitution. That principle has
been lost sight of, practically ignored
and defied for the last sixteen years.
AS a consequence the Constitution
has been violated and almost every
right of the citizen trampled upon.
When that principle was killed and
buried, the last hope for sound, pure
and permanent Republican govern
ment in this country expired. The
sui of Constitutional liberty went
down IN darkness before the first cen
fury OF our National history closed.
If the principle here alluded to be not
immortal, and like truth crushed to
the earth, rise again, the day of our
glory will never be duplicated by
another Centennial period.
The principle involved is this:
<'That governments derive their JUS
powers from the consent of the gov
erncd.'
This principle, enumerated by JEFF
ferson, Lee, Franklin, Hancock,
Adams and their noble compatriotS
in the cabinet, and defended by their
heroic brethren i'm the field, was the
key note struck by the old masters in
the anthem of freedom. This was
the guiding star in their night of
gloom for seven long, bloody years,
which they followed, hoping against
hope. 1t was the light that led them
and the struggling continentals to the
manager of liberty, where the monarch
ofthe west was born. The govern
ed'' are masters and not the govern
ment.
Stalking life, fortune and honor
upon this principle, the ''fathers,'' as
patriots and heroes, fought, bled and
won. Their achievement was not an
accident. The result was necessita-
ted. 1t could not be OF erwise. The
principle is absolute. The govern
nlent must de~ive its Just powers from
tne consent OF the governed. The
laws o. r..turp and of Natures God
TX The Principle as ia Of the cter-
.ully 1etcssa ) conditions of free
government. The rule of the moral
Gilman is founded in this
principle. Coercion. fraud and vio-
are foreign 10 the adlninistra-
ton Il Infinite intelligence, but the
ronseut or approval Of the govern
rd'' is sought to the laws Of the gov
power, III order that freedom,
oU n,,l rncn0 ylr,- nviCt hnfyyanp.