Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-13
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRATIC GOVERN


And now wish to say that repre-
sentative democratic government in
which the Will of the people is not res
pected. in which the interest of the pee
pie is not considered, is q mockery. a
government protesting to be based on
the vi. tue and intelligence OF the people.
but in which violence and fraud control.
Is monster more detestable than any
monarchy.
After what has been said. gentlemen.
you are prepared for the declaration that
events have occurred and are occurring
in our history to force upon our minds
the question whether this government
OF the people transmitted to us by our
fathers is to he maintained and preserv-
ed, or is to be abandoned for the gov
ernment OF one man or the government
OF few men. The question | have Just
named is the question of our aye and
country. 1t is Il question which you and
| must answer, and for which every
citizen In the nation IS responsible.
1t was the opinion OF a late distin-
guished statesman OF this country that
the vital principle Of our political in-
stitu.ions was in its decline. He was
impressed with the conviction that our
representative system had failed. That
the will of the people was not express
ed in our popular elections. He sug-
gested that the election Of uuI presidents
was mot governed by the virtue and
intelligence of the people," but had
"become the spoil of intrigue and cor
ruption - that "an irresponsible body
chiefly self-constituted and manly DOM
mated by professional oftice-seekers and
ottice-holders" had "usurped the cleo
ton of president"
always making the (party) nomination
with view of their own profit in the
monopoly of office and plunder." He
said .confederated republics are short
lived; the shortest in the whole family
OF governments. Two diseases beset
them: l. Corrupt election of the chief
magistrate when elective. 3 Sectional
contention when interest and ambition
are at issue" sour confederacy Che
said) is laboring under both diseases !;
and the body of the people, now, rs
always, honest in sentiment and patri-
otic III design. remain unconscious of the
danger and even become instruments i'll
the hands of their destroyers."
NUMERICAL MAJORITIES.
Another of our distinguished states
men of great experience in public al
fairs, and now no more, was equally em-
phatic in his opinion that our constitu-
tions, state and national, had proved
worthless as 4 protection to the rights
OF the people against the arbitrary
power of numerical majoritics. That
the uucheck d iorcc OF numerical ma
.. k,
rupting. loathsome and dangerous
disease that can infect popular govern
mcnt that known by the name of the
spoils' This disease" (he said) lis
easily contracted under all forms OF gov
ernment; hard to prevent and difficult
to cure when contracted; but 0fall forms
OF government it is by far the most fatal
in those OF popular character And
that a monarchy like that OF Great
Britain was. in his opinion, to be pre-
ierrcd over that of the government OF
the United States.
These declarations against the perma-
nemce of our i ,titutions. startling and
offensive AT the time they were made,
are now accepted or considerably en-
terta!ned by thousands OF American cit
liens. Allow me to refer to some of the
facts that have filled the hearts and
minds of many rejecting men with
painful forbodings. No popular gov
any people who practically reject its
principles. The principle OF all gov
ernments based on the will of one man
or few men is force. Despots and
aristocrats appeal first to the police. and
next to the military tor the ultimate
adjustment OF questions Of state. But
governments based on the virtue and
intelligence of the people propose to
refer such questions to the popular SOW
ereIgnty, to settle them by the voice of
reason. expressed after tree discussion in
legal form through the suffrage OF the
people; aud when that voice is heard.
to admit of no appeal. but to renewed
discussion and the peaceful arbitralnent
OF the better reason. Now the averment
made just here Is that. as = people
we have repudiated this fundamental
principle OF our polity.
THE VOICE OF REASON sTIFLED.
1t will readily be conceded that from
the year 1860 to 1860 there was little in
our history to testify before the world in
favor OF the progress Of popular govern
ment in this country. In that long pc
riod OF strife and agony. the peaceful
discussion Of public questions dividing
our people was almost unknown and the
voice OF reason was almost unheard.
The fact is that after living in peace and
happiness tor nearly u century, and pre-
senting to the world a triumphant ex-
ample of the success of democratic in
sttutions, force in an evil hour. was sub
sttuted for suffrage; war in the place OF
popular sovereignty.
That such an event should have hap
pencd was most gratifying to the enc
mics Of popular government. See. they
exclaimed, another and final proof of
the incapacity OF man. Behold these dem
ocrats OF America, how like they are to
Greek and Roman, to French and Eng
lish democrats, and no more capable than
they Oi living up to their principles.
But, gentleman,w we could expect nothing
else from our enemies.
The saddest part of the matter is that
we have suffered in the judgment of our
friends. The civil war in the United
States has weakened the faith and de-
pressed the hopes OF popular institutions
all over the world.
The civil war was ended in 1866
What has transpired since?
On the I'd day OF April. 1866, President
johnson issued his proclamation that the
rebellion was at an end and peace re-
stored. The president, in view Of the
prevailing animus, took occasion to de-
clare that standing armies, military oc-
cupation, martial law, military tribunals
and the suspension of the privilege OF the
writ of habeas corpus are in time of peace
dangerous to liberty, incompatible with
the individual rights of the citizen, con-
trary to the genius and spirit of our free
institutions and exhaustive of the nation
al resources, and ought not to be sane
toned or allowed except in cases OF ac-
tual necessity tor repellng invasion or
suppresSing inSurrection or rebellion"
POPULAR sOvEREIG NTY.
Peace was restored. but popular SOW
ereignty was not restored. The majority
denounced it and scoflied at it. In place
of lifting up from the earth its mangled
and PROSTATE form where the conflict OF
arms had left it, the victors revilcd and
stamped upon it. They declared emphat-
ically that the viii! Of the people was 4
wicked and dangerous thing that the
masses of the south participating in the
rebellion were unfit for seli-governnent.
They deprived them of suffrage and rep
resentation. and in these all other polit,
ical rights, and placed over them in time
OF peace the iron rule of military power.