Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-12-18


and by these in turn new means OF in
tercommunication were established.
Roads were extended, Turnpikes built,
Canals dug, Post Routes multiplied,
Newspapers distributed. Day by day
the people grew richer; step by step
the wilderness was overcome trade
and intercourse between different parts
increased, and better understanding
greater homogeneousness among the
people of the different States followed ;
until ut last the railway was invented,
drawing together within hours the
people whom the steamboat had only
brought within days OF each other
aud then last, aud most centralizing OF
all, the telegraph was introduced, put
ting all parts OF the land in instant
communication with each other.
Now, however due TO these natural
causes, it was not strange that men
should ascribe the great prosperity
following upon the establishment OF
the new government adopted.
1t is indeed most true that govern
ment cannot of itselfcreate prosperity,
but il can, and, alas often does, inter
fere with and prevent IL; and our gov
ernmcnt ut least permitted the frcesi
possible development Of the natural
advantages OF the country. And SC
the American citizen, brought up to
regard his Union and Constitution as
the sum of human wisdom, aud justly
proud of the unprecedented growth
and prosperity Of bis country, came
more and more TO ascribe these bless
ings 10 the form OF government under
which he lived, and, with less and less
thought of the reason for that Consti
tuition and the principles it expressed
contented himself in every country h,
visited by crying aloud TO all men tc
take pattern after his model Republic
DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DISTRIBUTION Oh
THE POWERS OF GOVERNMENT.
Beyond this, the political parties
into which the country was early
divided tended further TO remove th,
original principles of the fathers from
notice.
In great country wherc the peopl,
rule, there will be generally two par
ties one for having the governing
power do much, the other for having
il do little; one for having the exercis,
Of government centralized, the Other
for having it localized. One, party
which would hold up the weak, aid the
feeble and protect the needy; th,
other u party insisting that, beyond
preserving order and administering
justice, government should interier,
with the action Of its citizens us little
as possible, and that, while the genera
government should prescribe tbost
regulations which affect the whole
people, local affairs should be lett Il
the people Of the localities. From tn,
dual nature Of the government estab
lished by our Fathers out OF the uni0r
OF independent States, il followed ma
turally and inevitably that the party
in this country in favor OF extending
government would seek y liberal con
struction Of the Federal powers. Ant
these, indeed, were, and have eve
visions of parties in this country, OK
cept when some question Of presen
paramount interest has for tim,
forced special issue upon the people
And so, from the beginning, discussion
went on about the respective function
and scope of the Federal and Stat
authority. Year after ycer, il wa
debated whether particular power
should be exercised by the Federal AM
State government, as TO what were th
limits of the power of the one and th
, extent Of the power Of the other. But
during all the time of these discus
ons-discusslors which went on, no
only in the halls of legislation, an
: upon political platforms, but In ever,
country store and around every bai
room fire throughout the land
were gradually losing sight, in thei
disputes about the distribution of tn
powers OF the government, Of tn
principles upon which the governmen
was founded. Instead of realizing ;ba
the rights of States were Of no &C
vantage in themselves, except as the
preserved the liberty Of individual
and that local government and lin
!, tation of power might under new cor
ditions be more readily obtained b.
direct restraints upon the central al
thorily than by the strictest constru'
ton Of the existing Constitution,
!, was deemed so settled that we ha
the best government the world ev,
!, saw, that doubts of that were not eve
permitted to be suggested. Indee'
: the changes which went on IN the col
!. dtions OF the country and of societ,
y although rapid, were 80 gradual thu
! no one thought corresponding chang
. IN the Constitution necessary an
: there was besides, a natural disincl
J, nation to disturb an instrument o
y u taincd by compromises effected wit
u so much difficulty.
n THE DISPUTE ABOUT SLAVERY.
It Meanwhile, by the aid Of the gi
10 cotton had become one OF the chi
Il productions of the country, and Il
system ,f ahor il had employed bi
o reached great Dimensions. New IL
d ritories had been acquired, whose q
10 auisition the Fathers had not foresee
r and for which they made no provision
and when these territories came to
A settled, and government had 10 be pr
" vldcd for them, the introduction
slave labor into these territories
~ ~ came subject Of difference. ~
- The discussion that then grew
~ tended further to divert men from a
70 70 consideration OF tho original prinoipl
~ OF government for II was from It's I
turo discussion not about what 4,
v crnment ought to be, but rs TO VIII
~ from the nature Of the compact
y tween tho States, were the rights
~ the States in respect Of the territori
rs and of this domestic institution. \
no A discussion of the true principles
~ ~ government, but of the true constr
~ =. ton Of the agreement by which !
!, y government was established. i
~ question presently took prcccdei
~ over all other questions, and, as
80 compromise nor settlement Of the
80 ference was arrived at, it fna
y brought on a war--a great civil "
~ which divided our people. Dur
:" that war the march OF armies set
=" ~ slave himself free, and put an I
n, nv forever TO the questions out Of wb
nd the war arose.
he ruE GROWTH OF A PRIVILEGED cLAl
ex- Meanwhile privileged class
of gradually grown up within the Sta
No Reg;uo,ng with email associations