New-York tribune., 1879-03-06
DEuOCR4TIC PURPOSES.

Tie contest upon which the country has
now entered involves. if the Democratic revo-
lutioaists should succeed, very grave change
III the nature OF our Government. Those who
attempt to find excuse for Democratic
revolution i'll the long struggle between the
Commons and the House of Lords and Crown
in Great Britain only show pitiable igno-
rance of the history and of the nature of the
Government of the United States. AS Senator
Matthews showed, in his powerful speech on
the last night of the session-a speech which
would efflce with Republicans the memory of
MANY indiscretions-this Government was
framed in full view of the entire struggle for
public liberty III England, and by men who
were even more Jealous for popular rights
than any party in England ever had been.
Their deliberate purpose was to frame Gov
ernment in which the people should have, not
some power, but all power. Yet, being wise
and patriotic men, they sought to save the
country from sudden and destructive changes
by lodging part Of the power with Senators
chosen Tor SIX years, and part with a
President chosen for four years. For they
had IN view, not only the gradual achieve
ment of liberty in England, but the bloody
BEGINNINGS of that career of mad license upon
which revOutionlsts in France were entering.
They aimed to protect the Nation, not only
from Capitalization of power, but from the
reign of terror to which the wild excesses of
an unchecked popular majority so often lead.
All power they gave to the people. But "a
norton of it they so gave that it could be
exercised every two years, another portion so
that it could be exercised only after four
wears, and another portion III such manner
that it could be exercised only as the terms
OF Senators expire. In other words. they gave
To the people of yesterday perpetual power of
appeal, within certain defined limts from the
people OF to-day to the people of tomorrow.
This Constitution, the Supreme Law of the
United States, embOdes the deliberate will OF
the people. 1t is a formal and solemn sur
render of their present and evanescent pas
sions to their own sober second thought. 1t
binds them, by a sacred compact, not to over
turn any existing order of things until that
can be done with assent of the two Houses
and the President, or with assent of a two
thirds majority in both HOus :. Every at
temut to violate that sacred compact is as rev.
olutionary as any other wilfu violation of the
Constitution. The right of those who prefer
a law existing to uphold and maintain it, and
to demand It's enforcement, until it can be
repealcd by the sober second thought of the
people acting through the election Of r. pre-
septatives. Senators and Presidents, is abso-
Lutte. 1t is as sacred as any right whatever
that the Constitution guarantees. fOrclble re-
sistanre TO the exercise of that right
coercIye war upon IT. is as strictly
revolutionary and criminal as the attempt
to set aside laws by armed rebellion. 1t
is natural and fitting that the party of the re-
bclliou is the party by which forcIble revOlu-
ton is now attempted in defiance of the Con-
stitution. Aud 1t is fitting and natural that
the party which saved the Union from rebel
lion should also be the party to save it from
revolution which would virtually blot out
two branches of the Government, place the
Senate and the Executive always at the mercy
of the House, and break that sacred compact
which binds the people in every controversy
to wait for the verdict of their own sober
second thought.
The notion that the House alone has pecu-
liar power over the purse is based upon ignor-
ance of the sharp distinction between the Brit
ish system, in which the HOnse alone repre-
sents the will of the people, and the American
system, in which House. Senate and Executive,
all and equally represent the peoples will.
The American House has no right whatever
TO refuse the appropriations required by acts
of Congress. One fragment of the people has
no right to resist the will OF the people con-
additionally expressed in the form of law.
Hence Senator Bayard is right in saying,