Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-03-03
CLEARFIELD, Pa, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1880

enact ohdrlatdaism or repeat a pOcifera
ton, or issue strange illumination, ol
impedch the Constitution, or libel it'
trainers, or counterfeit history, or iasia
common sense, but spoke what they al
least believed to be the words of truth
and sobcrness,
We are not 10 set up political dog
mas or invoke blind faith even in
founders Of the republic. The mere
authority of names, however great
ought not to command our assent
But fundamental doctrine, selfevi
IDENTIFY true, though easy TO defend, is
the hardest Of all things to support by
affirmative argument. We cannot help
but sympathize with the indignation
of Pitt when he thundered out his re.
fusal to look at books or listen to logic
in defence of English liberty.
In the matter before us, il should be
plain TO every reasonable creature IN
esse" that long continuance of supreme
executive power in one hand is not only
perilous to free institutions, but per-
iectly certain to destroy them. Some
fixed time there onght TO be when the
people will not only have the right,
but exercise it, to displace their Chiet
Magistrate and take another lf they
do not possess this right, they are
political bond-serrants, by law if,
holding it, they iorego the use Of it,
they make themselves, quodd hoe, vol.
untary slaves, and they soon come to
be governed in all things by the will
of their superior. A lease for years,
renewable and always renewed, gives
the tenant an estate without end, and
makes him lord of the free.
Where the Chief Magistrate is vested,
as ours is, with great power liable to
gross abuse, il there is no law or prac-
tce which forbids him to be reelected
he can remain in Office for life as easily
as for term. He has the appoint.
ment of all officers, the making Of all
public contracts, and veto upon all
the legislation, besides the command
of the army and navy. By an un-
scrupulous use of these means he can
coerce not only his horde Of immediate
dependents, but he can control the
corporations and become the mas
ter OF all the rings, put the bust.
ness Of all classes under his feet, cor.
rupt the venal, frighten the timid and
check all ambitions but his own. He
can force the elections of every State
he desires to carry by the bayoncts Of
his army, If that fails he can order
false return, and pay for il out Of
the public treasury. The people would
soon perceive opposition to be useless
and accept the situation; elections
would be as a mere matter Of form as
they were in Rome when such consuls
as Nero and Domitian were elected
regularly every year under the super
vision Of the pre- torian guards.
II these were no more than remote
possibilities, prudence should guard us
against them. But they are near prob
abilities the signs of the times warn
us that the peril to our institutions is
imminent the danger is already on
the wing Its vain to remind us that
the President swears to preserve, pro,
tect and defend the Constitution and
see the laws faithfully executed. That
is true and 1t is also true that, il
tnere DC NO perjury III tne casc, tne
constitution laws ana ioertles Oh tne
country are saie' blt inc iast lweh.y
years nave gwen Us anPle P!ooi 'naV
an oath IS not much restraint upon
rresiuenV"holS ihciteu W aihDltlon, ,.l,
rapaolty OF strong party Ioeiiug 10
preak IT,
~ Is true that tniS Presu.pposcs
people mucn uegeheratea anu hagis'
trate animated manly py tne vulgar
love ol power ior its own SAKE out
exactly such d conluhctloh o. thlhgs
mas Always oeen feared WIN goou
reason, ana hehce comes the uesire 10
put every ohecK on Ihat tendency 70
'strong government which Is now
lnanliestlng itseli ID many quarters
10y !. ~ VA a.. ,on'Iy - ,.L,oh " -,
"o 80 ',as ."o W Var"''..a nj. nion wy
are threatened! Inc answer comes
HO .ou, ene sLas1soi D,; Vu, ,a'uo's % 3,so,. sov
nvque,'V , o,oo''Vn , Vi noI 'non. ~, e,.
no,p y. nop0 III iol '"' o'''aso" n " do,. noU
government lhere 's none uiluer
heaven.
II n's'o'y uovS NV 'e'0r " 'a,', We
.,:c na,H i.u ~ u, "IJS. -. ~
puo,Cs Css ~ npo,gn. W a,,u aaVuenn ,,,oS u'"us
'ne 'n,o, "aslstra'o ""s '. on.'''v0I '.' y
"i'n V".y 'ehvor"'y powol, "nI
a,ways wons o1' ~ Sl'oy w AZ ''",SnS Wv InJ
" = snor' M pel,ou nxeu anu 5resoiiooS p soIa"S
oy Jaw OF custom. !. was 1n,s ~ inueeu' ,'
malcn lnaue % .ne suGS'ahe'0i a, oI;" uls'lnct'ol
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