Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1880-04-08
Shall the People Rule?

AsoEho
From the Chicago Express,
The history Of civilization proves un-
questionably that tyranny is but the natu-
raj consequence ef that corruption which
POWER always beGets In those who WELD 1t,
and that in this respect the history of one
nation is the history Of al with rare ex-
cepjions. Sovereign power has been
lodged IN the hands Of certain persons who
were denominated the rulers Of the people,
and the battle OF civilization has been II
contest between the rulers and the ruled.
The mCst important epoch in modern
civilization was the reformation Of the
18th century, when the principle of the
right OF private judgment was arrayed
against the dictatlon Of priestcraft in mat
ters of religion. This triumph for hu-
manity-the liberation OF the mind of
man-has been steadily blazing the path
way for the final liberation of the bodies
of men also. So true is this, that even at
that time historian Of the period called
attention to the connection between "a
proud and venomous dislike against the
church and an equal irreverence for the
government Of the state too"
That the revolution Of our forefathers in
.1776 was made on behalf of the fright OF
private Judgment" in matters temporal as
we'll as spiritual is shown when they en-
grated into our federal constitution pro-
vision for the perpetual separation OF
church and state. They sought 10 make
the people sovereign, and declared that all
governments derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed. The
men of that day had reason to know from
experience as well as from the teachings
OF history that all power should rest in the
people, and when separated from them,
tyranny was the inevitable result. But
even among our revolutionary sires there
were those who, while they favored sep.
aration from Great Britain and the estab.
lishment of an Independent government,
were at the pains TO deny the principle oi
self.government and to assert that there
must be q class whose business it should
be to rule the people. Although in the
minority, the Tory and "class rule" ele'
ment Of the young repnblic was able tt
retain in many essentials, the spirit and
practices by (which the sovereignty Of the
people was annulled. From the adoption
OF the declaration Of independence to thu
present time its spirit has been secretly
despised and openly ridiculed by power
ful, cunning and treacherous minority o.
our own citizens, while every despotiC
power in Europe has continually sought
by insidious methods to bring the boasteC
declarations Of the rights Of man, as well
rs the republic itself, into disrepute
Their policy was "watch and wait" ant
when the people were compelled by forct
If arms in 1861 to wipe the stain Of chatte
slavery from our constitution, the Money
Power Of Europe and America seized it
opportunity, and under the pretense o
helping to rid us Of one form Of oppression
tNey fastened upon US another, which il
far more onerous because more universal
This was the contamination Of long-cher
ished plans, and from that date the powe
of the people was destroyed, and th,
Money Power-the bankers, bondholders
corporations and land monopolists--s
enthroned upon the ruins of liberty.
The sway of the money power being
now assured by law, a season Of tyranny
and corruption prevails, which has iillet
with dismay the believers in and defend
ers Of the principles Of self government
6 Eruption stalks abroad in open day, N,