Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-09-01

were before Parliament, there have
been mass meetings of the friends Of
the measures, and the citizens would
march in procession to the House Of
Parliament. In 1850 this led to the
celebrated No Popery riots. Gradual
ly this practice was abandoned as
against sound policy. If 1t was any
thing, it was q covert threat against
the Government.
All the arrangements under our
Government are i'm favor of the peace
able Introduction of amendments.
But as the right Of a people to be the
source of power does not depend on
their numerical strength. but on their
mental development, and as it is true
that when a people is strongly con-
trolled by those moral restraints which
arise within them, they will have less
need of restraints of external law, and
80 the institutions of a government
will become liberal, and the powers OF
the Government will be preserved by
distribution among the people. 30, on
the other hand, when people becomes
morally like the horse or mule, which
have no understanding, their mouth
will be held in with the bit and birdie
of strong nstitutions-the powers OF
the Government will be gathered up
into the hands Of few.
The amendments introduced into the
Constitution of a nation are a sure ba-
rometer of the moral progress of that
people. Whenever any question OF
popular rights has been involved In
an amendment, the decision has al
ways been in favor of those rights.
Our most eminent jurists are agreed
that the first ten amendments are con
cessions of power by the national Gov
ernment to the States and the people
and those amendments which resulted
from the war, terminated the reign o
an oligarchy, defined and protected th'
rights of four millions of people as citi
zens, and added 'three-auarters of ,
million to the voting strength Of tn
country.
1t may then be conceded that tn
whole drift and tendency of our nation
as indicated by the amendments to tn
Constitution, has been in favor Of ju
dicious popular rights.
To make a recapitulation: With
our national Constitution the followin
safeguards of our Government ar
found: First, against wars OF races b
our naturalization law; second, agains
: domestic insurrection by abolishing a
: idea of provinces by our law admittin
new States on an equality with the oil
ones; third, against sectarian wars b
guarding against any established n
ligion; and lastly, against danger of di
ruption by human progress-by pr
viding judiciously for the introductio
of amendments to our organic law.
: BY these we are protected again'
dangers within. God, who gave OF
fathers wisdom to make these provi
ions, has guarded against danger fro
] the nations around us, I'm the fact
f our having a compact, self-containt
s country, containing i'm great abun
4 ance every element of national defen
and prosperity.
t He has given us farther protectie
! i'm the fears and the jealousies of 9th
nations. During our late war Fran
and England were hindered from re
ognizing and guaranteeing the ind
pendence of the Southern Confedera'
o by our treaty offensive and defensi'
8 with Russia, which would have tak'
, Turkey If France and England had b
0 come embroiled with the United State
q Such is to-day the condition Of
e fairs that the balance of power In Il
q world has quietly slipped away fro
u the Old World and come to us.
u Protected against dangers both fro
II within and around US, we are safe, e
q cept from above, and in order that
may be safe from the wrath of God, {
o Church is left free from all doctrin
y and commandments of men, SO tn
u she can declare the whole counsel
% God; and His blessing is promis
u when her duty is performed, SO th
the State cannot be blamed If we
Ie not attain to the blessedness OF {
people whose God is the Lord.
Of This extract is taken from the Gto'
q Democrat of last Friday: 1.-THE Chica