The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-07-16
A SIropg ~GOVSFnnent.


We would ask our friend McFadden, Of
the s%teubenville Gazette, II he has not seen
enough efforts on the part Of the leading
Republicans in all parts oil the country to
make a Government q stronger one, and
II he has not read and heard enough TO
convince him that the late attempted sasas.
Hination OF Presldent Garfield caused "the
Republic to tremblo2" Our friend will
remember that every political organization
which has existed In this country, except
the Democratic party, have always favored
q stronger Government; and that the
opponents Of the Democratic party have
always made war, assassination OF PFesi'
dents, and everything else they could,
an excuse TO make this 0 stronger Gov
eminent. We say again that the late at
tempted assassination Of President Gar
field caused the Republic to tremble'"
Tho Democrat 10 one Of those papers that
live In constant fear Of q strong govern
,ment. What 1t means by the term "strong
government" we do not know. We are
inclined to think that most persons who
use the expression have but q very vague
and hazy idea OF what they are driving at.
At the outbreak Of the rebellion there was
q class Of men like the editor otthe Demo-
Graf who substantially denied all power OF
self preservation to the government.
There was no power to call out troops to
coercs Q State, to defend the government
property, or ever to protect the National
Capital. In the same breath In which they
denied the right Of secession, they ALSO
denied the right Of coercion. They emas'
Culated the government Of all capacity for
selt.perpetuaton, They left 1t at the
mercy Of any State or any half dozen Of
States that had areal or imaginary grie.
vance. They made OF the government
the weakest and most meaningless thing
In the shape Of RgoVernment imaginable.
It simply existed at the pleasure Of the
States. One State could break from the
fold and hall Of the States could break
up the government. All opinions to the
contrary were clasSed variously by these
persons under the heads OF Capitalization,
usurpRtlon and revolution, and were de.
nounced as anti.D Democratic and uncon.
stitutional. Had the American people
suffered themselves to be miSled by these
outerieS and denuncistionS, the govern.
ment would simply have been destroyed
without remedy.
Since the wal the phrase "strong gov
eminent has still been made use Of on
every plausible occasion by the same class
OF persons. They profess to live In fear Of
centraliSation. There Is too much power
In the general government, Where this
power exists II would be hard to say. The
Law making power resides In the two
houses Of Congress-in the representatives
olthe people. Power Is exercised In this
country under the form Of law. All power
not conferred by the Constitution must be
conferred by Congress. The Supreme
Court holdS q check on the enactment Of
unconstitutional laws. The Supreme
Judgesar appointed for life, and there.
fore have no personal interest in declaring
any Law constitutional that is not consti.
tutlonal. They are wisely removed from
that temptation. The President can only
execute the law as be finds II enacted by
Congress or interpreted by the Supreme
Court He has no option or alternative.
Where, then, ls this centrallzAtion-where
this cause OF lear Abju. o "strong govern.
ment7"
The people want q "strong Govern.
ment." They want q Government that
will hold together In the day Of tidal.
They want one that can coerce q State
when q State becomes refractory, % In the
case Of South Carolina in 1882, and in the
Dorr rebellion In Rhode Island In 1S42.
They do not want \ Government where
the Supreme Court can be set ct defiance
by the Supreme Court Of q State, as in the
case Of Virginia before the war. They do
not want q whlGky instruction In Penn.
Bylvania or In Tennessee 10 be O success
against the revenue laws oil the Govern.
ment They want a Government that has
the power to execute every law 40 long as
1t remains OF the statute book. And In.
asmuch as the representatives Of the PEG.
pie make the laws, and inaBmuch as one
entire house Of those Representatives,
and one-Lhltd Of the other house, are cleo.
ted every two years, they do not expect 10
see the laws get beyond their direct con.
troll.
The people want Government strong
enough at all times to fepel foreign inys.
sion and suppress domestic instruction.
They want o Government whose authority
Is regarded as supreme In every State Of the
Union. As 10 any mistakes Of enactment
or execution Of laws on the part OF the
Government the people can we'll afford 10
trust their representatives, al oil times
under their control, to correct them.
What they want and demand, however, 10
Government that commands mot only
their " respect but the respect o. the
world. This sort Of respect can only at
taCh to a "sttonS Government" A weak
and hefmaphtoditisA Government, which
is a Government only in name, such a. We
had Under the Democratic administration
Of James Buchanan at the outbreak oil The
wal, lie something that In the Language Of
The ancient Latin poet neither gods nor
men can endure.