Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-26
Herbert Spencer on America.


We published a few days ago the
views of Mr.. Herbert Spencer upon the
future of the United States. They must
have struck any rejecting reader as ex-
ceedingly sensible and well timed. He
prophesies that, at some future day,
the United States may enjoy civiliza-
ton grander than any the world has ever
known, but he cannot help from realizing
the present dangers which threaten the
Republic. Every one must agree with
him when he says that "within the forms
of our Constitution there has grown up
an organization of professional polili-
clans, altogether uncontemplated at the
outset, which has, in large measure, be
come the ruling power and further,
when he observes that "free institutions
can be maintained only by citizens, each
of whom is instant to oppose every
illegitimate act, every assumption of
supremacy, every official excess of
power, however trivial it may seem"
Here Mr.. Spencer has struck note of
warning which it behooves every patriot
earnestly to heed. This country has
never before in its history, not even il
the days of Grantism-although the pre-
sent condition of affairs is the legitimate
fruit of that dark era of corruption,
despotism and tyranny-been subjected
to greater perils than now from Federal
assumption of supremacy over the
rights of the States, and
from official excuses of power.
In the days of Grantism this assumption
and these excuses were confined solely
to the conquered and "rebellious" South,
and therefore attracted comparatively
little attention in the country at large.
Still the people became sufficiently
alarmed to cause them to hurl Radical
ism from power, and it was only enabled
to retain its hold upon the reins Of gov
eminent by bold and reckless theft of
the Presidential chair. Through corrup-
ton of voters and arousing afresh sec
tional prejudice and hate, however, the
party succeeded two years ago in again
securing control of all departments of
the government, and this success seems
to have completely dazed the leaders of
Radicalism. They have acted ever since
in absolute defiance of the public will,
and as if they felt that their lease of power
was absolute and capable of being in
definitely prolonged. All measures for
the relief of the people have been con-
tempt1ously disregarded, while the only
motive which has actuated them in Con-
gress has been to rake the Treasury. "
The Executive, too, has acted as if he was
supreme, and the States were mere prov
inces, for he has unscrupulously used the
patronage and influence of the General
Government to secure the election to
offices of honor and trust of his bench
men, not only in the South but also in
the North, and he seems to have lost
sight of the fact that he is the servant
and not the master of the people of the
several commonwealth which go to
make up the Union.
What Mr.. Spencer, a foreigner. sees so
plainly, the people of the United States
also see, and, fortunately, they are show
ing a determination to put an end to
Federal usur patton. The sensitiveness
which they are now displaying over Fed
eral interference with the domestic af-
fairs of the States, and the disposition
they manifest to oppose "everY official
excess of power, however trivial" is
the most encouraging sign that has
been shown since the civil war, that the
people do, after all, appreciate the bless
ings of civil liberty, end are at length
awake to the necessity of preserving our
system of free government as it came
from its founders. The .rebuke which
will be given to the arrogance and pre-
sumption of Radicalism next Tuesday
week will doubtless convince Mr.. Spen-
Ger of this, and inspire him with renewed
hope for the grand civilization which,
under favorable circumstances, he pre-
diets awaits the American Republic