Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-20
POLITICAL BessRS..
How They Got in, and ~sxs IN
be Driven o


Senator Mitchell in North .SssSsS Sgas Revts.,
Ry. a process OF politica' evolution. N,
people in all highly ciVilize countries bsv,
quite largely secured the rixnt TO l4ake tbe,,
own laws. But while they have, bv tn,
aid OF representative forms of government
so generally dethroned monarchicaI ana
arlstocratic powers In law-making, tbev
have nowhere instituted and securely este ~
lished the democratic principle in The eve.
cution OF laws, or in the administration n,
their own governments, and 1t is the admin
istratlon OF the law which most directly ana
seriously affects them. They make laws fo-
their own government, aud they are geoer-
ally required to obey them. Their rulers
govern them. The question is: "How shslI
they govern their Tulers?n
The English-speaking people have been
seeking the true answer to this ouestion
ever since they first had existence as a ma
tion. In strange, devious, tortuous. and
mysterious ways; by toll and sweat and
olooo; by the purse and by the sword; by
crusades and conquests and convsnticIes:
| Oy passive obedience and by heroic resist
ance; by tongue and pen and press; and bv
other and innumerable conquests in the
universe OF thought and action, they have
| produced wonderful mechanism of admin
lstratioR, which, rightly adjusted and ap-
/
| Ion, Ioundedin righteous thought, sovereign
over allrulers aud supreme over all forms of
| government. Many times In their history has
| this higher law" of their being had SWAY
Kings have resisted 1t; Presidents
have disregarded Il; Ministers and CabInets
have rebelled against It, and used factions
and parties and patronage and spoils. ana
usurped powers 10 make void its behests
but In the end they have been compelled to
aDnt0afH the
submit To its sovereign power. O.her aud
wiser Kings, Presidents, Ministers and
Cabinets have recognized and obeyed T..
and have amelicrAted the condition OF
mankind, and deserved and received the
plaudits OF their fellowmen. By such
recognition Of public opinion, righteous
ralers have given it organic lite-that
which alone can make 1t effective in the
work of government
Public opinion" says Bentham, ''may
pe considered as system OF law emanatiDg
from the body OF the people. = TO
tne pernlcious exercise Of the power of GOV
eminent 1t Is the only check; to the bene-
hcial, an indispensable supplement-, Able
rulers lead 1t; prudent ruler lead or follow
1t; foolish rulers disregard It," For ages
and ages the world was governed not
SO much In Difference to public
opinion and general interests as I'm
obedience to personal Judgment and
private ends. Man is a social being. and
has social feelings; but he is also a selfish
being, and has selfish instincts As there
could be no necessity for government with
out society, there can be no society without
government. But the trouble with both
society and government has ever been that
mans selfish instincts are stronger than his
social feelings. Therefore when men asso-
ciste for the accomplishment of a common
political object, there Is a constant danger
that few who can will use the power OF
all, not for the equitable benefit of each, but
for the advantage OF those who are able to
get control. Thus faction arises within
develops a cabal, and q final struggle for
supremacy enthrones the political autocrat
over all.
Party government seems to be the best
means thus far devised for the enforcement
Of the general judgment OF a nation. II
this instrument can be permanently and
successfully employed by factions and rings
and political bosses to further their special
and private interests, In disregard OF the
general welfare, popular government is a
delusion and snare for the people them
selves. Let US hope that the power of pub.
lie opinion is sufficient to hold in check this
aristocratic tendency. Otherwise We should
no longer claim, with Lincoln, that ours is a
government of the people, by the people,
and for the people," but we should frankly
confess that It is a government OF parties,
controlled by Administrations ruled by
cabalG-fOr the spoils of office bestowed by
political bosses.
Progress In The science of government has
been slow and painful, but It has been
gradually for the better, from the dawn OF
civilization to the present hour. Political
bosses and factions may impede 1t, but they
cannot prevent It's symmetrical and timely
development. "What a dust | do raise,'
said the fly upon the chariot wheel. Down
through many dynastes of absolute or lin
tied mOnarchies and OF aristocracies, the
reign OF the one or the rule OF the few, have
we come at last to representative democ-
racy, the approximate sovereignty OF the
people.
For more than two generations this mon-
ster has been clswug At the vItals of the
Republic No administration, by whatever
President, In the name of whatsoever party,
has had the patriotism and courage to Crap
pie with 1t and thrust It ouS OF our body
polite. Some have seen the necessity Of
doing 1t, and have had the patriotic desire
to accomplish it, but their wisdom, their
courage or their strength has been made
quste to the task; and It seems at the pre-
sent hour to be as rampant as It was under
tfe iron rule OF Jackson himself. No Presi-
dent, no party, not even a single generation
OF the people Is alone responsible for its ex-
istence, or chargeable with its continuance.
II my views OF its origin are correct, its
germ lies imbedded In the selfish nature of
mankind, and It was planted among us, as a
people, before we had existence as a nation.
The people themselves share with their
rulers the infamy Of lis iniquitous life and
doings, and they alone can put it to seatn.