Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-29
Practical VS.. theoretical Democracy.

GTdCllCd1 vs.. IueUIOtlCdl OculOCI dCy :
The political construction of our gov
eminent, based as it is on equal civil
and political rights, and excluding privi-
legged classes entirely, supplies much food
for criticism to the theoretical European
advocates for liberty, who view it in its
abstract, and not in its relative connec.
ton with social systems. We IN this
country have reduced Democracy to a
practical science, governing as little as
possible by restrictive measures, know
ing that many political and social excite.
ments will wear themselves out if
granted the escape by free exhaustion
of over-heated passions.
This natural law of counterpOise
the European, born and brought up
under the arbitrary rule of the bayonet,
cannot understand Government with
him is nothing unless it can be seen and
felt everywhere and continually, and
therefore the principles OF self-govern-
ment imposed by democratic liberty are
only matters for crude ideas drawn from
the histories of the ancient republics
that existed under conditions totally diff
ferent from those of the present age.
Universal suffrage established, hereditary
sovereignty and superior classes abol-
ished, and the claim of the people to di-
rect their own political affairs, are stag
gering propositions to these theorists.
Hence it is that, in discussing the expe-
diercy of Democratic republicanism, we
find European publicists asking with
grave doubts such questions as the fol
lowing by NJ. Emile de Laveleye in his
introduction to Lord Actions "Hlsto-
ry of Liberty in Ancient Times, d
''Does not democracy make liberty
impossible, and has Democracy ever been
able to resist the dangers it creates? Do
the absence of standing armies; of dy-
nastro antagonism, and, of caste rival
ries assure the peaceable and definite
triumph of Democratic institutions!
How can an all powerful majority be
prevented from reducing to subservien
cy weak minority? and will not equal,
civil and political rights granted to all,
eventually assert an equality in all social
conditions?
De Tocqueville, Stuart Mill, Hare,
Paul Janet, Sir Erskine May and Lord
Acton have theorized on all of these
points, and given us their several sYs-
TENS andopinions with much power and
acumen, furnishing many excellent ideas
for our practical guidance and warning,
but they are wanting in knowledge of
the infuer ces which have formed our Pc
culiarly individual and national character
of which the two most prominent traits
are hatred of Kings and Lords, and the
right of the people to arrange their own
affairs. Neither do they measure the
impOssibility of securing a majority OF
the States to unite in a plan to over
throw liberty and establish despotism
on its ruins-of which the third term
aspirations of General Grant are the
most memorable and dangerous, and the
first in that line of our political ambitions
These practical evils and their suppress
sion seem to have made little impression
on European theorists. And yet the
fact stands prominently forth that
Grant and his C9sarism were quietly
put down by his own party, without APP
peal to the country at large. They ig-
more, also, the fact that this bold effort
of General Grant was the child of civil
war, and that there is little chance now
that such a combination of circum-
stances as elevated Grant to the Presi-
dency with extraordinary popularity
can occur again.
The safety of our democratic institu.
tions is in protecting carefully our demo
cratic-republicsn arch of States. Con
sequently, the necessity for strictly main
tanning in the States the principles OF
National Democracy laid down in our
State and Federal Constitutions, and as
interpreted by the courts. A State ticket
therefore for State government is thing
of moment to our political and material
welfare; as it may be composed of able,
experienced, patriotic statesmen, or OF
mere partisan politicians, who aim at nc
general good, but only party triumph
for personal profit. Such is the problem
now before us, namely: To support
Stephens and national republicanism, OF
Gartrell and official loot?