Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-05

LIZ Is asserted that tue tZ1f VI iN7-Ao
has invited two or three trusted aaVis-
ers 10 form a constitution sQitable 20
tue Russian empire. 1t - also stated
that tue back Of the Sis list organiza-
tioa is broken in that empire and that
h.nceforth all orders to its mem ,ers
and plans Of It's operations viii enianate
and be directed from outside the limits
of the CZ.r's dorniniOns. he tao
statements may or may not 90 fo@ethef'
If the Emperor Of Russia has inaeed
determined To allo. his subjects con
stitutiou, he will abf0Q.se a claim
which among tks cigILz-d nations o.
Europe and the word Only survives
with kim. winch Is tna. Hugs rule Dy
Divine right. This has been the under
living. Fundamental objection To the
granting of constitutions and repre-
sentation of the people in go'ernnent'
by the BourbOns Of France a. well ~ by
the Emperors of Russia. A power ema-
mating from the Almighty cannot be
delegated. If He has chosen rulers they
cannot shift upon the shoulders OF tue
rs,ople the responsibility Of governing.
Constitutions, according representation
70 citizens and making them to greater
or less extent partners IN government
are in direct conflict with this reason
ing. The idea has been gathering
strenz 9Th for generations that this theory
Of government is wrong, that 1t ~
sham, a pretense invented by rulers to
perpetuate their power and keep the
shackIes Of tyranny and injustice close
Nv riyeted about the limbs Of restless
subjects. The day Of absolute rulers Is
MASKING away. Time was when nod OF
the tyrant's head could send to torture
thousands Of guiltleos and helpless men
and women, when king could rnl" As
his fancy dictated without accountable
ty to anyone, when wars were
instituted, taxes levied, counties
divided. armies and navies erected
without consultation with ih" people
who furnished means and men. ne
people had no voice. The ruler Wa
supreme. Today Russia is The ID
relic of that banished system Of human
control which exists among nations
claiming to be civilized. The tendency
is swiftly toward govern" eat ny the
people. In every government III En-
rope, save Russia, constitutions exist ;
the people join in enacting lsws, and
are consulted in affairs of government.
The power which was solely vested in one
man, on the assumption Of divine ap-
pOintment az ruler, IS now exercised
by the great body of the people, every
one of whom il more or less a sover-
eiQn. This il the divine right which
will endure. The individual. inherent
right Of every living man to govern
himself, restrained only by tbs equal
right of his fellows. 1t exists pursuant
to the order of the Infinite, VIII has in
vested every created human being with
the attributes of sovereignty, and made
it his duty to exercise that right in self
protection, and for his own and the
worlds peace and progress. Beside
this power; these aggregated rights OF
rulership, the claim Of kings, whtse
rights, if carefully traced backward to
their origin, are based on might, blood
shed and pillsge shrlnks into insignh
caLce. The people are the rulers
their voice, their will is the voice of
that Divinity who, IN the beginning.
made them in His own image. and in
vested each with all the rights acc rded
any other. All other government is
usurpation. founded Oh false assump-
tions, and must go down under the CON
domination of intelligent and progress
sive peoples. The world moves. and If
not now impending, it will not be many
years ere the last remaining despotism
of Europe will topple to its overthrow,
aud be supplsntel by constitutional
government. wherein the people have
voice aud vote.