Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-01-27
our Agents.

The receipts Of the following persons Will ot
). W. Graham. 1900.
W. M,.i Fl M1sals pusi ..wei Hasssai
10. A. Edmonds. aterloe
Charles L.
Iii undo BLACKBURN
B.. w; Inai'Ia
c.. @. Parent. avery
THE PO LITIOAL SITUATION.
IHoratio Seymour In the North American Re-
view for Feb,uary.l
The results of this years elections
have excited much comment. At first
view they seemed to be due 10 the dis
sensions in the republican ranks. but
on closer study their explanation IS
found to lie deeper; it is u '.ground-
SWELL" of which all surface disturban-
ces are effects. not causes. To get an
understanding OF this subject, it is nec-
essary that we dismiss from our minds
all partisan %prejudices, for it concerns
the organic principles of our govern
ment, ard demands q thoughtful Con
sideration.
The American people are divided into
two parties; these grow out of the
form of our government; each is need
ed Tor its preservation. All agree that
there is q division line between the
powers of the general and the state
governments. To enlarge unduly the
power OF the states %endangers our
union. To extend unduly the jurlsdio-
ton of congress leads to corruption.
For a long time the democratic party
had the direction of affairs. The divis-
ion of our country into free aud slave
states led the latter, out OF tear of fed.
eral int. ference. to carry the doctrine
OF state rights too far. Civil war was
the result. After the contest was over
there was a reaction against the doc
trlne of state rights. A feeling grew
up that The stability Of the general gov
ernment might be insured by giving to
it larger powers. jurisdiction was
mistaken Tor strength. This sentiment
was carried too tar, for, while state
rights have been unduly msgni6ed,
they still exist, and are az sacred IS the
rights ofthe general government.
Our oldest political organisms are
those needed by local communities and
which are designed for the preserva.
ton OF the rights of the respective
localities. These organizations have
different names, but they are substan-
TALLY what we now call towns. Not
withstanding tho diversiiies of Ian
guage and lineage In our country, the
people gave like powers and forms to
their local governments. Our union
aud constitution grew out of these
facts. Their existence depends
upon preserving the boundaries be.
tween the different governmental func-
tions thus established. AT the close Of
the civil war the public feeling was SO
excited that a prejudice grew up against
the term rights of states"
At the last presidential election the
republican party selected as its camdi-
date one who went very far in favor of
.'centrali zation." He expressed his
Joy that power g%ravitated more and
more towards the national capital.
A member OF the cabinet in 1880,
speaking of our government IN all adj
dress which was circulated by the re.
publican organization, said:
SIT must not be forgotten that this
government is no longer the simple
machinery it was in the sarly day of
the republic. The bucolic age oil
America is over. y Thew are
the Interests OF nearly fifty millions of
people, spread over an ilAmensesurface
with occupations of endless variety and
great magnitude, producing interests
30 pushing, powerful, and so constant
ly appealing to tho government, right
fully or wrongiully. that the require
ments of craftsmanship demanded in |
fhi, oua ORR Tor diHorapt from xho.>
which suf6ced 3 century ago."
To show how far recent administers.
tions have drifted from The positions
held by the patriots who formed the
constitution. 1t will only be necessary
to refer 10 the warnings uttered BY
Washington in his farewell address. 1t
is remarkable not only for Its wisdom
and foresight, but from the fact thai it |
apply describes the condition into which
We have been drawn by the influence |
OF dos ruct We currents.
"The spirit OF en- eroachment tends to
conspiid tie tue powers of all the de-
par mrnts In one, and thus 10 create, |
W a'sver the form OF government, a
re- l. de>po ism. A ju-t estimate of
that love OF power and proneness to
ah..e It which pred pmlna,es in the
hum u heart is sufficient to satisfy us
OF the ruin Vi i. position. The ne
Cess ty OF rec,proc.l cheeks in tn exer.
C = ~ pol.ti:ai pow er bv dividing and
di t ibut ng t inso diilere, II deposito-
ries an C - stitutiHg each the guardian
OF the public veal against Invasion by
the theirs has been evidenced by ex-
perimen s, ancient and modern, some
OF tn N in our own country and under
our W eyes. To preserve them must
be as necessary as to institute them"
The words uttered by Washington
and by General Garfield respectively
show the difference between the policy
now most favored by the republican
party and that advocated by the patri-
arch of the revolution.
1 have no intention to impeach the
patriotism OF those who hold opinions
which grew out of the excitements of
civil war. But, in their eagerness to
extend the jurisdiction of the general
government. they went too far, and ex-
posed the country to unforeseen dan
gers. A review OF the events of a few
years past, as set forth by republican
journals, will make this clear.
The capital of our country is on one
side of this continent, at q great dis
tauce from most parts OF the union,
without commerce or manufacturers and
ordinarily no one has occasion TO visit
it except for business with officials.
Lavish expenditures are as necessary
for it's citizens as good harvests are tor
the farmers. Every appropriation In
favor OF points however remote is in
some degree a benefit to its citizens; it
makes a clerkship or some employment
for a resident. Hence Washington has
rapidly grown from a small place to a
city of $50. 900 inhabitants. 1t cannot
be denied that the views of its people
regarding expenditures are affected by
their interests. and that they make the
local atmosphere which members of tho
government breathe when they reach
the capital. 1t is not necessary to re-
peat the history of the corruptions
which have brought dishonor upon the
American people. and which have oc-
casioned demands for reform from all
parts of the Union. Those who have
lived under these bsletul influences,