The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-22

A6F
viewer some suggestions which are the
more worthy OF remark because similar
thoughts have found place in other minds
Mr.. Benjamin Is careful to say that he has
not kept close track Of the United States
since he settled in London, aud he ID not
p sure that his opinions OF American topics
are entitled 10 weight.
Mr.. Benjamin Gays: 81 believe in my
heart that the structure called the federal
States OF America will fall apart some day
from It's " Inherent weakness. To my
mind the probability Of their existence re-
quires too little speculation. They may
hold together longer than the dispassionate
critics now believe, but the fact is, tho vast
volume Of immigration which has swept
into the country is working changes OF the
mos. radical nature" It must be remem'
bered that Mr.. Benjamin looks on this
country from the point Of view OF
an alien. II his heart ever was
with us 1t has long since been
eslranged. A Senator and not u citizen, as
he claims; a leader in the movement to
overthrow the Union. and for nearly tweL-
ty years living undera m~onarchical govern
mentoi which he claimsalways TO have been
ID a subject, it may be doubted whether he
brings to the discussion Of this momentous
. subject a calm, unbiased mind. His pre-
diction has been made many times since
q this republic was founded; and generally it
has been based on the supposed inherent
weakness Of the popular form OF govern
ment.
"A Blackstone says: "In q Democracy,
where the right Of making laws resides in
the people at large, public virtue, or good
ness Of intention, is more likely TO be
found than either Of the other qualities OF
government. Popular assemblies are fre'
quontly foolish in their continuance, and
weak in their execution, but generally
mean to do the thing that is right and
Just, and have always a degree OF patriot.
ism or public spirit. In arlstocracies there
Is more wisdom to be found than in the
other frames OF government; being com
/, posed, or intended to be composed, OF the
most ex experienced citizens; but there is less
honesty than in a republic, and less
strength than in a monarchy. A monarchy
,e Is indeed the most powerful OF any;
~ for, by the entire conjunction
Of the legislative and executive
powers, all the sinews Of government are
knitted together, and united in the hand
Of the prince; but then there is imminent
danger OF his. employing that strength TO
improyident or oppressive purposes"
Blackstone wrote before this great republic
ofthe West was born, and he wrote under
a monarchy. But he had the ancient re-
publics for examples, and he did not live
TO witness the commissions which have
raised the later speculation, how long can
=, any throne in Europe last?
MI. Benjamin seems to have had the
Blackstone idea in mind when he said:
3 "Fiftyy years from now the country east OF
the Mississippi, already supplied with q
turbulent population, will be teeming with
such elements that no government Of the
people can successfully deal with" II
was the great German soldier. Won
), Moltke, who said that in the one instance
Of putting down the railroad riots Of 1877
the United States had shown a strength
which no power in Europe had, and which
1.-THE greatest Of European powers would not
have dared to exercise il 1t had possessed
Il. But the strength OF republican gov
eminent had been shown before, when we
brought England to terms. and later when
we put down the greatest rebellion in
history.
I'VE might, however, be strong in force
and yet be wasting away from impercepti.
tble internal causes. The profigacy Of our
public life and the extravaganza Of our
people baye been cited as certain indica-
ton Of decay. But We have yet to see such
peculation as France saw under Fouquet
or at so latea day as the second Elm.
pire, or such corruption as England knew
under the Georges. Wehave never known
30 disturbed q condition as we see to-day
in that part Of the Queens dominions
which lies in Ireland, or the sesthiug caul-
dron called Russia; our W civil war was
more tolorable, because the lines were
drawn and the revolt was defned. There lisa
marked improvement in the tone Of our
official life as 1t applies to national affairs.
Public officers were never held to stricter
lg account in any country at any time. The
per centage Of loss to the government by
reason oil the infdelity OF It's officers is 80
small as to be the marvel oil all foreigners.
The extravaganza Of the people is a mat
ter which corrects itBelf. Improyldence
and wild enterprises are followed by pan.
les and enforced economy. Personally our
people are not deteriorating, physically or
or morally. We see pinched faces in the
cities. but we see there also robust, hearty,
full. blooded men; and the greater part Of
our population does net live in the great
cities. Our moral standard Is high; virtue
ia as much honored, vice as much abhored
AS anywhere on earth. Though there must
needs be a constant effort to keep downthe
: vicious elements, the anne battle goes on
IS everywhere, not always with equalresults.
The enormous volume ola mixed immigra.
tfon confronts Us with q problem to which
enough attention has not been given. Some
Of this immigration is not the most desira.
Bile, notably the paupers Of Switzerland
d and the assisted" immigration from Ire.
q Ind We have immigration laws for our