Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-01-27
when they return to their homes, find
they have been misled by the local
ideas at the capital,

INSCRIPTIONS men, who seek a share Q
the lands or money given away.
Within a few years y government
has assumed q new aspect. It is NOT
made up OF a president, who holds TO
four years, and whose energies are ab
sorbed by the distribution of places. Q
senators whose terms are six years an
who are engrOssed bv Legislation
touching u domestic affairs or GU
relations to other countries-they, too
are pressed with the labor of attending
to the personal interests of their con
stituents seeking place OF legislation
Of members OF the house, who hold TO
two years, IN which time they canno
attend to all the calls made upon them
and at the same time learn the detail
of u government, or OF the abuse
which grow up. The fourth body !
the ''lobby," rapidly increaslngin mum
bers, who hold their places for life
Many of them make their homes il
Washington; they alone are familiar
with affairs, and acquainted with tn
clerks and others who fill the depart
ments. These are the men who, in tn,
language of the late member of tn,
cabinet already quoted, arc "producins
aspirations and interests 80 powerful
and complicated IN their nature and 81
constantly appealing to the govern.
ment, rightfully or wrongfully, that the
requirements of statesmanship are lal
different from those which suficed 6
century ago."
Republican journals have made il
known throughout the land that this
last-named organization is 30 potent
that it defies the government itself in
its own courts, by the aid of its own
agents. These facts have aroused the
attention OF patriotic republicans. whe
find that they are the results of their
own doctrines OF Capitalization. The
fruit of Capitalization is found to be a
system of temptations which will grow
worse as our population increases 10
number and wealth. In less than thirty
years this country will contain loo, 000,-
900 Of souls. Its income will grew
still more rapidly. The amount of
money in the hands of congress to be
given away for all sorts of objects will,
as past experience shows. increase in q
fourfold ratio. Congress 10 now over.
burdened with duties, and it usually
sdjourns more in consequence OF the
WEAKNESS of members than because its
task has been doae. All thoughtful
men in each party see that this state of
things must be corrected, that we must
60 back to the teaching OF the constitu.
tlon, and that a strict construction OF the
powers OF congress will leave less op.
portunity for corruption,
1t Is this feeling which has produced
the political results of the year 1882.
1t has burst the strong bonds which
held together the republican organiza-
ton. A party which IA doubts about
the correctness Of its views loses the
power to adju.t its controversies.
they be adjusted the tap OF the
drum will not call back citizens to its
ranks. say this. not because l would
throw di'credlt upon the republican
OH the contrary, the sentiments
which govern large numbers OF its
are patriotic and honorable.
as are their efforts to check abuses
which have grown out of mistaken
views of policy. Il would be an insult
to say that they were governed by their
passions or personal interest. No; the
results OF the election of 1882 were not
due 10 local causes or controversies.
They were the product of q general be-
lief that the doctrines of Capitalization
have fostered ssrpent's eggs where they
were expected to give strength to our
union. We have reports OF corruptions
not only in the post Office, ir the signal
service, and IN the police force designed
protect the property Of the public
rom wrongs and robberies, but also in
The collection and use of political
assessments, which congressman claim
they haveSa right to make while they
punish as crimes such acts by other
Other departments, where
here are greater temptations, are vet
% be looked into.
Tho circumstances of the elections
Uttered in the several states. The
of the nominations had The
usual influence. Whatever difference
here may have been as to harmony or
strife in the ranks of parties, all were
,verborne by the feeling in the minds OF
calm and patriotic repu5li.
that they had dri!ted into errors
lnder the influence OF passions in1amed
~ civil war. And this has been con-
irmed by every days reports and judi.
;ial proceedings where the government
been bafi-d in it's effort to punish
.rongdoers, in many Instances by the
corruption o: its own agents. Ali feel
hat in the near future, when our popu-
alton shall DO loo, 600. 900 our govern
nent canno; 60 ON unless it returns to
he constitutional policy of our fathers.
view OF the evils growing out .ot
Tague constructions OF the constitution,
OF usurpations of indefinite powers,
he public is inclined to heed this warn
ng OF Washington:
at in the opinion OF the people. the
or modification OF the o q
'tltutional powers be, in any particular
let it be corrected by al amend
nent in the way the CONSTR ution desig-
hates. But let there be no change 6y
1%surpation; for though this. in M In
stance. may be the instrument of good,
t Is the customary weapon by which
rec governments are destroyed. The
precedent must always greatly over
balance, in permanent evil, any partial
transient benefit which the use can at
any time yield"