Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-01-24

ervation Of the rights of the respect
i've localities. These organisms have
different names, but they are substan-
TALLY what we now call towns. Not
withstanding the diversities Of Ian
guage and lineage in our country, the
people gave like powers and forms 10
their local governments. Our Union
and Constitution grew out of these
facts. Their existence depends upon
preserving the boundaries between the
different governmental functions thus
established. At the close of the civil
war public feeling was so excited that
prejudice grew up against the term
"rights of States"
At the last Presidential election the
Republican party selected as its can
didate one who went very far in favor
of Capitalization" He expressed
his joy that power gravitated more
and more towards the national capt.
tai.
A member of the cabinet in 1880,
speaking of our Government in an
address which was circulated by the
Republican organization, said:
It must not be forgotten that this Govern
| m, ant ;o M lonoar tho al rla arbiparv
was in this early days of the republic. The
bucolic age of America is over.
They are the interests of nearly fifty mil
lions of people, spread over an immense
surface, with occupations of endless variety
and great magnitude, producing interests so
pushing, powerful, and so constantly appeal
ing to the Government, rightfully or wrong
fully, that the requirements of statesman
ship demanded in this age are far different
from those who sufficed century ago.
To show how far recent administra-
tions have drifted from the positions
held by the patriots who formed the
constitution, it will not be necessary
to refer to the warnings uttered by
Washington in his farewell address.
1t is remarkable, not only for its wis
dom and foresight, but from the fact
that it aptly describes the condition
into which we have been drawn by
the influence of destructive currents:
The spirit of encroachment tends to con-
solidate the powers of all the departments
in one, and thus to create whatever the form
of government, a real despotism. A just
estimate of that love of power and prone
ness to abuse it which predominates in the
human heart is sufficient to satisfy us Of the
truth of this position. The necessity of re-
ciprocal checks in the existence of political
power by dividing and distributing it into
different repositories and constituting each
the guardian of the public veal against in
vasion by the others has been evinced by
experiments, ancient and modern, some of
them in our own country and under our
own 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 poll
cy now most favored by the Republi-
can party and that advocated by the
patriots of the Revolution.
have no intention to impeach the
patriotism of those who hold opin-
ions which grew out of the excite
ments of the civil war. But, in their
eagerness to extend the jurisdiction of
the General Government, they went
too far, and exposed the country to
unforeseen dangers. A review of the
events of 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 a great
distance from most parts of the Union,
without commerce or manufactures,
and ordinarily no one has occasion to
visit it except for business with Of
ficials. Lavish expenditures are as
necessary for its citizens as good har-
vests are for the farmers. Every APP
preparation in favor of points however
remote is in some degree benefit to
its citizens it makes a clerkship or
some employment for resident.
Hence Washington has 100000 in
habitants. 1t cannot be denied that
the views Of its people regarding ex-
penditures are affected by their inter-
ests, and that they make the local at
mosphere which members of the Gov
eminent breathe when they reach the
capital. 1t is not necessary to repeat
the history of the corruptions which
have brought dishonor upon the
American people, and which have &C.
casioned demands for reform from all
parts of the Union. Those who have
lived under these baleful influences,
when they return to their homes, find
they have been missed by local ideas
at the capital.
The increase Of the revenues of the
Government has given to Congress-
men vast sums of money to vote away
for various purposes. Much is used
for the payment of the public debt,
much is voted away for the benefit of
those who have schemes which they
wish to have executed at the public
cost. This draws from all parts of
the Union shrewd and INSCRIPTIONS