The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-03-10

Within few years our Government
has assumed a new aspect. II is now
made up Of . President. who holds for
four years. and whose energies are alb
sorbed by the distribution Of places; If
Senator'S, whose terms are six years and
who are engrossed by legislation touch
ing our domestic affairs or our relations
to other countries-they, too, are pressed
with the labor of attending to the per-
sonal interestsof their constituents seek
ing place or legislation; of members of
the House. who hold for two years. in
which time they can not attend to all
the calls made upon them. and at the
same time learn the details of our Gov
eminent. or of the abuses which grow
up. The fourth body is the "lobby,"
rapidly increasing in numbers, who hold
Their places for life. Many of them
make their homes in Washington; they
alone are familiar with affairs, and ac-
quainted with the clerks and others who
fill the departments. These are the men
who. in the language OF the late mem
Der of the Cabinet already quote l. are
"produc ng aspirations and interests so
powerful and complicated in theirnature
and so constantly appealing to the Gov
eminent, rightfully or wrongfuly, that
the requirements of craftsmanship are
far different from those which sufced .
century ago"
Republican journals have made it
known throughout the land that this last
named Organization is so potent that it
defies the Government in its own
courts by the aid of its own agents.
These facts have aroused the attention
of patriotic Republicans. who find that
they are the results Of their own doc
trine of centrali alton. The fruit of
Capitalization is foun to be . system
of temptations which will grow worse
as oar population increases in number
and wealth. In less than thirty years
this country will contain l0O. 000. 900 Of
souls. Its income win grow still more
The amount OF money in the
hands Of Congress to be given away for
all sorts of OBJ. ects will, as past expert
ence shows, increase in q fOurfold ratio.
Congress is now overburdencd with
duties, and it usually adjourns more in
consequence of the WEAKNESS of MEM
bers than because its task has been
done. All thought ul men in each
party see that this state of things must
be corrected, that we must go back to
the teach 'ng of The Constitution, and
that strict construction of the powers
of Congress WI leave less opportunity
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 organization.
A party which has doubts about the cor.
rectness of its views loses the power to
adjust its controversies Should they
be adjusted the tap of the drum wi not
cal back citizens to its ranks / say
this. not because would throw dis
credit upon the Republican party; on
the contrary, the Sentiments which
govern large numbers of its members
are patriotic and honorable, As are their
efforts to check abuses which have
grown ont of mistaken views of policy.
It would be an insult to say that they
were governed by their passions or per-
sonal interest No; the results of the
of 1882 were not due to local
causes or controversies. They were
the product Of a general belief that the
doctrines of Capitalization have fostered
serpents' eggs whore they were expected
to give strength to our Union. We have
reports of corruptions not only in the
Post Office. in the Signal Service and in
the police force designed to protect the
property OF the public from wrongs and
robberies, but also in the collection and
use of political assessments, which
Con ,ressmen claim they have right 10
make. while they punish as crime such
acts by other officials Other depart
ments, where there are greater tempta-
tons, are yet to be looked into.
The circumstances of the elections
diffe ed in the several States The
character of the nominations had the
usual influence. Whatever difference
there may have been as to harmony or
strife in the ranks of parties. all were
overborne by the feeling in the minds
of thoughtful, calm and patriotic Re-
publicans that they had drifted into
errors under the influence of passions
infiamed by civil war. And this has
been confirmed by every days reports
Of judicial proceedings where the Gov
has been ba'Iled in its effort to
punish wrong doors, in many instances
by the corruption of its own agents
All feel that in the near future, when
our population shall be 100, O0C. 900,
our Government cannot go on unless it
returns to the constitutional policy of
our fathers. In view of the evils grow
ing out of vague constructions Of the
constitution, and of usurpations OF in
definite powers, the public is inclined
TO heed this warning of Washington.
If, in the opinion of the people. the
'stribution or modification of the con-
powers be. in any particular.
wrong. let it be corrected by an amend
ment in the way the Constitution
But let there be no change
by usurpation; for though this. in one
may be the instrument Of
rood, it is the customary weapon by
which free governments are destroyed.
rbe precedent must always greatly over
in permanent evil. any partial
N. 80 Giant bo off xrvhso1 <l,o sr.o ~