The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-05-03

| :pulati0n OF the Republican leaders, has
grown to proportions which seem to en-
danger the liberties of tho country. is q
TT study for the patriotic heart, and one
| that can not be dweit upon nor contem-
plated too often. 1t is the great ques-
ton of the time whether, in the strife
for political power, the principles of
free government are not being trampled
under foot and sport made of the dear
est possession the patriot can enjoy.
| Amid the conflict and excitement of the
period there is great danger that the
landmarks of liberty may be lost. and
| the people awake from their lethargy
and indifference to find themselves fet-
tered by chains which their own neglect
has fastened upon them. The history OF
all human government shows that the
masses have become ensIaved through
the ambition and cupidity of public
leaders, and who will say what would
have been the destiny of England had
not the ambit on Of Cromwell over.
leaped itself and opened way for the
return of monarchy in the person of
| Charles the Second. All the wisdom
and the patriotism of that period went
down in the misguided zeal and unwor-
thy ambition of that aspiring fanatic,
until the fabric of popular liberty which
the patriots had reared was baptized
with the best blood of Britain. II is
from the ambitious strifes of the leaders
that the people have always received
their yokes and burdens. and the his
tory of the past few years in this coun-
try proves that nothing but the utmost
vigilance upon the part of the people
can protect them, even in this favored
land, from being made the servants of
ambition and the slaves of designing
politicians.
Every step this Nation has taken dur
ing the past twenty years has been in
the direction of Capitalization and away
from the principles and practices of the
early days of the Republic. Under the
specious cries of progress and advance
ment the people have been deluded into
surrendering one right after another
until the States are shcrn of all their
proper powers, and the individual is
left almost powerless to protect himself
against the assumption of Government.
Away back in the early period of this
country's history this possibility was
discussed and feared, for it appears in
Elliott's Debates that Alexander Hamil-
ton undertook to disabuse the minds of
the trainers of the Constitution of the
fears which were then felt by exclaim-
ing: "Will the people suffer Congress
to strip them of their privileges till the
solemn prerogatives of the States are
reduced to a shadow and name?'' and
then. as if repelling such a thought,
answered: 1.-The idea is shocking to
common senses" and yet this is precise
ly what the followers of this great adj
vocate of Federalism are preaching and
practicing today. and the idea which
Hamilton Thought was shocking to COM
mon sense" has been for years held alGft
as the true principle of National policy.
That the people were jealous of
their rights and regarded home rule,
the sovereignty of the masses as con-
tradistinguished from the designs of as
piring politicians, above all other con-
siderations, is abundantiy proven by
the acts of the colonies long before the
Constitution was formed. Even then
the claims of the people to manage
their domestic affairs was strenuously
insisted upon. Previous to 1865 the
colony of Virginia received q charter
which provided that g no orders of the
court in London were to be binding on
the colony unless ratified by the As
sembly." In 1852 charter was grant,
ed to Maryland which gave the people
the power of legislation without any
interference from the mother country.
In the charter to Pennsylvania in 1851
the principle of the right of local self
government by the people was fully rec
ognized. In the controversy between
Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
which was settled in England in 1879.
and Government organized in New
Hampshire, it was provided "that no
act, imposition, law or ordinance
should be imposed upon the people of
the province, but such as should be
made by the Assembly and approved
by the President of the Counc -
On page 81 of Alexander H. Stephens
History of the United States It
is stated that "there was
confederation formed between four of
the colonies, in which it was provided
that each colony was to be perfectly
free in its management Of its own in
ternal affairs, while external matters
We're intrusted to commissioners to be
selected by each colony" Here we
have the jealous regard of the people
for their rights and liberties distinctly
stated and admitted while vet the Ma
ton was in embryo, and before the idea
OF Federal Government was thought
OF. This desire to have local sclf-goy-
eminent remained with the colonIsts.
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