Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-03-22
JUNIUS.
Some Of the Fallaces Of the Existing
Constitutional system Of
Government.
mo Heresv Of Prohibition Never Executed
ny the New England Dsiosion
Of witohorat,.
Written for the Gazette.

Written for the Gazette.
Another alarming political feature n
our country to-day consists in the almost
entire obBtora,ion Of the once clearly de.
hned lines and limitations between or
ganlc and statutory law. Not only have
orr constitutions become as apparently
so much India rubber with almost nanite
powers Of expansion to excuse and Justify
arbitrary and oppressive legislation, but
also mere carte blanches Ia which Go IN.
corporate not only what properly belongs
to legislation, but even the political
hercsles ~ the Gay, hercsies that are even
outside Of legislation aud over which gov
eminent has no control, such Tor example
among many others as tue question of
prohibition, now so much exciting the
minds OF political cmnks, parlahs aud
heretics II Is said every age has lis de-
lusions, and certainly the present are
seems 10 have more than any former one,
for the political heresy OF prohibition
among many others was never
eXcelled by the New England
delusion OF witchcraft. How IS II that in
political matters people learn nothing
from experience and observation nor past
public hlstoryg The very means they
would employ TO lessen and eradicate Ger
tain social evils, the experience and OBJ
servati0n OF the present and the public
history Of the past demonstrate that thty
increase, enlarge and multiply rather than
mitigate or cradle ,te them, vet so strong
is the delusion ON this point that we even
End political parties aligned upon It.
The present constitution Of Texas Is
composed largely OF matters that belong
properly to legislation, aud the evil effects
Of ii are now daily more and more felt In
the changing wants and necessities OF a
growing and progressive people, This
modern fe ture In our political system
must be abandoned II constitutional gov.
ernment is desired TO be perpotuated, as
well as also the modern theory OF con.
stltutional construction and limitatio on
that seems TO be as broad as
space and as llmltlessas eternity In all
times men have been prone 70 believe
that their happiness and well-heing were
70 be secured by means OF government
rather than by their own conduct, Hence
the value Of legislation as an agent II
human advancement has usually bver
much oycrestmated The true function
of government Is negative and re>trictlY,
rather than positive aud active being re
solvable principally into protection pro
lection of lifo liberty ana property, Laws
wisely administered, will secure men h
the enjoyment Of their labor, whether q
mind or body, at comparatively SINAI
personal sacrifices but no laws, however
Il 81.
the shiftlcss proyident, or the drunkei
sober. Such reforms can only be Of
iected by means of individual action
economy and self-denial; by better habit
rather than by greater rights.
Real glory
Springs from the silent conquest Of ourselves
/ And wi bout that cOnqueroris nought
But the first slave.
/ The government of Il nation itself i
usually found TO be but the reflex OF tn
/ individuals composing it, The nobt
people will be nobly ruled, and III
! ignorant and corrupt iguobly Indeed
all experience serves to prove that th
worth and strength of a state depenl
| far less upon the form OF its institu
lions than upon the character of IL
men. For the nation Is only an 90
/ gregate Of individual conditions, am
4 civilization itself is hut question o
the personal improvement OF the men
women and children of whom societ
is composed.
National progress IS the sum Of ind
/ vidual industry, energy and upright
ness, as national decay Il OF indiyidu'
idlcness, selhshness and vice. VIVA
we are accustomed TO decry as gres
social evils will for the must part b
found to be but the outgrowIh
mans own perverted life and, thong
we may endeayor TO cut them dow
and eXtlrpate them by means OF Law
they will only spring up again vii
fresh luxuriance in some other lori
unless the conditions OF personal IN
= and character are radically improved
II this view be correct, then II 10
lows that the highest patriotis
+ aud philanthropy consist NJ
! so much in the altering Law
and modifying institutions, a5 in holPill
aud stimulating men TO elevate and IN
proye themselves by their own free al
. independent individual action. "li eve
one would see to his own relornauo
! how very easily you might reform
ton .
; The greatest slave is not he who
: ruled by despot, great though that e'
be. but he who is the ihrall OF his oP
: moral ignorance, sellisbness and VIC
/. Nations who arc thus enslayed at hea
9 cannot be freed by any mere changes
\ masters or of Institutions, and SO long
the fatal delusion prevails that hDef
, solely depends upon and consists IN 80
: eminent, so long will such changes,
o matter nj what cost they may be enecte
5 nave as little practical aud lasting resi-
!, al the shifting Of the figures in a phanti
!. magoria. The solid foundations
d liberty must rest upon individual en-
J. acter, which Is also the only sure guarant
y for social security aud national progre
~ some one has said that "even o.
L potism does not produce ITS wol
&c fleets so long as individuality
d ists under IL, and whatever crust
Individuality IS despotlsm, by wnate'
rame x he called"
Government In this country Is Deco
, ing entirely too parental, and us aOui
u, IN This direction must be checked or
o. erty and constitutional government M
Z, become no longer possible under w
% deed. they exist now rather 10 form u
p