Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-03-16
MISCELLANEOUS.
tFcr the Spirit of JcfTerson.I ]
Our Growing Aristocracy.

The most appalling tendency of the
times is the INSCRIPTIONS waste by
Congress, in the building of monu-
ments and the bestowal of pensions
on military men and their families
Any proposal to get rid of the rev.
enue by Legislative robbery, is pop
ular with Congressmer. The con-
sumers of the United States are robbed
by the tariff to bestow the avails on
anything and everything, except to
allow and pay just war damages and
honest dues tofarmers and others, who
were forcibly robbed during the war
by order of some of those same mil
itary commanders, who were quite
celebrated, indeed, for commanding
to burn inoffensive peoples property,
and to command reluctant subordi-
mates to rob people of their property
becanse they happened to live south
of the Potomac. Now any proposal
TO monument the dust of military
officers is lavishly bestowed, or to
pension them, or their families, is SIM
ilarly bestowed. But what can be
expected of bondholders' conclave,
Congress begotten by intrigueing
politicians for their own aggrandize-
ment, as every one knows who is fa-
miiiar with the manipulations of con-
ventions. am very sorry to say that
some Democrats are ready chorus"
in too many illegitimate specuIations
and congressionalwastGs. Why should
Grant have n monument at public ex-
pense, or Mrs. Hancock pension,
when hundreds of mere common SOL
diers suffered more and accomplished
far rgreaterresults? Esteemingp private
citizens should monument a favorite's
dust. Growing pride is fast convert
ing dishonesty gotten wealth into a
monied aristocracy, and plumed SOL
diers are becoming military aristoc-
racy,-the most intolerant and un-
bearable of all the phases of hauteur
and if not soon checked, this Re
public will soon be found emitting
and gathering its millionaires. There
is, thanks to Wise Prov
idence-a wave of opposition setting
in with fury on its crest. knights Of
LubOr portend break-water against
this arrogant assumption of the money
gObblers of the land, and history adj
monishes that fearful will be the clash
if the great arbiter; justice, does not
reconcile the clashing interests of la
Dor and wealth. 1t will take wise
maiiagenient to adjust and to har-
mctiize the ptes6ht conflict between the
inequalities existing between money
and labor. There ought to be per-
feet harmony; money should have its
profits and labor it's rewards, then
there would be no jealousy from the
one or oppression from the other.-
But the disparity has resulted from,
and is attributable to the engendered
habits of the war, when the military
power of the government reversed the
fiat of the constitution and made the
civil power subject to the military
power of the government. and with
those who profted so we'll by it still
practice what vas then ctirrent pol=
icy. The men who acquired the habi-
tude of tyranny then are the bloat-
ards of oppression now, and unfor-
tunately for the people there are many
Of them in power now. And the
reason why there are departures in
latter day Democracy, is that the
younger Democrats who only have the
experience of the varied degeneracy,
know but little Of the spartan prin-
ciples of the ante-beIlum days of our
creed. But healthy recurrence will
come again, Democracy cannot exist
in an abnormal condition, State
sovereignty must be acknowledged,
the federal encroachments must be
checked. The daughter has become
meretricious, ,prodigala and oppressive.
She has too much military backing:
she claims to control and to- exercise
the parents prcrogatives. 1t may be
necessary to cut off her tariff re-
sources. Suppose the general gov
ernment were dependent on the States
for both her revenues and her SOL
diers, would her Congress be erecting
princely palaces all over the country; !;
would offices be created as popular
rewards for ephemeral popularity;
would every fellow be pensioned who
stumped his great toe as a soldier
during the war; would the Congress-
man be the most popular representa-
tive who voted the largest appropri-
alton? No, as in the days of pure pa-
triotism, the peoples servants would
have regard to economy-not the
economy of to-day, which ~ithholds
just private claims and lavishes mil
lions on useless vanity. If there were
no soldiers except such as were fur