Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1888-03-14

There are and always have been
people who can not take any other
than a gloomy view of the DRIFT of
political affairs. If their own party
is in power they are more or less tren'
ulous, and if the opposition party
gains the ascendency their prognos-
tications seem to come from the
depths of severest melancholy. Pro-
badly no president Of the United
States has been inaugurated during
the whole history of our government,
without having the air filled with
direful predictions of social, political
literary or financial commissions
which, in the minds of the croakers,
are sure to occur. Even Washington
was vilified by those whose fertile
and morbid imaginations over-pow'
cred their judgment. He was de-
nounced as an ambitious, scheming
autocrat, usurper of the liberties OF
the people whose only purpose was to
gain for himself a kingly title and
kingly powers. John Adams also
had vigorous detractors and the same
Is true of Thomas Jefferson and OF
every other president to the present
time. Looking back from the present
to these earlier times, many OF the
political writings seem supremacy
ridiculous and suggest the conclusion
that many of the dismal things said
now will appear equally ridiculous in
the near future. Very few Of those
awful prophecies have ever been veri-
fled, vet, strange as it may appear,
this seems to have no effect upon
those who are endeavoring to give
the present outlook for the future n
coloring of blackness. AS an inter
esting illustration of the point lnten-
ded to be made here, we copy from
one OF the political essays of Fisher
Ames regarding the out look in 1904
This, you see, was during the ad-
ministration of jefferson, which
marks one of the most prosperous
periods in the whole of our national
history and during which was peace
fully acquired the great and impor'
tant territory of Louisiana. Here Ii
how it all appeared to Mr.. Ames:
"Let any man who has understand
ing, exercise it to see that the Amerl
can Jacobin Party, by rousing thu
popular passions, inevitably aug
ments, the powers of Government, anC
contracts within narrower bounds
and on O less sound foundation, thu
privileges of the people. Facts-yes
facts, that speak in terror to the sou
confirm this speculative reasoning
What limits are there to the preroga
tives of the present administration
and whose business is it, and ii
whose power does 1t lie, to keep them
within those limits? Surely not IL
the Senate: the small states are nov
in vassalage, and they obey the noe
of Virginia. Not in the Judiciary
that fortress which the Constitution
had made too strong for an assault
can now be reduced by famine. Thu
Constitution alas! that sleeps will
Washington, having no mourner
but the virtuous, and no monumen
but History. Louisiana, in open an6
avowed defiance of the Constitution
is by treaty to be added to the Union
the bread of the children of the Uniol
is to be taken and given to the dogs
Judge then, good men and true
Judge by the effects-whether tn
tendency of the intrigues of the party
was to extend or contract the measur
of popular liberty. Judge whethe
the little finger of Jefferson Is no
thicker than the loins of Washington
administration; and after you hav
judged, and felt the terror that will b
inspired by the result, then refiec
how little your efforts can avail tt
prevent the continuance, nay, the per
petuity of power. Reflect, and b
calm. Patience is the virtue Of slaves
and almost the only one that will pas
for merit with their masters"