Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-03-07

I duty OF the executive e to administer ant
enforce. in the methods and by the in
Strumentalities pointed out and prOvid
ed by the Constitution, all the laws en-
acted by Congress. These laws arr
general and their administration should
be uniform and equal. As a citizeI
may not elect what laws he will obey
neither may the executive eject whicl
he will enforce. The duty to obey anC
to execute embraces the Constitution il
its entirety and the whole code of law.
enacted under it.
The evil example of permitting indi
viduals, cOrporatiOnions, or communi
ties to nullify the laws, because they
cross some selfish or local interests ol
prejudices, is full of danger, not only tC
the nation at large, but much more Il
those who use this perniciouS expedient
to escape their just obligations or to OBJ
tain an unjust advantage over others
They will presently themselves be com.
PEELED to appeal to the law for protec.
tion, and those who would use the law
as defense must not deny that use OF
it to others. If our great corporations
would more scrupulously observe their
legal limitations and duties, they would
have less cause to complain of the un-
lawful limitations of their rights or OF
violent interference with their opera
tiOns.
The community that by concert, open
or secret, among its citizens, denies to a
portion of its members their plain rights
under the law has severed the only safe
bond of social order and prosperity.
The evil works, from a bad center, both
WAYS. 1t demOraliZes those who prac-
tee it. and destroys the faith of those
who suffer by it in the efficiency of the
law as safe protector. The man in whose
breast that faith has been darkened, is
naturally the subject of dangerous and
uncanny suggestions. Those who use
unlawful methods, if moved by no high
er motive than the selfishness that
prompted them, may well stop and in
quire what is to be the end of this. An
unlawful eXpedient cannot become a
permanent condition of government.
If the educated and influential classes
in community either practice or On
nive at the systematic violation of laws
that seem to them to cross their conve-
nience, what can they expect when the
lesson, that convenience or a supposed
class interest is a sufficient cause for law
leSsness, has been well learned by the
ignorant classes? A community where
law as the rule of conduct, and where
courts, not mObs, execute its penalties,
is the only attractive field for business
and honest labor.
OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
We have happily maintained policy
of avoiding all interference with Euro
pean affairs. We have been only inter
ested spectators of their contentious in
and in war, ready to use our
offices to promote peace, but
never obtruding our advice and never
unfairly to coin the distress
es of other powers into commercial ad-
vantage to ourselves. We have a Just
right to expect.that our European policy
will be the American policy of European
courts. 1t is manifeStly incompatible
with those precaut, ,ons for our peace and
safety, which all great powers habitual-
ly observe and enforce in matters affect
ing them, that shorter way between
our Eeastern and Western seabOards
should be dominated by any European
government, that we may confidently
expect that such purpose will not be
by any friendly power
We shall, in the future, as in the past,
use every endeavOr to maintain and en-
large our friendly relations with all the
great powers, but they will not expect
is to look kindly upon any project that
would leave us subject to the dangers of
a hostile observation or environment
We have not sought to dominate or to
absorb any of our neighborS, but rather
70 aid and encourage them to establish
free and stable governments, resting
lpon the consent of their own people. !
We have clear right to expect, there
fore, that no European government will
seek to establish colonial dependencies |
lpOn the territory of these Independent |
American States. That which a sense
If justice restraints us from seeking they |
nay be reasonably expected willingly to
'oregO.
1t must not be assumed, hOWev
hat our interests are so exclusively |
American that our entire inattention to |
my events that may transpire elsewhere
an be taken for granted. Our citizens,
lomiciled for purposes of trade in all
and in many islands of the
ca, demand and will have our adequate
are in their personal and commercial
lights. 4 4 4
We shall neither fail to respect the
lag of any respectful nation or the just
lights Of its citizens, nor to exact the
Ike treatment for our own.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The duty devolved by law upon the
President to nominate and, by and with
he advice and consent of the Senate, to
ppoint all public officers whose ap-
ointment is not otherwise provided for
n the Constitution or by act of Con-
ress, has become very burdensome, and
IS wise and efficient discharge full of
The civil list is so large that
personal knowledge of any large num-
er of the applicants is impossible. The
resident must rely upon the represen-
atiOns of others, and these are often
lade inconsiderately and without any
lst sense of responsibility.
| have right, l think, to insist that I
hose who volunteer or are invited to |
i've advice as to appointments shall ex-
rcise consideration and fidelity. A high
ense of duty and an ambition to i'm
rove the service should characterize all
ublic officers. There are many ways !
l which the convenience and comfort
those who have business With our ,
ublic offices may be promoted by a ,
and obliging officer, and 1 '
hall expect those whom l may appoint
} justify their selection by eonspicu- S
US efficiency in the discharge of their 6
uties.
Honorable party service will certainly
OF be esteemed by me a disqualified {
on for nOblia Offipa hut If will in no y