Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-11

nfteenth amendments. These definitely dis
posed OF the subject Of slavery, that serbonian
bog twixt the extreme views OF the two schools
| Of political thought dividing the country
views which. except for the existence OF that
| institution, might never have been pushed to
| an extreme but might have continued peace
fully to operate in the production Of golden
| mean between the absorption OF power by the
| central and its diffusion among the local gov
ernments And by the fourteenth and addI-
| tional guaranty was furnished against the arbi-
| trary exercise by the states Of the powers of
| government, unrestrained by the established
principles Of private rights and distributive
justice.
Undoubtedly the effect Of these later amend
ments was to increase the power of Congress-
but there was no revolutionary change. It is
as true of the existing government as it was of
the proposed government that it must stand or
fall with the state governments.
added provisions for the protection Of per-
sonal rights involved to that extent additional
powers, but the essential elements of the struc-
ture remained unchanged.
'In other words, while certain distractions
to its working have been removed the clock
work has not been thrown out of gear but the
pendulum continues to swing through its ap-
pointed arc and the vast machinery to move
poiselessly and easily to and fro, marking the
orderly progress of a great people in the
achievement OF happiness by the exercise of
self government.
But while direct alterations have been few
the fundamental law has been developed in
the evolution Of national growth, as Washing
ton, indeed, anticipated. Time and habit
said he, ARE at least necessary to fix the true
character OF government as Of other human
institutions, and experience is the surest
standard by which to fix the real tendency of
the existing constitution of a country
Doubtless, In many instances,
the constitution has been subjected to strains
which have tested its elasticity without break
ing the texture, but the watchfulness of party
has aided to keep the balance true, absolute
infraction has been deprecated or denied, and
law-loving and law-abiding people has well
coined the rebound which restored the rigid
outline and even tenor of its way.
1.-The departing statesman dwels with in
sistence, on the grounds both Of interest and
senslbility, upon the paramount Importance of
the Union and of that unity Of government
which makes OF those who live under it one
people and one nation, and will, he hopes, in
duce all its citizens, whether by birth or choice,
to glory in the name American
Here, the ideal which influenced his con-
duct may be read between the lines-the ideal
OF powerful and harmonious people, pos
restraint, and working out the destnies of an
ocean-bound republic, whose example should
be message of glad tidings to all the earth.
And the realization of that ideal involved
patriotism not based upon the dictates Of in
terest but springing from devotion Of the
heart, and pride in tho object Of that devo-
ton"
THE AMERICAN CHARACTER.
Speaking of the wish of Washington that
there should be an american character" he
said:
10 be an American was to be part and parcel
OF American ideas, Institutions prosperity and
progress. 1t was to be like-minded with the
lllustrlous men who have served the cause of
their native or adopted land from Washington
70 no 80 l.
virtues of republican government as the bull
wark OF the true and genuine liberties of man
KIND which would ultimately transmute suf-
ferlng through ignorance into happiness
through light
Who would not glory in the name American.
when it carries with it such illustrative types
as Washington, and Franklin, and Samuel
Adams, and Jefferson, and such a type as Lin
coin, whose very faults we're American, as
were the virtues of his sad and heroic soul2"
THE OUTCOME OF THE CENTURY.
Speaking of the transition through hun
dred years the chief justice said:
The passage of the century, with the vast
material development Of the country, has
brought this strikingly home to US in the in
creased Importance of the fedora. government
In prestige and power, as compared with that
of the state governments in the time of Wash
lngton. Position the supreme bench or
cabinet place might still be declined for per-
sonal reasons. but not because Of preference
Tor the hesdship OF state government, nor OF a
the governor Of today to hesitate upon ques-
ton OF official etiquette when the President
visits a state capital.
''Rapidity and ease of Communication by rail-
road, telegraph and post; the handling of the
vast income and expenditure of the federal
treasury. and the knitting together of the in
Vulnerable ties of family, social and business
relations, have created a solidarity, which de-
mands, IN the regulation of commerce. the
management of financial affairs and the like,
the interposition Of federal authority. The
national banking system, the interstate COM
merce commission, the Agricultural depart
ment, the labor and educational bureaus the
national board OF health, indicate the drift to-
ward the exertion of the national will, q ma
tural and perhaps inevitable result OF that
unity which formed the object of Washingtons
desire.
But what he wished was solidarity without
Capitalization in destruction Of local regula.
ton, for 1t must not be assumed that he did
not realize the vital importance of the preser-
walton of local self-government through the
states. To realize it's great destiny the country
must oppose externally consolidated front
and contain within itself q single people only;
but popular government must be preserved,
and the doubt was whether a common govern
ment OF the popular form could embrace so
large sphere
Hence the earnestness with which Washing.
ton invoked the spirit Of essential unity through
pride and affection to move upon the face of
the waters. When the new political world had
fairly taken form and substance other consid-
eratlons would resume their due Importance He
wac profoundly disturbed by the apprehension
that different portions of the population might
become, through contradictory interests in
effect rival peoples and the Union be destroyed
by the contention for mastery between them.
His sagacious mind perceived the danger aris-
ing from the social and economic condition
produced by an institution with which the
trainers OF the Constitution had found them
selves unable to deal, and he deprecated an
appeal to the last reason of kings in preserya-
ton OF one government over our whole domain
Yet that appeal was fortunately so long de-
layed that when it came the civil war deter
mined the perpetulty and indissolubility OF the
Union without the loss of distinct and individual
existence or Of the right of self government by
the states.
THE FUTURE.
The chief justice viewed the future of the
country from an optimistic point of view,
naming the warnings of Washington to show
how the nation has met the dangers he FORE
saw would arise, or to predict that such dangers
as may yet appear must pass without harm.
with the increase of population and wealth
and power" he said, with the spoils of office
dependent upon the elections, with vast inter-
ests affected by legislation, in the care and
disposition OF public property, the raising OF
public revenue, the grant or regulation Of
corporate powers and monopolistic combina-
tiOns. the danger ia hat al j.