The Opelousas courier., 1889-04-13
U
Hhy They Should A~ssiduoussy STUDY tns
principles of Government.

Shy They should A~ssiduousay Study the
principles of Government.
To soy that he comprehends tn Fed
s-sl power in all its immensitySin all
it's qualifications, in all its ~far-reAching
effects, is to pay him q compliment as
tbe exnepse of fact. TO know the re-
atty, to know how far 1t is actually
working out the purpose for which 1t
was established, and how far it has
swerved from it's true course, he must
know more than constitutional prin-
ciples: he must know the laws. the
agencies created by those laws, what
those agents are doing, and the
methods which they employ. His
knowledge, at the best, Is buCa smat-
tering to him, at all, the Government
Is little else than d conjecture, q fancy
an airy, intangible, invisible theory:
This is blunt speech. For there are
tens of thousands of citizens who have
very clear and correct notions about
what the Government is, and about
what it ought to be. The average
| American is, to be sure, an indefinite
sort of person, and he is apt to think
aud know more about public Affairs
than he shows. But there is one class
A Americans to which he does not be-
long Americans who, unfortunately
do take a practical view" OF things.
They know the Blue Book better than
they know TIE Constitution; they look
upon the Government simply as q great
collection of offices; they know the
salary attached to every office, and
their highest and only ambition, as
citizens, is to secure the best-paying
Offices for themselves. The American,
with his theory" and imperfect knowl-
edge, is so far ahead Of this type of
enlightenment" as to put comparison
out of all question.
The American who glories in the
majesty of the Republic, and who val
les his own freedom, can not afford to
iream; the duty he owes to~the COM
nonwealth, to society and to himself,
he can not, with honor or safety ignore.
The true grandeur of u Governmer'
depends upon the justice OF its laws;
those laws depend upon the virtue, the
patriotism cd the wisdom of the peo'
pie. The fight for independence die
not end with the treaty of peace; MOI
did the adoption OF the Constitution
settle forever all questions OF civil lib"
erty and government. Dangers have
appeared in the past; dangers menace
us to-day; dangers will yet arise. They
may come from the direction OF the
Government, or they may come from
society, as evils for the Government X
meet.
The subject of government is a pro
found and momentous one, yet it is no
wholly beyond the grasp of the young
1t would be an error for parents OF
teachers to withhold it from you aGsgI
matter reserved for older minds. Iol
can not be too much impressed by
consciousness of its gravity; you cal
not take too broad a view of Nationa
destiny and of your rights and dutie
as younger citizens; you can not stud.
these things too soon.
You are not expected to plunge a
once into the de bhs OF 'politica
sciences" you need lot vex your earl!
wits over abstruse economic" puz
:. zles. With time and experience will
come ability t@handle disputed prob
lens, and to follow the drift Of Ma
; sional policy and power. At the start
. the mask of mystery should be LITE
!. off; the reality of government shout
stand before your thoughts Edmun
Alton, in st. Nicholas.