Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1893-02-15


The large audience At the meeting of
the Workingmen's Club last night in
Mission Chapel, we're entertained bv an
Interesting and able lecture on THE Rea-
sons Why the United States Government
has been stable la While other Republics
Government has not been stable :" The
lecturer, Lieutenant G b. T. Moore. Z.
5. N. said in part
As we all know, very well. the maiori-
~ OF the settlements In the original ihfr-
teen states were made by men who were
seeking home Ia the wilderness In order
10 escape from religious persecution. the
only encouragement given them, for the
most part, was the privilege of making
their own laws and OF owning so much OF
the wilderness as they might subdue by
their own labor. The mother country
gave them no assurance of indemnity in
case OF failure. The government was
looked TO by our people, solely as an
institution 10 protect them from the thief,
murderer and raYisher.
They created governments for CONTROL
ing their affairs, that each man should be
able TO enjoy the full value Of his own
product. People had TO be selected 10
devote their whole time 10 the govern.
ment, ana these being the best men, were
selected bYvote.
THE development of the institutions
OF this country went on without inter
ruption from the settlement Of James.
town to the treaty of Paris. Then when
after seven years OF war. they formed
themselves q series of communities. bound
together by no ties they saw they must
unite or die The result of this was
the Confederation. which was so limited
in III q rr1 ~
no power To enforce any decree. 1t could
assess taxes upon the thirteen states, but
had no power 10 collect. Owing to this
emasoulated form Of government. the POI
litical and financial credit fell TO nothing,
The uselessness Of the confederation, az
ter some years. was universally Iecogniz.
ed, and the result was the adoption of
the present constitution. This constitution
having become the supreme law of the
land, the people constituted themselves
It's guardians. This constitution cannot
be amended but by the consent of the
peoplc.or violated without their assent.
"Our government, though commonly
spoken of as the richest in the world, as
IL Is in one sense, Is the most utterly
poverty stricken in the land Our gov
eminent is poor because IL has no dollar
OF revenue independent Of the voluntary
contributions OF the people aud cannot
expend dollar the people do not con.
sent to.
THE reason for all the order and sta
bility OF our government Is the fact that
our people have not only borne the bur-
dens of government but have been the
government itself.
Whatever policy has been carried out
successfully has been the policy of the
people, Politicians and politics come
and go; policies change; but through'eve-
nv storm that rocks our ship OF state, II
Is the people and the people alone. who
hold the helm, trim the sails and steer
her into safe waters.
when public Office becomes private
perquisite; when we cease to obey the
people; when our people lose the virtue
which has hitherto distinguished them
among the nations OF the earth; when
they begin to expect the government TO
support the individual and not the In.
diyidual TO support the government, the
strong will Cypress the weak. revolutions
will come, and our system will pass
away"
Lieutenant Moore referred TO the re
publics OF the Western Continent, end
the mistakes they had made, the causes
of revolutions in foreign countries. eot.
The lecture was one of the ablest that
has ever been delivered before the club.
The audience was further entertained
by musical and literary programme,
consisting Of singing. plano solos. reci-
tations, humorous readings, etc. These
entertainments are not only interesting
but instructive.