The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-16

which IL. Of course. a principle Of con-
struction that can be extended indenn'te-
~ and made TO authorize Congress to do
anything whatever that II desires to do
The Dispatch rather upbralds The Times
for having commented severely upon
Chief Justice Waite for leading IN certain
"agrarjan" decisions that the Supreme
Court made while he was In office. The
Times adheres to every word OF censure
Il then passed on that officer. and II is
lust as fixed in It's disapproval or the
legal tender decisions OF that tribunal.
When our National Government was
formed. II was with the understanding
that II should have charge OF all the mat
ters that were common to all the people
OF all the States. such as the making OF
war. the regulation Of commerce between
the States and between the United States
and foreign countries and the coinage Of
the precious metals and regulating the
value thereof These were matters In
which the people OF Virginia and the
people OF Massachusetts had a common
interest But all matters of a local ma
ture, such as the punishment OF crimes,
the making Of roads. the regulation OF
marriage and divorce and the issue OF
mercantile paper-promises to pay
money by whomever issued-were TO be
left to the local jurisdictions to be con-
trolled by the State governments. As
thus designed, our Government was the
perfection of a government, since, as far
as the organization OF human society will
permit. 1t left the individual entirely free
TO work out his own destiny I'm his own
way. unhampered and unrestrained by any
in the making. reforming or enforcement
Of which his own individuality could be
made TO count for all II was worth. This
theory contemplated but one money. that
coined from the precious metals. It con-
templated that substitutes for money.
that is, paper promises TO pay money.
should all be upon the same footing. and
such as each State chose TO allow TO be
issued. except that no State was herself
10 issue bills OF credit. and that the
United States might temporarily antici-
pate her revenues by issuing her paper
promises TO pay money to such persons
as might be willing TO accept them.
But the new-fangled construction Of
those things which are necessary and
proper" has done away entirely with
this the noblest theory OF government
ever devised by the wit OF man. When II
perverts a power TO coin money into
power 10 convert a rag into a piece OF
metal, and turns a commission to do
those things necessary for the welfare
Of all the people into an authority TO
interfere with each neghborhood's time
honored methods Of dealing with those
things pertaining to 1t alone, II has wholly
broken down the barriers that were set
up between the governments. State and
national. and turned the whole thing into
one vast empire TO be ruled In all mat
tiers. according to the despotic will Of a
central Congress The Dispatch may be
content with. and may applaud this over
throw OF what our Government was In
tended 10 be. But The Times will never
cease to appeal to the people to remember
that Government which they intended to
create, and to force their servants to
bring their official action back within
the lines that were originally laid down
On the one side we have despotsm, arbi-
trary authority and n return to right:
on the other We have liberty and the ever
progressive development OF the individual
and OF a well regulated society.