Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1893-10-12
ABUSE OF POWERS.

Great powers presume great re-
probabilities. The parable OF the
talent teaches one OF the greatest
truths in nature. To whom much
ia given of him much will be re
quired. These truths are automatic,
but in real life are often forgotten
or willf1l!y disregarded.
The maxims that the king a do
no wrong; the law that he who
could read should have benefit oil
clergy; the custom that winks at
the immoralities OF prince, and
grants immunity to the peccadtlios
OF those in high life, are all in d.
rect contradiction Of this law OF
Revelation and of reason.
We alluded Friday to the gTea'
flowers lodged in the hands of the
members Of the Supreme Court OF
the United Slater; if these nen
conscious of tbier great powers, aHo
dieregardful of the consequent ter
rible responsibility, shou nse tilei'
place for base, selfish, curtrpt @
partisan purposes, what q gfieVou7
wound they would infict upon lHs
country.
If the President Of the Unitec
States should prostitute his great
powers, how an afflicted country
would cry out in anguish.
If the great jury system was inns
paired by the commissioners Of q
county putting on the list ignorant
corrupt and incompetent men, OIL
the officer in charge of summoning
juries should pack the jury with
partisaus of either side, what a ia.
tai stab would be given to this great
institution, justly called the pallas
dunn of our liberties; how soon q
justification for lynching would be
heard on every hand, by reason OF
the ineficiency and corruption Of
the jury system.
So it is with any power; its
abuse brings it into disrepute.
Education, the handsmaiden OF
religion, the beauty and adornr
ment Of the human kind, when it is
prostitated to selfish and debased
ends, when it's ~poesessors r idle
sensual, proud and corrupt, is
brought into contempt. and men
are brought to take pride in the
fact that they have not a finished
education, some men going so far
30 TO glory in the fact that they
have to SNAKE their mark" in lieu
Of signing their names
These reflections should serve tt
make us all careful of the use We
makeof any talent with which
God has intrusted ua. To be more
pointed, though, in the observations
that we ere making this mornin G
we will for q moment consider the
uae the United States Senate makes
Of the great powers i~ntrusted to lis
members.
There is, perhaps, no body Oh
earth in which as much considera-
ton, respect and Difference are paid
TO the inclinations and personal
dignity and desires of the iDdivid-
nal members as there is in the
Senate of the United States. 1t is
due also to that body to say, that
there is perhaps no body Oh earth
in which the individual members as
a whole are 80 much entitled to
such consideration.
The Senators, conscious of this
great power, mindful Of their digs
nifty and jealous Of their honor,
have used their power wisely, have
borne their dignity with becom-
ing humility, and guarded their
honor with watchful care. No
elfish aims, no proud donimeering
spirit, no unworthy ends have in
their action.
The people r clamorous against
the conduct of the present
Senate. The papers of the land
are loud in thier denunciatioD of
their inaction, and while we don't
care to enter the list of their acs
cusers we do not think it amiss to
cali their attention to the mighty
power Entrusted to them, the awful
responsibility they have assumed,
and the direful effect an abuee of
their privileges would be apt to
inject upon this and succeeding
generations.