The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1894-02-14
democracy
IN America.
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT.

the forms OF government have been un-
dergoing changes. Nearly every form
has been tried, in almost every country
with ever-varying success Republican
forms of government have prevailed in
Rome and the grecian states, and other
places, for time. These have all de-
cayed and gone to pieces, partly through
their imperfections, but mostly owing to
the entertainments of centraliz d power
and wealth have they been changed,
till now most Of the world is governed
by absolute sovereigns. These rulers
make laws for themselves and construe
and execute them at their individual
pleasure. In Great Britain and few
others the regal power is restrained by
legislative authority, which is in fact
elective by the people.
A purely Democratic form of govern
ment, like that one existing in Athens
is impracticable in a country like ours.
The people cannot all assemble to make
the laws and act upon questions as they
may arise, and such a government can
only exist in small Independent commu-
mites. Even where it has been tried its
workings are open to much adverse crit
icism. Large multtudes of men are too
often swayed by passion and popular APP.
peals, instead of being controlled by
reason and r. Fiction. A government of
this form, when urged on by excitement,
plays the tyrant without restraint or
remedy. The populous is ready to be-
head a Demosthenes to-day and weep
DER his tomb tomorrow.
In this our own country, we set the
first example of written constitutions,
comforting upon the majority, with GER
tain limitations, full power to govern,
through representatives chosen by the
people. Although not free from defects,
| this is the best form of government yet
| devised by man. 1t is deliberative.
Ample time Is allowed the elector in Sc
Letting his agents. These agents are ac-
countable to the people for the manner
in which they perform their duties.
The representatives have the benefit OF
full discussion before they act or make
law. They are held responsible for their
actions. Broad errors will defeat their
prospects for future service, or hope Of
promotion. Both the people and the
representatives act with more delibera-
ton than large masses of men, who
neither owe nor feel responsibility to
any one for anything their interest or
passion may induce them to do.
Under our written constitutions both
the people and the representatives are
restrained and confined in the exercise
of their powers to such matters as they
can act upon intelligently and success
fully for the public good. Under the
state governments the legislative power
is so distributed as to prevent combina-
tons, or indiscreet or excited or local
action. The members OF the most nu-
merous branch Of our legislative bodies
are selected from limited territories and
for short periods, while those Of the
least numerous branch are chosen from
larger territories and for longer terms.
The Chief Magistrate, who is armed
with the veto power, is selected from
the whole state. Local feelings, short
lived excitements, and combinations
can hardly extend to all. The action of
each is a check upon the other, and
tends to secure the thoughtful and wise
action of all.
The national Government is clothed
with large powers, carved out of those
once belonging to each state. These
powers have been surrendered by the
several States for the common good OF
all. One branch OF its Legislature is
elected by the people every two years,
from limited territory, by nearly uni
versal suffrage. The other branch is
elected by the several State Legislatures,
representatives OF the people, but not by
the people direct, for term OF six years
This branch has the same functions
with one exception as the more numer-
GUS branch, and exercises an advisory
Limitation upon the treaty.making and
appointing powers OF the Executive
The President is clothed with a limited
veto power which strongly tends to pre-
vent hasty and ill-advised action OF the
two Houses. Under both State and
national Governments judicial depart
ment is established before which all
questions Of legal right and constitution
al power can be deliberately contested,
When the law-making power has ex-
ceeded the boundries of its authority,
this judicial department declares the
enactments null and void. Under both
National and State constitutions the
powers OF the Chief Executive and all
subordinate officials, down to country
magistrate, are carefully hedged about,
with the view of securing TO the citizen
every right TO which he is entitled AS
defects are discovered, new remedies are
devised and applied to secure the indie
pendence OF man. II, with all these
precautions, wrong creeps in, 1t is mole
likely to be the fault OF the agent than
Of the system. We cannot expect per-
lection in either, but, when compared
with others II is very apparent that our
system OF government is the best on