Natchitoches populist., 1898-04-29
THIS COUNTRY FOR us.
so SAYS OUR AMERICAN CON-
STITUTION.
Ours a Government of the People, by
the People and for the People of the
United States-But all This Has Been
Repudlated In Our Financial Affairs.


We, the people of the United States,
in order to form a more perfect union,
establish Justice, provide for the COM
mon defense, secure domestic tran
quillity, promote the general welfare,
and secure to ourselves and our poster
ity the blessings Of liberty, do ordain
and establish this Constitution
BY this preamble the constitutional
powers and purposes of our govern
ment are to be interpreted, says An
son Wolcott, of Indiana, in the Silver
knight Watchman. Ours is a "gov-
ernment Of the people, by the people,
and for the people" Of the United
States Of America. All this and moth
ing less is claimed. BY this patriotic
principle, oil the powers Of congress,
all interpretations by our courts, and
all acts of our executive officers must
be measured and construed. If there be
anything done at variance with the
constitutional interests or rights Of our
people, then such thing Of variance is
a wrong which demands the promptest
redress.
The source of all governmental au-
thority In the United States is author
itatively declared to be "of and In our
people" and such power is to be exer-
cised by ouf people. The government
is a trusteeship only, and is strictly
limited by Its constitutional powers. II
any attempt shall be made to exceed
the granted powers, or to exercise such
powers, except for the purposes de.
clared In the Constitution, it Is moral
treason, and may be legal treason.
Please do not forget that our gov
ernment, under the Constitution, is ''to
promote the general welfare of the peo-
pie Of the United States, and to Sc
cure the blessings of liberty" This is
its benefcent purpose.
In his recent speech in New York, our
distinguished President, William Nc
Kinley, in all he said relative to our
agriculture manufactures. and com
merce, recognized fully and without re-
serve the duties Of our government ito
promote the general welfare Of the peo-
pie Of the United States But when
he discussed the financial policies that
should prevail In our government he
wholly forgot our people, their inter-
ests and their rights, and In long
harangue, be insisted that the United
States should discharge "all its obli-
cations, at home and abroad, in the
currency recognized as the best
throughout the civilized world at the
time of payment" totally regardless
Of the confederation paid or the terms
of the contract. Were a private citi-
zen, the attorney or agent Of a debtor
to do this thing in behalf of creditor,
and If larger sum should be paid the
creditor than the contract called for,
such attorney would In law and equity
be responsible TO the creditor for the
difference. And should the excess so
paid be paid out OF funds In the attor-
ney's hands, he would be liable to a
criminal prosecution for embezzle-
ment. The government that would do
the same thing would be morally de-
linquent I'd its people.
Besides, where in the Constitution Of
the United States is there any provi-
sion indicating that there is any duty
on the part Of the United States to
frame its currency laws SO as to con-
form to the laws of any other country
or countries? The assertion that any
such duty exists is an unpatrlotic as
sumption and is also false.
This great and independent nation
makes its own laws on all subjects.
We are not d subordinate nation. TO be
governed by the laws Of any foreign
countries whatever. The requirements
of our own special conditions, financial
or economic, are the only proper guides
in the enactment Of our laws, other
wise we cease to be an independent.
and become q contemplate, subordi-
nate nation.
MT Mckinley aspires to be our ma
tional Delilah, and would shear this
national Samson Of its locks of polit-
ical strength on this financial ques-
tion. II our national independence is
to be given away on this political
question, have We any assurance that
we will stand safely on any other ques-
tion, where interested parties shall
seek to control our governmental ac-
tion?
Applicable or inapplicabIe to us,
right or wrong, Mr.. Mckinley says,
"The currency laws of the civilized ma
tions should govern us" Why not 60
further, and say the United States
should go to numbering and robbing
the natiVeiof Asia and Africa, be-
cause the so-cailed civilized nations Of
Europe are now doing, and for many
years have been perpetrating, these
horrible atrDcities.
With Mr. Mckinley not the nature
Of the act, however unwise or afro
cious, but the standing and position oi
the parties, furnishes the data Of ap-
proval or eensure. Is Satan still an
angel Of light" when he wins 4 sns-
cess?
Regardless OF all foreign princes,
potentates. and powers" LET us firmly
Insist that America be for Ameri-