Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-28
THE LECTURES BEGIN
FRoF. WILSON DELIVERS FIRST OF
THOMAS COURSE.
CONSTITUTIONS The GENERAL THEME
A Large and Cultured Audience
Hears Him Define constitutional
Government and Discuss the Gov
erning Rules OF the Nations.

/
ence. representative OF the culture as well
as Of the fashion OF Richmond.
The lecturer was Professor woodrow
| Wilson, Phi. D., LID. Professor or Jul
risprudence and Politics in Princeton Uni
versity. His there was, What Is Con-
! stitutional Government and this was
the first of a series OF five lectures on
Constitutional Government in the United
States" Professor Wilson is a highly at
tractive speaker, both as regards manner
and subject matter, and the audience was
delighted TO a degree with the entertain
ing manner in which ne handled SUD
ject which the average individual Is apt
to find dry. He was repeatedly interrupt
ed by outbursts of applause.
President +. w. Boatwright MADE
short address welcoming the audience
and Professor Charles II. Winston In
general terms explained the object OF the
Thomas lecture endowment, ana con-
Guided with a high tribute 10 professor
Wilson. whom he introduced.
PROFESSOR WILSON'S LECTURE.
In beginning Professor Wilson said II
would be well If he could be allowed TO
pause a moment and recognize hlmseIl
he had lust listened. lie said there was
great audacity in his speaking on consu-
tutional government in Virginia, where
so many OF the brightest minds OF Ameri-
ca had eXpounded all questions emanatlns
from it. ...
Proceeding. Mr. Wilson said he would
consider the subject by asking: What Is
meant by constitutional government "a
question Of greater Importance no" IMAM
a quarter of a century ago, when CON
stitutional questions were the SUBJECT OF
the fercest political contests. AS We
grow national we, in certain sense
grow unconstitutional. The elderly men
in Congre.J who still persist in taking
Of the Constitution are apt 10 De cdileu
behind the times. The subject mas De-
come so out OF fashion that TO reintroduce
/, was like giving men new study
There Is no such thing as a written
Constitution. and for two centuries Amerl-
ca had not one A document does not
make a constitution, a constitution does
not need to be written. Every country
has a constitution. Russia has one lur-
kew has one. vet we would not call either's
a constitutional government Yet these
countries are governed closely by rule.
REGINNING OF CONSTITUTIONS.
constitutions. the speaker said, began
in 1915. when the barOns OF Britain, Win
their hands on their swords at Runny-
mede. said to King John: III you RUE
lis after the manner set forth IN TINS
document we will be ruled; II you DO not
we will be your rulers
The speaker said a student OF his from
Korea recently said he believed his coin-
try was slowly approaching a constltu-
ton. The people there no longer allowed |
n magistrate 10 decide a case as he chose |
with no reference TO the laws and Gus
toms. without raising objection and or
gani2ed tumult.
Men must know what they want, and |
how to set in motion forces 10 obtain |
that which is needed When a community |
Is able 20 separate Itself from the govern
ment. and TO see what ii needs, there con-
stitutional government begins or is about
70 begin. England and America have con-
stitutional governments, because the peo-
ME are unable 70 see its absurdities. They |
are Of Il race slow 10 see a joke. We 90
along in a sober. matter-of-fact way, ana
are thus able 10 be free. The French are
able to see a joke quickly. They see an
absurdty IN their government long before
we see one In ours. Consequently, they
cannot regard their government with
love because they see it Is ridiculous.
Rulers in France have had to be despotic
to avoid epigrams, the deadly enemy OF
government.
The difference between despotic and
government is that the first
is restrained by a set Of rules which no
body understands; the last is restrained
by rules which everybody understands.
A despotc government is the most hap
hazard government known 10 the world.
There is no need Of a written document.
We had to have a document. because we
had TO have in our Constitution provisions
and agreements for tomorrow
A CONSTITUTIONAL ABSURDITY.
The British Constitution is unwritten;
IL has no dates. 1t is the growth of CEN
turies. Just in proportion as the makers
Of our Constitution built out Of old mate
rial they built well. The speaker alluded
to the absurdity of the electoral college
one of those absurdities TO which he had
alluded
The Constitution is but a record of our
preceding thought and habit. 1t contains
no new thing. The people won't do what
is not natural. The French, ever since the
Revolution OF 1883, have been trying 70
do as we do. and have failed. Why? Be
cause it is not natural for them 10 do so
They are like that artist, who, being IN
able to ind his old collar, put on a clean
one. Going downtown, he was looking
into a window, and saw his own refec-
ton. He was shocked He rubbed his
dirty hands over his collar, and then he
was all right again. We must not have
too much new in government, nor in po-
litical speeches. We must not shock the
people.
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.
why is representative government the
best on earth? Mr.. Wilson asked. Will
au.- man saw our average legislature or |
Congress can make better laws than a
commission of experts? The object o.
assemblies is essentially |
10 watch the rulers The work of the |
House Of Commons is chiefly TO watch
the ministers The great secret OF British
stability and French mutabillty Is, Bri
tain has learned how 10 change rulers |
without cutting of their heads, France |
has not. The House Of Commons can get
rid of the ministers, who are the rulers,
In a single night.
The speaker briefly dwelt upon the ne
,essity Of keeping absolutely independent
the courts that are TO pass upon the con-
Of laws.
The makers OF our Constitution almost
adjourned without putting into Il a
Magma Charta-a bill of rights-a sum
nary of individual rights, and Virginia
,alled attention to the omission. and the
addition was made. the very language
II Magma Charta. and the English Bill
II Rights, and court decisions establish .
ng the rights of individuals being used
rhe growth Of constitutional government
las been slow. but at every step 1t has
,orne the impress Of national thought
md habit.
The lecturer was warmly applauded on
concluding. and for ten or fifteen min