The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-10-26

legislation by the people, such as
prevailed in ancient Athens = in Il
word, mOboeratic rule. We are a
government of the people, for the
people. and by the representatives of
the people. These representatives.
whether executive or legislative, are
enforced and held to government
really aud truly by the people, in the
only sense pr,ctica blefor an immense
continental hotnuin, hy accoHifabiii-
~ To iaw--the common sovereign Of
governors alike-and by short ten
ores OF Office involving frequent aud
automatic vacations of office, and
consequent reversiOn of authority to
the people themselves, AZ the real ru-
hers and masters, the Warwicks of
American politics, the settlers mp and
topplers down of kings. Thus We
constitute ~ popular orpeopie's gov
ernment. and, in that sense, We are
all Populists.
ave are Federal and not ~ con-
<olidated Republic. In certiin
sense the Federal Government is not
the government of the United States
1T all, hut q piece Of political ma
chinery contriyed to prOtecr the sew
aral governments of the several Uni
ted States ami the people residing in
them from foreign and from mutual
aggression. All VIII o understand
that We are Federal Republic APP
precinte the Importance of local SELF
government within State lines, per-
hitting evolutionary development OF
communities, each confronted with
it's peculiar problems. Our Federal
system permits infinite experiment
without NATIONAL hurt, securing both
liberty and strength by diversity in
unity. In that sense, then. we ar
all Federalists. In word, we arr
all American in all that constitutes
devotion to the body-politic. and the
essential spirit or souI-politic Of the
great Rrpnbln. the worlds hes I
hope now Ms when Tiionias Jeffer
son said it was.
"Being n representative and not II
direct Democracy, We may we'll ash
whether our representative system
has justified the hope Of our fathers,
aud especially whether our Presidents
the highest embodiment of it, have
justified that hope?
Il answer, YES! Y0a cannot in the
history of any country, ancient oi
modern. lind "a succession of twenty.
Ave kings empsrors, or even prime
ministers, the equals in intelligence
culture, courage and character, ot
the twenty five Presidents Of this
great Republic, from Washington tG
Roosevelt, both inclusive. Of these
II, a Southern Bourbon Democrat
have an American pride and pleasure
in saying that the last is not least.
MIR. President and fellow-citizens
This is an OCCASION of mutual honor
1t il an honor for the President d
the United States even to be TIN
guest of the people nf this historic
town aud of this great State. Some
Of this audience, Mr.. President, AR
the remnant of the cann0neers, cave
jewellers AMI indicators at the great
siege; others are the descendants q
those whose fOrtitude unsurpassed
made that siege ever memorable. II
ia an honor. too, even for a President
of the United States to be the guest
AZ you are to-day, of the citizens o
Mississippi, the State OF George Puin
dexter, Robert j. Walker, Senrgenl
Preutiss. Jefferson Davis, l.. Q. Z. La
mar, Edward Carey Waithaii, Jane,
T. George; the State also OF William
Barksslale, Carnot Posey, Feather
ston, Burt. and all the men Of hrroi,
mold who followed those ilIustriou.
| dead
1T is, on the other hand, an honor
for you aud me, fellow Mississippians
to meet and To entertain with old
time, full-hearted Southern hospital
ity the Hon. Theodore Roosevelt. IN
honor flowing at once from his OH
cial dignity and nom his many ex
cellent traits of private character.
al. =: ...., Isl.:<.e M.<rsuf PEE. fo mar