Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-20

The historian Grote speaks of the
fact that a nation may acquire the
habit of constitutional immortality.
and notes such a habit as a mark
of national decadence.
Nothing more surely indicates de-
cay in the moral character of a ma
ton than disposition to break
away from the restraints of it's con-
stitution. This must be apparent
when we consider what is the nature
and office of a constitution.
Constitutional government is not,
as some vainly talk. u government
by the majority; but ii is a govern
ment by the majority under the re-
straints and limitations of the con-
stitution. There are things which a
majority can not do under constitu-
tional government. a constitution
is, therefore, the protection of the
minority against the passion and OPP
preston of the ma jority. Under a
republican form of government in
which the people are sovereign, the
constitutional restraints put over
maiorities are like those limitations
of law put upon kings under con-
stitutionai monarchies. The humblest
and obscurist citizen of Great Brit
ain is protected against the oppres-
sion Of the king by constitutional
principles which no British monarch
has dared to infract since Charles L
lost his head for such infractions.
In like manner the poS'est and
weakest man in the United States is
defended against the oppression of
the majority by constitutional prin-
ciples which all the civil officers OF
the land, from president to consta-
BILE, are sworn to support In the
absence of such restraints no mans
liberty in our country would be Sc
cure. 1t behooves every man, there
fore. to insist upon absolute respect
and submission 70 the fundamental
law of the republic and the states.
Constitutions are the embodiment
of great fixed principles of right. not
subject to sudden changes, as the
fickle feelings or transient interests
of the ma ority may dictate. Statutes
may vary with varying conditions.
but the principles established in a
constitution are not subject to such
muta tions. In the main, constitution
al limitations are the expression of
essential and eternal rules of right
and wrong; they are ethical in their
character. When, therefore, men or
nations grow impatient Of constitu-
tional principles. they show thereby
a disposition towards immortality
and manifest q desire to dethrone
righteousness and set up their own
wilfulness in the place of moral law.
Once they set out on such a course
neither they nor any one else can say
where they will stop; their des tina
tion becomes as uncertain as ca
PRECIOUS desire and lawless expe-
diency can make it, All political
conduct under such conditions be-
comes a mere matter of power with
out regard to principle. Dema-
gogues flourish at such times. fiat
tering the majority with high
sounding eulogies OF 1.-The people" in
order to accomplish their own ambi-
tious designs and selfish ends. All
the distinctions of right and wrong
become dim and waVering in the
minds of the people, conscience
grows feeble and virtue withers.
MiuOrities are oppressed. and the in
dividual becomes the sport of popu-
lar waves of super-heated sentiment.
Even demagogues cease to be Sc
cure; for one follows another in
quick succession as the fitful pur-
poses OF a tickle populace change
from one sensat ion to another. just
who were the idols of the people
on one day were guillotined the next
amid cries OF popular execration.