St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-02-18

fundamental maxims of true liberty.
The basis of our political systems is
the right of the people to make and
alter their constitutions Of govern
ment. But the constitution which
at any time exists, until changed by
an explicit and authentic act of the
whole people, is sacredly obligatory
upon ALL" No stronger presentation
Of the necessity for respect for law
has been spoken in American his
tory.
"All distractions to the execution
of the laws, all combinations and as
soeiations, under whatever plausible
character, with the real design to di-
rect, control, counteract, or awe the
regular deliberations and actions of
constituted authorities, are destrue-
tive of this fundamental priciple and
of fatal tendency. They serve to or
ganize faction; to give it an artificial
and extraordinary force; to put in
the place of the delegated will of the
nation, the will of party, often a
small but artful and enterprising
minority of the community, and, ac-
cording to the alternate triumphs of
different parties, to make the public
administration the mirror of the i'll
concerted and homogeneous projects
Of faction, rather than the organ of
consistent and wholesome plans, di-
gested by common councils and modi-
fed by mutual interests"
Toward the preservation of your
government and the permanency of
your present happy state, it is re-
quisite not only that you steadily
discountenance irregular oppositions
to it's acknowledged authority, but
also that you resist with care the
spirit of innovation upon its princi-
pies, however specious the pretexts.
One method of assault may be to af-
feet in the forms of the constitution
alterations which will impair the en-
ergy of the system, and thus to un-
dermine what cannot be directly ov-
erthrown. In all the changes to which
you may be invited remember that
time and habit are at least as neces-
sary to fix the true characters of gov
ernments as of other human institu-
tions-that experience is the surest
standard by which to test the ten
dency of the existing constitution of
a country-that facility in changes
upon the credit of mere hypothesis
and opinion exposes to perpetual
change from the endless variety of
hypothesis and opinion-and remem-
Der, especially, that for the efficient
of your common inter
ests, in a country so extensive as
ours, a government of as much vigor
as is consistent with the perfect Sc
curity of liberty is Indispensable. Lib
erty itself will find in such a govern
ment, with powers properly distrib-
uted and adjusted, its surest guard
ian. 1t is, indeed, little else than
name, where the government, is too
feeble to withstand the enterprises of
faction, to confine each member of
the society within the limits prescrib-
ed by the laws, and to maintain all
in the secure and tranquil enjoyment |
of the rights of person and prop
erty."
''It is important, likewise, that the
habits of thinking in a free country
should inspire caution in those in
trusted with it's administration to
confine themselves within their res
pective constitutional spheres, avoid
ing, in the exercise of the power of |
one department, to encroach upon |
another. The spirit of encroachment |
tends to consolidate the powers of all
in one, and thus create, !
whatever. the form of government, a
real despotism.''
What text for editorial comment |
Is given above. But we prefer to
leave to the reader the pleasure of |
selecting his own principles and tests !
for the great variety of questions be-
fore him in his town, state and ma
tional governments. We cannot re-
frain, however, from inquiring if the |
title of "a Has Been" won by care
full adherence to the above rules and !
principles, is not more honorable !
than that of Leader in the faction
al, inexperienced and despotic prop |
ositions that prevail for a moment
to be displaced by more factional, |
more inexperienced and more des-
potic propositions