The People’s Mandate in Government
The Chicago Times-Herald is one of the two leading administration papers of the United States. Yet it is obliged to enter a protest against “this perverse activity” in a course “not contemplated by the Constitution,” that “is unworthy of the administration and a betrayal of the people who have worked assiduously for its retention in office.” Oh, no, that is not a betrayal of the people: it is simply a consistent procedure upon the overwhelming indorsement of the people; for it was all in full swing more than a year ago. And this is exactly the view taken by the administration itself; for in the very first public utterance of the President after the election, he said: “It has to me no personal phase. It is not a triumph of an individual, nor altogether a party; but an emphatic declaration by the people of what they believe, and would have maintained in GOVERNMENT.” It must never be forgotten that this is a republic—a representative government of the people.