Heretofore there has been no inquiry made by the rulers of the people into the general principles of government. It was sufficient that there was a government maintained, the governors caring for little but the power to compel the people to do their bidding. But it is beginning to dawn upon the minds of those who have something more than a selfish interest in humanity that there _is a science_ of government; aye, even that there is a science of society: and such minds are endeavoring by the deepest researches to discover the principles of these sciences. In our government, the principle of individual rights is theoretically held, though in its application government still interferes with those rights. The legitimate functions of a government, based upon the rights of every individual over whom its power is exercised, are limited to the _duties_ that will best _subserve_ and _protect_ the interests of individuals. The proper understanding and practice of these functions is the most important thing for a people to arrive at, but, having arrived at this as the basis of all the relations of the people, the scientific construction of the various departments of the complete superstructure which is to cover all the public interests of all the people, as well as to maintain their private interests intact, can be begun. After the general principles of government are properly formulated in Constitutions and vitality given them by laws, a correct, a scientific financial system stands _next_ in importance. If a country have a true system of _government_, and do not have a true system of _finance_, it can never attain to any _permanent_ prosperity. Literally speaking, finance is a _part_ of government; since, in organizing it, means for its support are among the first considerations. Hence it is plain, if there are principles of government, so must there also be principles of finance. It has never been pretended, so far as I know, even by the profoundest political economists, who are sticklers for the gold standard, that any financial systems the world has ever known were developed by the scientific application of self-evident truths, which is the nature of principles. The various systems of which use has been made were simply _experimental_, devised for _politic_ reasons, as the _best_ methods to meet the exigencies of the times in which they were required. Instance the Greenback, the necessity for which was such as to shake the nation to its very centre, and to fill the minds of all patriots with a dread foreboding.