Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-06-03
SOMETHING ABOUT REFORM,

When political degradation becomes mani
lest by the description of men elevated to of
hce-when public interests are jeopardized and
errors and confusions become spread over the
statutes, through the incapacity of those elect
ed to the General Assembly-when public ere.
dt and public honor are paralyzed-when high
stations in a Republic cease to reflect lustre
and honor-when men, known for great talent,
their i~ncorruptible integrity and their exemplaS
ry life, shrink from the ~loftiest positions in the
State, because they have previously been filled
and disgraced, by those unworthy of such pub
he favors, but who gained their positions, due
alone to merit, through fraud and corruption
when a. this and much more, which constitute
a depraved state Of the public mind, become
evldentto the"sober. second thought Of good,
sensible and rejecting men of both parties, it
Is a natural consequence that deep mortitica-
ton will arise in their minds, and a determine
ton, If ever an occasion offers, to rid the coun-
try OF the foul disgrace which such 4 state of
things infict upon it.
Public evils of the description here alluded
to, among a people distinguished for their tai.
ent and patriotism, cannot exist for any great
length of time, but the requisite reform will at
last come, sweeping, high and low, from the
body polite. all that is foul aud corrupt, and
ignorant, connected with it. 1t is unnecessary
to say that such a reform has undoubtedly com.
menced in this State the fact is too p%ercepti>
bic for contradiction. And it is equally unne.
cessary to add--taking in view the manner in
which our elections in certain localities, were
conducted, the description of men who have
been honored with important public trusts, and
the manner in which such trusts have been ia
Ken care of-that such a reform was greatly
needed, IT the true interests of the State and
the people are ever TO be regarded.
Great politica! epochs are not brought abou,
oy the will or the extraordinary ability of any
one man or combination of men: but when |
those epochs appear as the harbingers of better
times, they are the natural production which
arise from a dastardly condition of the public |
morals.
When, in a Republic, "honesty, capacity and
hdellty," cease to be recommendations for Of
f'ce, the people may well tremole for the safety
OF their institutions. That these characteris-
tics (the only ones which the inward PROMPT.
lngs OF our mind tells US, which should elevate
a man to any office in the gift of the peop+)
nave been most ou'rageousIy overlooked in
TINS State IN nominations that have been made.
no one having any claim to honesty and intel.
''genee, can deny. Here, perhaps to a greater
extent than in any other State in the Union,
have demagogues and their satellites, men with
much CAB and little brains and a great deal less
honesty, lead the van in all nominations for
off'ce been successful in carrying their ticket,
and in filling up the Legislature with reprcsen-
tatlves who make unwise and contradictory
and acting in some instances in direct vi.
olation of the instructions of the constitution
And here, more than in any other State doubts ;
ess, are there a larger number of worthy cit.
zens who, for fear of being disguised at scenes '
'lckenlng to the heart of an American, are in.
luced to keep away from the ballot.box, and I
hus it is left to the mercy. of those who are !
to destroy its virtue and its dignity.
Who, then, is not in favor of reform in our
%'olitical action and in our political, feelings, ,
such as has been commenced in New Orleans) 9
{ such a slate of things, asalluded to above, ,
xist in Louisiana! We have but to maintain !,
the right with unfinehing frmness--to .
watch the ballot-box with a ~sieepless jealousy y
land to throw off the prejudices of party !
While contending for the general good; and i
he day is not far distant when it will be con. !,
an honor of high. distinction to worthy !,
nd eminent men to be exalted to the most ell. J.
waited positions in the State, instead of it be- r
,g at present a matter of very questionable .
onor or dignity.
Reform is the hand-maid of Progress.- 4
While the latter pushes forward blindly vet p
its strides for the accomplishment 81
t great events, the former necessarily follows -
strengthen and keep invioIate those .priuci- v
les which such events originate. Let all of
then, who are not entirely swallowed up BY
tile petty prejudices, strike a noble blow for v,
in our political system; and, declar- ST
that We acknowledge no dictation save that to
hlch springs from virtue, truth, and love of be
.untry, buckle on our armour, and never til
till the purity of olden times again pre- al
il throughout the land. pl
% /,
Them's our Sentiments! ",
Some one has said, "if you wish to serve hu- i;