The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1858-10-27

ANoTHER DEMOCRATIC LAw.--Ne give
/ below an extract from a sspriyate and contiden-
tial" circular sent forth to the Office holders and
chief leaders of The "faithful' throughout the
south and west by the Washington Union. As
i tits another of those mysterious claws" which
the presidents official organ is SO fond of pra
!, ting about, we publish it for the benefit Of al
whom it may concern in this section of country
| Large numbers of these circulars have been re
ceived by democrats in Ohio, Kentucky, Indi
ana, Missouri and Alabama, and they came
franked from the departments, at Washington
One of them was handed by the receiver to the
editor Of the Cincinnati Gazette, and Mr.. Ho
vey, of Indiana, while canvassing his distric
for congress, read from the hustings the circu
lar to his constituents. 1t is a precious docu
ment: ga. Ell, r-s.--- Ez
Sir: In view Of the threatening condition O
public affairs, in order to strengthen and con
soldate the democratic party, and produce uni
ty of action throughout the country, it has beer
determined that the Washington Union shall be
amply endowed and put in condition Of com.
plete efficiency, as Great Central Newspaper
Organ. It is well known that the Union is ir
a position to understand the views of the ad
fhinistration, and of its democratic friends In
congress. ".... ,. r- ..g4.rr .,.s
Your active aid to extend the circulation Of
the Union is solicited and expected 1t is due
to the great party whose cause is yours and
ours, and whose triumph is the preservation Of
the government, that this enterprise, which is
undertaken solely with a view of maintaining
and Strengthening the democracy of the coun.
try, should be cordially supported by you.''
Plain talk, that! Instead of attending to the
duties they are paid to perform, the office hol-
ders are expected" nay, ordered, to procure
subscribers to the Union. That little word
respected" when connected with an ntima-
ton that such is the wish or will of the execu-
tive becomes an order, and means that there
is to be a penalty for non compliance. II tells
that no federal Office -holder or understrapper
is safe in his position who neglects the duty
of drumming up subscribers and increasing
the circulation of the Union.' 1t is welding
the official patronage and money of the general
government directly to the support of poiti-
cal journal presidents special organ! In
stead of the old-lime standard, is he honest?
is he capable? is he faithful to the constitution?
the qualifications requisite to Office are: Does
he subscribe for the Washington Union? will
he drum up diligently and use every effort to
increase its circulation? That is the last new
plank put into the democratic platform. We
may one of those days expect the promul cation
of another official claw" ordering every man,
woman and child in America to subscribe for
the Washington Union.
The Richmond Enquirer. the venerable re-
cognised organ of Virginia democracy, and eel
ebrated for its strong love Of" free trade" and
incorporating hostility to tariffs and the prin-
ciple of incidental protection, has turned its
jacket, and now advocates such an increase OF
the tariff as will afford protection to the iron in
terest. This is a clear Reputation of the free
trade dogma of southern democracy and con
cession of the wisdom of the cid whig party
and of the true craftsmanship of its doctrines.
1t is a singular fact that of late years the demo
cracy has been compelled, in order to carry on
the government and retain the confidence Of
the people, in many instances to abandon their
own policy and much talked of "principles, -
and adopt the policy of their ancient opponents.
| The have went further, and made hief-leaders
of democracy out of every old line whig they
could seduce into their camp; and, by so doing
admit their own incapacity to manage the af-
fairs of the nation.
The result Of the recent animated contest in
Texas, between Buckley and Bell, for associate
justice of the supreme court has been promu-
gated in the Austin Intelligencer The official
vote gives G. W. Buckley. democratic nominee,
24,904; and j. H. Bell, independent, 1896;
Bells majority, 421. The vote of Pamela and
Hidal 90 counties failed to reach the state de-
partment. Hda)go gave Buckley major
ity of 179, and Pamela a majority of 76-total
| 255 If the returns of these two counties had
been received, Bells ma ority would have been
reduced to 1865. A close contest, indeed
Considering that Texas is largely democratic,
more SO than any other State in the confede-
racy the result must be viewed as a severe re-
buke to the caucus system by which candi-
dates are brought cut and forced on the people
->-~~~0~N~~~--1~--~~~---~
EXPENSES IN CRIMINAL Prosecutions
ifs and clerks Of courts, will be somewhat sur
prised to know that the supreme court, at its
session in Monroe, in July last, decided the act
of March 18th, 1857, entitled an act relative
to the payment of expenses incident to the
prosecution of criminals, unconstitutional The
question came up in the case of the parish OF
Bossier VS.. L, f. Steele, sheriff, in which the
State of Louisiana Through the district attor-
ney intervenes.
In March, 1857 judgment was rendered
against McKeown and his sureties, in crimi-
nal prosecution for the sum of $4,000, on his
appearance bond. The judgment was affirmed
| by the supreme court. In August 1857, the
money was made on execution. The decision
of the supreme court declares the act of 1857
unconstitutional, and orders the money to be
paid over to the parish The court on this, as
nearly all other questions was divided-"Sp
ford dissenting" In the decision which is
given in full, the court declares the act of 1857
| Il A IL