The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1858-10-13


When the Washington Union, few week
since, promulgated the official edict that it wa
the duty Of all federal office holders to conni
butte per centage of their salaries to the *tad
vancement of the democratic cause the Lou
isana Courier and few minor organs at TIL
south pretended to receive the proclamation
with Indignation. They knew that a prope
regard for public feeling demanded that tn
new measure should be denounced, although
> they were well aware that during the past fv'
years the assessment had been regularly made
and the money paid by federal Office holder
throughout the Union; and also aware that
majority Of the State officers were likewise as
sessed for the same purpose But there is no
one ,of them who would for moment hesitate
to rejoice over a political victory which they
kne;s was procured by the use of these very
. subsidies. The democratic organs at the north
put h bold face on the matter, and vented no
a word Of censure, for the reason that the fac
was: too notorious to admit of public denial
The Lynch burg Virginian contains some very
appropriate structures On this claw of the dem
ocraey," and says that the history of New York
politics, and the practices of Tammany hall pol
iticians, have long been scandal and reproach
to the Union. New York was the original the
atre in which bribery and corruption were per-
formed, and the multitude of ignorance, pow
erty and distress in The city afforded thousands
of independent voters" whose suffrage was
up fer the highest bidder. The success that
attended the experiment of controlling elections
in New York by money, led to the employment
of the same means elsewhere. Even the south
has rot been free from the disgrace. The Pla-
quennes fraud in Louisiana, in 1914, is too
fresh in the memory of our readers and by far
too notorious, to require comment. The prac-
tce originated at the north, but speedily found
its way to the south. The lafhented VIM. R.
King while vice PRESIDENT said he hoped never
to sec the day when the tactics of New York
politicians would be introduced into the south;
but had he lived few months longer he would
have tonfessed that they had been introduced
into more than one southern State. Washing
ton is now the headquarters of the New York
political intri giants, instead of Wan street and
Albany. The money ito support the cause of
the democracy" and for controlling elections in
all parts of the Union, is now distributed from
the federal capitol, and the assessment of Office
holders, added to the voluntary contributions
of favorite contractors and of the wealthy mem
bers of the party, constitute a fund with which
the cl ief leaders carry out their plans. The
people at large see but little of these transac-
tons, for the reason that the masses are too
virtuous to suspect that such nefarious schemes
could even be concocted; butin any close con-
test in southern State for members of con
gress or presidential electors, the meaning Of
the Unions article isvery plainly demonstrated.
Unsel6sh political virtue, instead of being the
rule, is fast getting to be the exception. Dur
ing the late presidential contest the country
from Canada TO the gulf of Mexico and from
the Atlantic 10 the Pacific ocean, was flooded
with democratic pamphlets and circulars, and
travelling missionaries were despatched to make
stump speeches at every crossroad and in ev-
cry nook and corner. Where did the money
come from which these documents cost Where
did the money come from which paid the ex-
penses of these wandering missionaries? The
claw promulgated by the Union furnishes the
true answer, and is, at the same time, singu
~, tbo
What is democracy? Its professors pretend
that it is recognition of the capacity Of the
people to govern themselves; but the doctrine
of the official organ of democracy at Washing
ton is that they are not capable of self-govern-
ment-that the magic aid of a per centage on
the office holders salaries is necessary to ena-
bic them to see the right and properly appre-
cate the beauties of the principles" advocated
by the democratic party. According to the ?
official organs proposition, itis not safe to leave
the people to themselves, to be guided by their
judgment; they must not, in the exercise of
their free volition, illustrate the virtues of alb
stract democracy; they must be taught and
guided by documents issued under the super
vision of office holders, whose salaries are de-
voted towards the support of the cause of the
democracy" In other words, that the party
can exist only through the aid of money. Is
not this, though coming from the great official
organ of the party, candid confession of the
venality with which modern democracy is en-
But, can the new claw be altogeth-
er reconcled with the common dictates of JUS
ice, even, admitting that, as the ofice-holders
enjoy the sole benefits of the success of the de-
nocratic party, they should therefore pay its
These office are paid out
Of the public treasury, and common delicacy
should prevent them from intermeddling in ,
any election whatever. The money in the pub {
ic treasury is contributed by the people of the !
whole country irrespective Of party. The right {
% it belongs as we'll to the minority as to the ,
majority, as well to the opposition as to the de- +
nOcracV Then bv what rula of ao,;t,, - l,o