The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1858-12-15

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and the people at large if all politics and pot
ical parties could be banished from the land
and all the public offices be filled by men Sc
lected solely on account Of their problty ant
qualifications to fill the station and perform thu
duties appertaining thereto. The dogma look
very well, and the theory sounds plauslbl
enough, if all aspirants to Office and public hon
ors possessed the requisite character and quail
/ ifcations, and all the voters could discern th'
most worthy and deserving. But, unfortu
nately, we are forced to take aspirants to Office
and the independent sovereigns who are dele
gated to do the voting just as they are. Then
again, it is lamentable fact, that very small
minority Of the people do the thinking for thu
masses, and, in their assumed character o
| ..Ieaders," or wire workers, exercise the undis
puted prerogative of declaring who shall, anc
who shall not, run for Office. The people a
large, in all truth, have nothing to do in the
premises, it being altogether arranged by prl
vate cliques through the agency of select com
mittees and packed "mass meetings." With
out the existence ofpolitcal parties and ardent
politicians in the United States-aye, in every
State of the Union-a set of men once in public
office would become thoroughly known and ia
miliar TO the people, who being honest, unsus,
picious and confding, it would require the most
gross frauds and deception on their part, such
as could be readily hid from the public gaze,
to displace officials and put other men in their
place We all know that those who vote to put
man in Office never scrutinise his official con-
duct narrowly; and should the functionary do
anything wrong, they are ready to deny orex-
cuse the shortcoming, and eagerly paiate the
offence. Thus the offices of the country, and
consequently the control of the government it.
self, would remain in the hands of those who first
obtained place, and they would have within
their grasp the power, if they ever became sa-
tiated with spois, to name their successors.-
Usurpations Of power on the part officials is by
no means uncommon at this time; and without
the existence political parties, they would first
be tolerated, then enlarged upon as they might
become precedents, and by gradual degrees
the assumptions would increase on the part Of
government officials, until an aristocracy of
hereditary Office holders would be the result.
Political parties and politicians are the neces-
sary consequence of a republican government.
So long as human nature remains in its present
condition, our government cannot exist without
them. 1t is but right that they should exist,
and it is best for our country that they do. The
government itself and the liberties of the people
are only secure from danger when the voting
population are equally or nearly equally divid
ed into political parties. ThR one party serves
as check upon the other, and the one out of
power stands eager to scrutinise the behavior of
officials, and expose every error they may fall
into. The knowledge on the part of public Of
fcers that their conduct is narrowly watched,
and that the loss of few votes would turn
them out of their places at the ensuing cleo
ton, would act as more powerful incentive to
do right than any other that can be brought to
bear. Parties should control the federal and
State offices; but justice to the public demands
that on every occasions the most worthy and
competent men should be brought forward to
fill the places OF trust
Senator Douglas, the Little Giant" of H.
linois, arrived in New Orleans on the End inst.
The Bulletin announces the fact as follows:
"The city was on the qui vive yesterday af-
ternoon for the anticipated arrival of senator
Douglas. 1t was generally announced that
the boat on which he was expected to arrive
would arrive at her wharf about 8 o'clock; but
daylight passed away and no steamer had yet
come. The municipal authorities, however,
who had resolved to tender senator Douglas
the Inequalities of the city, were apprised of
the approach of the boat about O'Clock, and
they proceeded to the levee to await its arrival
About o'clock the City of Memphis came to
her mooring, and in due time mayor Stth and
the committees of both boards of aldermen got
on board. The mayor was introduced to Judge
Douglas by Robt. J. Ward, ESQ.,, and was con
Quoted to the St. Charles hotel. On the bal
conv of the building the mayor rendered him
the freedom Of the city, and Pierre Soule, esq,
on behalf of the committee of citizens, well
coined him with brief and appropriate ad-
dress. Senator Douglas then made short ad-
dress to the crowd, and ended by declaring
that through the constitution the Union could
be preserved and no other way was it worth
preserving"
Judge Douglas subsequently visited the St.
Charles and Orleans theatres, land addressed the
people at meeting, held in Odd Fellows hall.
His visit created no inconsiderable amount of
enthusiasm and excitement among the exctable
dWeilers in that most excitabe Of all cities.
NO one can demur at the judges friends and
admirers displaying their enthusiasm in any
way they may deem proper; but we are una
BILE to surmise why the freedom of N. Orleans
should be bestowed upon him by the mayor
and city council. Why should the over-bur-
dened taxpayers the Crescent City be forced
to pay the expenses incurred on account of the
visit of travelling politician? Was it as re-
compense for his labors to defeat the pro-slavery
constitution of Kansas? 1t would, to say the
least, have looked much better and far more