The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1859-11-23

National Decentralization.

1t has become Il question OF serious me-.
ment as to whether we, as a nation, are
not daily descending in the scale Of moral.
ity--whether we have not, in the last
few years fallen in political principle and
mercantile honor and credit from that
standard established by our forefathers.
These are two questions which would
furnish the material for several lengthy
dissertations if it were our wont to pur-
sue them in detaiL But the most striking
change for the worse seems to us to be
the generalization of private life--th iu-
crease Of scenes Of bioodshed, Of shocking
immoralities, of calumnies, revcnges, sab.
bath breakings and all the denominations
common to the corrupt and older countries.
When is this unnaturally rapid tide to
ebb, and to what is it tending?
7 Our country has just recovered from
the pecuniary endorsements Of. 1851, or
rather, we are in that quiescent state be-
tween total cematose condition and
vivid and healthy reaction. The stag
nation Of business consequent upon the
disabilities of a monetary condition has
been food for bad passions, which ever
flie under misfortune and desperation
We may doubtless find the causes, either
immediate or remote, Of their evil changes,
and in this Les the hope that in the coun-
| try's perfect restoration to IN easy fnan-
cial condition, its morals, both political
and social, within a great measure, be
remedied.
But there are other and more permanent
tpriacipes at work among us, which will
| & eow with our growth and strengthen
with our strength Inst IS they have
grown and strengthened in every nation
winch has occupied i single page Of his
tory. What we would call attention
more particularly to. 3 is, to Use an ex-
| preston Of an. old writer on political
ECONOMY, that tie rich IRE becoming
richer, and the poor poorer as wesad.
vance III age. There is a middle class
Wnlcn constitutes the body OF the people,
put ut. they are gradually going up Or drop
ping down, and each year their number
grows smaller. hefe5 we have 40 we'll
ueiiheu afiss '1e ana neither $50 we
nave any iffe 'a beggafy but the
tendency IS toward these extremes, and
IN that 'endency-lrfltated and strength
eheo W tue pecuiltaar prostfatlon OF the
Imes--We observe inc causes sl e OF no small small
porrIioh o. lhes evils alluaed 70. Inc Hfsl
i ssep TAKEN toward the formation Ion q 40
sar's'oclaey iss'he apihg ana aooplloh O
''s Customs ana wees as IS lhe llfst re re-
SUIT ol peggafy,s Tue contemplation pat ana
commission q crime me tellhed pursuits $
q 9 mah o. fortune alld cail'vatlon can
hoe DC auop'eu III q ho'neh1' MORGAN tley
sunce 10y 9 man grown sueuel'y "ea "a
NOR 'hueeu' are Inc highef Pleasures O
i 'aSte anu Ai'ei'ee' a all sae'siS'hg, eS
cep' al'er you1n''''ness spent u 1ne cut
''sa''on % az VIC 'pp.lahees = loD'e ''no
lenueu asso.'a''o'' ine result y Una
Tue coffupleu anu sacabaih'ho OF fortune
Suns ~ Tvs assoo'"1'ois anu surroundings
anu neeessa'''y ''Aos 'eiuse.'h Wye ''o
.a~'eSs'ess' s :, a',s'oeiacy' y
y eo0 eA'9' a. a'i' g 'ae ohtn :. ..'s
p''ue " 'n.,' a"o : "en 'ns.'Nep =
.n.,'on y ''s w, pun = no''o' u'
~ 'ne n'e'n''l''e '',e nos,ees y. iuAu',
anu po"o' arg es''o'.s'su % : Class y
oS'en'a''o''s aho unp''hc'p'eu h'elhoeis q
4 society, ana the Incense ana Indulgence