The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1859-06-15

win men OF out lille real talent. IL Is lull
time now, to look to the capacity Of that per
son who is to fill that high station.
|! is all-important then that the governor Of
Louisiana, in order 10 entite our State to a first
position, in shaping the political destiny, and
giving direction to the commercial policy Of The
south, should be gentleman Of the highest or
der of talents; not only possessing an extensive
knowledge of the organic structure of the fed
era and State constitutions, but be should be
conversant with the vital principles, which lie
at the foundation of the civil and the common
law He should not only be distinguished for
his executive and administrative capacities, but
he should also be acquainted with the rules
and the science Of legislation. He should be
an active, persevering and energetic man, hay
ing no other object in view but the prosperity
of the people, by stimulating the development
of the physical resources of the State rendering
them subservieut for purposes Of utility, and
political power. Materials of wealth, which
still remain unreclaimed, interests, which lie
paralysed in helpless impotence, should occu-
py his attention, should cali forth his energy,
to identify his name with the progressive ad-
vancement Of the State, over whose destiny he
presdes.
The governor of Louisiana should be fully
impressed with the Importance Of the interests
conided to his guardianship. He should un
derstand his position, the chief magistrate of
an independent commonwealth, whose people
have higher aims and higher purposes to fulfil,
than merely to determine, by their suffrages,
who should be president senator or represen-
tatiae.
1t seems, that hitherto we have acted upon
the principle that the Office would honor the
man, but henceforward our invariable motto
should be, that the man should honor the Office
By placing man in the gubernatorial chair,
distinguished for his moral, social and inteec-
tual pre-eminence, we would at once impart
dignity to the Office of governor, and tie best
and most talented men in the State would soon
regard il as an object worthy Of his aspiration,
initiatory, as it should be, to higher political
preferments.
Let it be known that those who have served
the people with honor and distinction, as the
executive of the State, who have left behind a
clean and valuable record, showing forth the
high character of their official acts, may, at
some future day, expect to receive the reward
Of their disinterestedness. by being made the
recipients Of the highest political honor in the
gift of the people.
The system of political promotion, as it ex-
lists among us, is impoilic and unjust. But
few of the eminent men of this State have ever
served in any subordinate capacity; they leave
all the minor offices to be filled by their politi-
cal scavengers, while they aspire to the highest
political stations, without any other claim to
consideration, than that they have permitted
their tools and undeserying subalterns to occupy
all the inferior positions, yielding pecuniary
compensation sufficiently valuable to constitute
an adequate reward for base subservency, and
the sacrifice Of personal independence
1t is indeed as remarkable as it is true that
not single governor of Louisiana, from the
time it was admitted as State Of the Union
up to the present period. has ever acquired any
national reputation, or occupied distinguished
position in the calendar of political worthless
Virginia, Massachusetts and New York can
boast of having illustrated their annals by the
most eminent men, who were Invested with the
honor Of the chief magistracy
Where are our Jeffersons, Patrick Henrys,
Randolphs, Floyds, Barbours, Tylcrs, &c.
Where are our Clintons and Wnthrops. North
Carolina has acted nobly in calling into her
service such men as Macon, CASTOR Reid and
Bragg. Tennessee claims as her own White,
Brown, &c, Georgia has her Troup and her
Cobb. Mississippi furnishes the brightest jew
els in this catalogue of eminent governors.
There stands foremost among them all the,im-
mortal Quitman; Albert Gallatn Brown, the
boldest and most fearless of all statesmen,
McRae, Melville, all men ofmark and character.
We might thus pass from State to State, and
the conclusion would be irreristibIy forced upon
US, that no other State of the Union. besides
Louisiana. exhibits such dearth Of political
and intellectual prominence in the executive
branch of the government.
We oppose the nomination Of candidate
for governor, whose principal merit consists in
the possession of a few hundred thousand dol
lars, and still less do we want man for whose
nomination there is no other reason, but that
he is able and willing to buy the votes and in
fuence of all the sycophants, corrupt toadies
and political eeches Of the state.
If the party organization can only be main
tanned by the employment of such dishonora-
bic means, we say let it slide, il is not worth
the keeping. But We have full faith in the
honest purposes of the people; if all factious,
clques and schisms were disregarded, and men
placed at The head Of affairs, who do not wish
to exercise an influence beyond what their real
merit commands, without attempting to extend
it beyond the legitimate sphere Of their official
position.
The New ORLEANS ELEcrIoNs.-The Amer