The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-11-18
American politics-A Sad Picture.

conutlfis an dfticle on Inc ueatI OF sen
ator Broderick, which cannot receive too
large share of public attention. 1t Is
not often that we refer to the editorial
columns of that papeE for anything that
is sound in politics or morals; butthe ar
ticle in question, contains reflections upon
the existing condition of political affairs,
which strike at the root of nearly every
public and social evil that aflicts the land,
and, as such, demand the serious atten-
ton of the American reader.
The unhappy duel between Senator
Broderick, law maker, and Chief JUS
tice Terry of the Supreme Court of Cali
tornia, one of the highest dignitaries con-
nected with the administration of the
law, is traced to its true source-the
alarming moral condition to which the
struggles Of political parties have brought
the whole country. According to the
theory OF our government, the people are
supreme. public officers are their SER
wants. freely chosen. and the laws of the
land are butthe expression of their will
Practically considered this theory is a mere
fable. 1t has no real, tangible existence.
The politicians and seekers after office
are supreme; politics is game at which
they play for theirown diversion or aggran-
discment, and the people but the chess
men which checker the board. and whose
position. regarded by the hand that
moves them. determine the issue. 1t
may be readily imagined what elements
are invoked to decide such q struggle
that popular rights and sovereignty be-
come mere mockeres as parts of our in
stitutions, and that Muscle and Money
in the expressive language of cotem-
porarv. become the real bters at the
polls. The people are 70 longer free. but
a mere band of subsidised voters, with no
will of their own, and doing the bidding
and pursuing the ends of every dema-
gogue who may have the influence or
money to purchase them. Is this not the
case to-day in many portions of our coun-
try? Take the great cities of the North ;
will any honest man pretend to main
tain that their elections are carried by
the free. unbought sufirages of the peo-
pie, according to the theory of our gov
ernment? We apprehend not.
Nor is this great wrong to free govern
| ment, to law and to order confined to the
| cities. We find its counterpart. under
circumstances of greater or less agraya-
| ton. in every county and town of the
| Union. The thirst for office; the desire
| to live on the public treasury in prefer
ence to the.proceeds of an honest. indie
pendent calling the trite saying now
! grown into practical maxim, that, :" to
the victors belong the spoils these are
the instrumentalties that nave brought
about the present disastrous and alarm
ing condition of the country, and which
unchanged, are bound to lead to anarchy
and wild confusion. The success of par
ty is no longer looked to as the triumph
of particular principles or measures in tn,
practical administration of the govern
ment. hut is the means by which tn,
government Golfers and honors are to b,
laid open to the victors With this view
there are thousands in every State VIII,
have no other politics than to get on tn
winning side.
"What. then. is to he the result of thi
state of affairs upon the purity and per
manency of our free institutions? How
long can they last under this deplorabl
condition of public sentiment? Alread
it is next to impossible to induce decent
respectable man to run for office, and al
the high positions of the country are get
ting into the hands of wealthy purchas
ers, their willing instruments. or unscru
pulous rowdies. No man who respect
himself will now descend to the disgrace
ful arts and intrigues by which alon
office is to he obtained 1t is pollute
track, strewn with filth and slime, an
moral degradation. which the man of il
telligence and genuine worth, must eve
dsdain to tread. Office cannot compcr
safe for n slandered reputation, nor ca
it return the life that is sacrificed in i,
pursuit 1t is no salvo to the honorabl
mind, that has been forced to attain
through self-abasement and dishonor.
How long is this rule of Muscle an
Money to continue, and how long sha
our glorious constitution last, under til
blows that are daily depriving it of "a
that is sacred to the philanthropist an
the patriot. Will the people ask then
selves these questions, and apply the rem
} edy before it shall be for ever too late ??
1t is their country and the power is their
alone to save it. Let them remember
a thousand years scarce serve to form Stat,
An hour may lay it in the dust: and when
Can man its shatterd splendor renovate,
Recall its virtues back, and yanquish timo an
! fnteI".