Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-09-28
BAYARp As A pnorHnT.

bayard, Senator from this State, delivered
speech, previous to resigning his office, IN
which he announced his intention of retiring
into private life, and await the further pro
gress of the war, fully assured that It's con-
tinuance would "subvert Republican insttu-
tions and sever this Federal Union into many
arbitrary governments.
The same gentleman, in his celebrated
speech in favor OF peaceful separation, -
delivered in the Senate, during the month of
March, 1861, asserted and predicted, the
"South could never be conquered, ~ and that
a war to prevent the dsintegration of the
Union would end in Establishing separate
nationalities, and shatter into fragments
the columns that support the Federal Gov
eminent"
Events have proved that Mr.. Bayards
prophetic gifts are not first-class, and by
no means reliable. His success as a Prophet,
measured by the truth of his revelations, is
a miserable failure. The meanest oracle of
ancient Greece or Rome would have lost
CASTE if its officiating priest had talked as
falsely about the future, as Mr. Bayard spoke
during the last years of his Senatorial exis-
tence. Had Mr.. Bayard been a Roman ora
tor in the days of the Emperor Julian, that
Apostate would never have attempted to re-
store faith in oracles, without first banishing
so poor Prophet from his dominions.-
Failure in the Delphic vocation does not
seem to deter the ex-senator plying it when
ever occasion offers. Having recently aired
his democracy" in the Old World he sud.
denly appears in the comfortable and yenera.
BILE town of New Castle, like an cratic
comet (his gifted son Thomas representing
the tail) IN the political skies The rcticence
OF nearly three years, during which he
awaited the iulflment of his predictions,
was now about to be broken. Great men
like great planets never appear in public
without their satelites-some so exceedingly
small politically as to require the most
powerful double convex lens to place them
upon the retina of ordinary Northumberland
therefore committee of five were appointed
to represent the minnows who swim around
the "big fish. "
We regret that our knowledge of the ex-
Senator's speech is limited to the meagre re-
port which appeared in the Gazette. If we
had before us the whole speech as it was
delivered, we would give him the benefit of
a tiptop notice, and welcome his re. appear
ance on the stump, by an elaborate criticism
OF the various and profound questions OF
natural history, with which the ex-senator
delights TO enliyen a political canvass. 1t
may be well enough to guard the "Democ-
racy" against the horrors OF "miscegena-
tion," and caution them against "nigger
equality, and we trust the information fur.
nished upon these topics will have a bene-
ficial effect upon those, who are in any dan
ger of embracing doctrines 50 repulsive We
do, however, take exception to the appear
ance of Mr. Bayard in the role of a Prophet.
His deficiencies in that character are too
palpable to be overlooked; and, if he is not
aware of the fact he certainly can be con
vinced by re-reading his speeches before
and during the earlier years of the war We
admit the intiiction of such a course of read
ing may seem unnecessarily harsh and cruel,
but sometimes a review of the past learns
us what to avoid in the future.
In his speech at New Castle, the ex.sena-
tor said; ''IIe saw he thought in the future
nothing but rum and destruction to the con-
stitutional liberties of the people should the
Radical party which is now straining every
nerve 10 defeat the Restoration Policy of
President johnson, prevail" Well, now,
such sentiment from true prophet would
arrest public attention, and have its proper
effect upon all serious, earnest men; bu,
really, Mr.. BaYard has walked his ghosts"
about in public so much during the last six
years, that the people have found them to be
very harmless and nonsenscal creatures
The Good Book tells us, that false prophets
would arise, who, if it were possible, would
deceive the very elect. We think the whole
country is safe from the deception Of Mr..
Bayard