Des Arc citizen., 1866-03-08
... WHAT OF THE TIMES.

What is to be our destiny? This is no idle question or meaningless interrogative; we feel painfully alive to it's answer every day; yea, every hour that expires on the wing of time. The roar of the cannon has died away--the pomp and parapharna- lia of victorious army has passed from yiew---vengeance seems to slumber at least for time--thc crater of the volcano sends not up the burning lava--yct the pent up and smouldering fires may be gathering force and strength in the unseen depths of it's igneous home The clements of strife seem to be lulled or suspended, but our political horizon is not free from DOT tentous mutterings of distant thunder roll ing along dark skirted clouds, with fitful gleams of distant lightning, dancing and glaring out, as if stirred by the spirit of the storm, Every patriot is on the 'sqn viue," with the constant questions saluting your ears--what of the times! What is the news! What is Congress doing !-- What is going to happen :! What do yon think of our condition and prospects l-- With hundred other questons--all tend ing to reach the same end. What is to be our destiny as a people. Our country is in agitation; socially, morally and political ly. Demagoguos and venal politicians are pausing and trembling, and the few pure and patriotic statesmen that have survived the shock of war, and withstooat the allur- ing temptations of place, power and emol- umonts, are watching in breathless silence for coming events. The political status of our country to day is an anomaly in the history of the world It was claimed dur ing the four years of war, that tho North was aiming to bring back and keep the South in the Union, and the President holds that the Southern States were never out of the Federal Union. But tho South yielded, the war ceased, and the people of the States in rebellion acquicsced in the conditions imposed by the Government, and yet these same people are taxed heavily to support and sustain Government in which they have no Representation, Gin other words, it is with them taxation with out representation.) But the query still comes up, how long will these things last? and what is to be the result. Turn your eye to Washington, there you sec every thing in agitation, stir and excitement. The President has recently vetoed the Freedmcn's Bureau Bill--a fayorite meas ure and hobby of the Rip Roariag Radi- calls, and they are splitting all their venom upon the Administration; and some of the ultra ones arc swearing eternal vengeance against Andy Johnson; while he stands as the rocks of Gibrater.a and bids them defi- ance The breach widens and deepens daily in Congress and out of Congress; while good men every where tremble as they look on tAis fearful strife. But let us turn from this unpleasant scene now being acted at Washington, and what do We find in New York, in Philadelphia, in Boston, yea, everywhere North, East and West Public Mass-meetings and demonstrations; some endorsing the Presidents veto and pledging themselves to sustain him, while others condemn the veto, aud boldly de- nounce and threaten the President for daring to intervene lis prorogative in the murder of their darling measure, and thus the excitement spreads and widens. On the 22nd ut, Conservative State Con yention met at Nashville, in which every county in the State was represented, Ten ncssee's ablest and best men were there to unite their voices and efforts in endorsing and approving the veto of the Bureau Bill by President Johnson. But then and there the Legislature was in session; ma jority of which body are Radica's; the most incorrigible imps that belong to Thad Stevens motly host-new fedgcd butterflies that dare not hope to live be- yond the terminus of the present Logisla- ture--in tho great sea of oblivion they will sink so quick and So deep, that they will leave not ripple or bubble to mark the place where they went down; ste fransst dedecas nandi,' thus passes away the disgrace of the world. But We turn with pleasure from the Legislature of Ten nesse, to that of Georgia, to listen to the purest, best and ablest statesman of the south-Alexandcr Stephens, cmphatical- ly political instructor -his speech before the Legislature of Georgia immortalizes his mama n, o,,r ,,anotr,,ss oncais o,J ;,