The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-02-27
SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA, FEBRUARY 27 1867.
Principle---Not Expediencv.


those who claim to be the Interpreters of Statutes the
expounders Of constitutions, and makers OF laws for
the guidance and government of nation and people
What is expediency? 1t means, in politics, the pro-
prety of act of government determined by circun
Stances and not by the plain rules of the constitution
which should be regarded the ndestructible basis
of government.
The weight of testimony given and left record by
wise men, in almost all ages of the world is in favor
of the proposition that no governments existence can
be stable, unless it have principle for its substratum
and truth for its guide. Principle is truth. Truth
is a principle No falsehood is properly termed a
principle, Notwithstanding many false men of talent i'll
responsible and high positions have attempted to do
So Policies change and die, but principles are as un-
changeable and undying the chief elements of the
Universe.
If it was true of ancient Rome that her Republic
contained the elements of its decay, may it not
be true as we'll, of the modern Republic known and
renowned as sThe United States of American" Ev-
cry organic body furnishes exempifcation of this
principle; and the very existence of form Of gov
ernmen well the perpetuity of institutions hav-
ing their origin and growing up under it, depends
upon the care and skill with which its elements are
employed and held in check and balance. Fire, "
for instance "is good servant, but bad master.
Enough government is unquestionably, indispensable
to the existence prosperity, and happiness of ma
tion-too much, is banefu and may be fatal. Gov
ernmert was made for the peope-not the people for
the government; it is, of right, not the MASTER but
servant of the people,
hat G Tho rorld ic Uovoruad too
much This remark, seems, is peculiarly applicable
to our nation, although it cannot be successfully de-
MED that VIC had framed for US by the founders Of
our republican form of government, Of the plain
est constitutions ever penned for guidance Of law
givers of land. Mere party politics are now, and
have long been the skeleton at the feast" of our
public The wild hunt for office has taken the master
from his ship, the merchant from his desk, the me-
chanic from his shop the farmer from his fields, the
teacher from his school, and those great interests of
commerce, trade mechanism, agriculture, and greatest
of ALL education, have been neglected to our serious
cost. While there is no necessity for more than one
per centum of the popuace entering the political ARENA
it is nevertheless well that every one dwelling under
the broad agis of constitution should be well
yersed in its provisions and watch with jealous eyes
those who aspire to be recognised as its expounders
It is we'll to understand the true theory of government
and he able to detect all violations of the principles
on which il is founded.
Our government was clearly devised and instituted
for the just and liberal purpose OF enabling the people
to Govern themselves and in this character this gov
erpment, which stood the shocks Of time for than
eighty years, was hope of the oppressed wherever
tyranny reared its python crest in despotsms be-
vond the seas So long the constitution was strictly
aud fairly construed the people contended should
be when they elevated Mr. Jefferson to the presidency
in 1901 the United States of America was looked upon
by the masses in every king priest-ridden land in
Chrstendom as the brightest orb in all the constela-
tons Of human government-a very paradise OF po-
tcal and reg ious freedom.
There has been nothing without to blight our Eden
of the frce-lut within have been worms whose raw
age brought decay: Selfshness, Ambition, Deceit.
Each influential statesman who has pamed off gilded
sophisry upon unsuspcctng people, or g!ozed over
dangerous falsehood for the purpose of conceaing
an unworthy design, has so far succeeded in blighng
tne s"-~t e~";ts of that Revolution whose master
spirit Washington, brave r"5'"'~-, hose fame
will endure when statue and obeisk and shaft have
crumbled beneath the rcmoreless tooth of time. The
government, from the day of Jefferson to that of
Van Buren,, considered one OF limited and clearly
defined powers; and it seems that jefferson, Madison,
Monroe and jackson were all elected to the chief
magstracy chiefly because of their opposition to an
active minority who caught their opinions from the
elder Adams the federalist, the consolidatonist and
others in hi Oh places of his way of thinking.
The party of Jefferson has been overthrown at last,
and to day the world behods the revolving spectacle
of majority of great people, cheated OF their voice
as electors and governed by an inconsiderabe minor
itv which, if dvested of the power thatthe accidental
possession of office and patronage has given them,
would be simply contemplate. The existing Con-
cress, mainly is unta of unprincpled party trick
sters who override the veto, threaten the Executive
with impeachment, propose to reconstruct the 81
premc Court and coin new rules tor its guidance cs'
saw to destroy the sovereignty and absorb the re-
served powers of the States disfanchise the people
of ten or moro States, forcing them to bear taxation
without represcntaton-and, in Short are rearing a
consolidated government at Washington and creating
a military despotsm upon the ruins of our Republic
with all the speed they dare.
We cannot but obey the laws Of this illegal and
constjtuton-ignorng Congress. We may go so far as
to saw on the principle of selfdeence, it is our duty
to do So But while the mind shall scorn all letters
designed to restrain its free action it is equally our
RIGHT and duty to place the seal of condemnation upon
those talented but corrupt men who, for selfish cnds,
would tear down and scatter to the tour winds that
cline so fondly hoped would survive when throne and
crown had forever passed away.
There is nothing to be gained by ezpedcncy on the
part of the Southern people. Expediency would ad-
monish us to witness the destruction of the Republic
in silence The idea that in consequence of Cur un-
fortunate condition of conquered provinces, the ex-
pression of our opinions can have no weight is de-
Iusion of Which the mind should be disabused; we
constitute an integral of the sum total OF the people OF
This country and our voice will be heard and morally
felt. Truth must be motto, and principle our
pnide. We must neither stultify ourselves allow
others to stultiiy us. We did not fight four bloody
wears for the security Of those powers which at the
formation of the government the States reserved to
themselves at last to resign them without a murmur
or sigh of regret though our swords are broken
and thousands of our braves and best sleep IN endless
sumber by mountain, vale, and in the sea. Although
the Confederacy essayed 10 set up is thing OF the
past and he whom chose to administer Its AFFAIRS in
the crisis of its fate doomed to pass from the
prson of Hampton Roads to the narrower prison OF
the grave we may yet regret the heetng OF our eo-
rious dream, and sympathise with that martyr IN
whose bosom the ray of nope Is dim
Let US ever speak our sentiments ana express our
views with candor honesty and independence, as un-
der the constitution it is nalienabe right to do
Let us promptly obey the laws, although we curse the
tvrants Who made them. Let US spit upon the negro
suffrage amendment its authors do upon the constr
tuition Let us be in haste to unite with people
who consider themselves only the equal the negro
The Governments as defined by the unmutilased eorst
rtadf for ,yhi mon alnDe So lp0n