The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-09-25
Hard Knocks by Wendell Phillips.
fFrom the Anti-slavery Standard.

e55 From the Anti-Slavery Standard.
Grant at last has spoken and-blundered.
How he stalked into the Secretaryship, his
friends Boosting his great power toprevent
mischief! What nischiefhas he preventedl
None. The only power he claimed against
the President o moments thought obliges
him to renounce. This is our practical
statesman, whose first move is a blunder!
This was our St. Michael, whose resistless
sword was to NOW down the Satan OF the
fallen host! Instead of that we find that
he does not even know how to draw it
The great popular leader sinks to be only
the Presidents Secretary, issuing orders he
abhors; sits like ancient Pistol" eating
his leek and grnmbling! Was ever beau
tiful promise followed by such miserable
failure The General of the United States
is to-day weed caught in the Presiden-
tial maelstron, and unless some better
brains than his own como to the rescue,
sure soon to be swallowed in the vortex
let no Grant man after this call Johnsona
clumsy klIaye; he has found wit enough
to befool the model leader whose silence
passed for the highest wisdonl-the puff Of
whose cigar was craftsmanship. Once be-
fore there was an animal which passed fer
lion until he spoke
EisGl will stand in our history as the
year Of treason, 1867 will surely be marked
IN The same page as the year OF ounces
Treason, no doubt, hourishes to-day in
Washington, but iucompetency is the DOM
inant characteristic, which disgusts the
nation, and amuses the world. If the real
Government is shown at Washington, then
tits demonstrated that democracy is a fail
ure. i A head of the State who would long
aau have wrecked it had not heaven gra-
ciopsly provided that lie should be even
weaker than he was wicked d Congress
Btbody to fit. head.--ruled by aSonserva-
tism which modestly assumes to represent
abe calm wisdom of the nation and smiles,
Malyoiio like, on its critics as sentimental
lists. The result Of this wisdom, code
which worse than the old sarcasm not
onlyslets the big villains through, but can
not even catch the small ones.
What can we expect of practical common
sense from Senate which follows Fessen-
den as a leader-a man Of whom it may be
truly said that the nation has taken no one
important and critical step since 1861
which his influence or vote did not resist,
until popular good sense shamed him out
If bis folly or marched to its PURPOSE over
bis opposition. Yes, Mr. Fessenden's SEN
atorial record is record of fruitless oppo-
sition to every measure on which the ma
tious safety rests to-day. He has never
been right, even bylaccident, at the first
presentation of any critical measure. hc
has either voted against it or been felt
against it, skulking behind his tools -
Events have always proved him mistaken,
In this race he has never "come to time" y
His wisdom has always been what the
French call "the wisdom Of the staircase"
coming to appreciate matters one mo-
ment too late. His craftsmanship consists
III proposing nothing and opposing every
thing Yet half of the Senate allow him
to do their thinking. Edmunds is his
tool and Conkling his parrott And this
nole had power enough, spite of Stantons
and Grants and Summers and Stevens
entreaties, to leave the President with the
power of removing Sheridan and to tie the
hands of Congress till November.
The result We Sec Congress tongue-tied
and hand-eufed till November, obliged to
stand silent by and see johnson trample on
t"JditS HuutCu dliti tiViipiA Z,
ahdyef the South. A law so clInisily de
,sed that it can not be executed without
Ringing the gteat powers Of Government
toeoilision. A General selected and left
"a % Washington TO represent and protect
zoe nnaticns and found, when the emergen-
y occurs, not TO know enough to be fit to
left alone
These be our practical men," my mas
ffss These are the fruits of Fessenden.
SS.atesmanship! Behold the wisdom OF
Conservatism Give us next time n taste
@the folly of Ratlicalsm--we cannot be
so'se OF, may be better; at any rate 8
mango would be a relief
lnefc are yet men so timid and thought
" rs to insist that those who vote shall
NY Know how to read We commend an
asaer provision to their notice, namely
II 6euerals, Senators and Presidents
as 90 obliged at least to say their cate
ss ssi and report the multiplication table
'''0fe assuming Office.
ilit5d 3iI WENDELL PHILLIPS.