The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-23
TRIBUTE TO DEMOCRATIC AND SOUTHERN
sTATESMANSHIP.

The New York Herald, in its occasional
spells of common sense and historical We
racity, cannot repress its admiration for the
sagacity, versatility and vigor of Southern
craftsmanship. For example, in recent
editorial in which an attempts made to break
the force of this tribute by accompanying it
with a fippant imputation of dishonesty, the
Herald says
The Southern political leaders are most acute
and audacious fellows. They are the greatest
politicians that ever existed. Even their generals,
headed by Robert Z. Lee and BeaureRard seem to
be as skiful and prudent in the politicians closet
they were brave and cool on the field OF battle.
This was seen in Rosecrans's interview with them
at White Sulphur Springs. Take them all together,
whether we regard them while conducting the
government for ore than half a century or OBJ
serve them in the work of breaking up the Union
or in carrying on rebellion upon a most gigantic
scale, in building great war ships in foreign ports,
10 bringing foreign capitalists to their aid in oblig
ing foreign courts to give them quasi recOg-
milton, In humbugging old European diplomats, or
whether we look at them after the war is over
proclaimiDg themselves the truest, purest, most
uncontaminated of Union men, landing the Con-
stitution as il they had never raised finger to
disturb il, and processing TO be better lovers of
republican Institutions and better friends of hu-
mai freedom tnan those who fought to defend
the one and procure the other, we see them the
same bold, impulsive, plucky. vehement, pre-
sumptuous and audaci0us political leaders. In
sagscity and cunning they outMachiavelli Machia-
velli They play the game of the astute and subtle
old Italian statesman better than he could himself
and in way, indeed, TO charm the very bones of
that ancient political philosopher out of their
tomb. The bitter feuds 10 Italy excited by Machia-
velii, the arrsyiDg Of one side against another,
the sharp corners be turned in his diplomacy his
intrigues, combinations and Vaccinations, afford
no parallel to the keenness. energy and intensity
Of the Southern political philosophers of our day.
They do things on grander scale.
In this extorted, and somewhat distorted,
testimony from reluctant source the great
historical fact projects that, under principles
maintained by Southern statesmen and
their Northern CONDUCTORS, the government
was conducted for upwards of half century,
and the Union, along with constitutional
liberty, was preserved intact for the same
period. Compare the condition of the coun-
try during this period with what it has been
since Southern craftsmanship has been ex-
cluded from the counsels of the federal gov
eminent. For nearly sixty years it was the
work of this craftsmanship to preserve a con-
federation of co-equal States in fact as well as
in name, in heart as well as in outward guise;
to vindicate the national honor at all points
to increase almost two-fold the terri
torial area of the Union; to increase more
than seven-fold the population of the coun-
try; to raise all the material in
terests of the people to an unexampled
pitch of prosperity to effect progress and
reform without revolution, and to avert civil
tumult and sectional collision. In that time
taxation was hardly felt, and yet the public
revenue was ample. In that time the second
war of independence was fought, illustrated
by the triumphs of Harrison, Scott and Jack
son on land, and of Perry, Hull and Decatur
on water. In that time also was fought the
Mexican war, marked by the most brilliant
and successful invasion of modern times. In
that time Louisiana was acquired by jefferson
and California and New Mexico by Polk. In
that time the public debt was usually moth
ing, and at most a trihe. In that time, q dol
lar was dollar, not an irredeemable piece of
paper which the people are compelled to take
as money while gold is demanded from them
to pay the favored creditors of the govern
ment, to whom profigate faction has mort
gagged the labor of the country.
What followed when the government was
wrested from the craftsmanship which had
conducted it for national, not for sectional
partisan or fanatical purposes, it is needless
to recount. A great war was one conse-
quence. But it was war which, instead of
contributing to the national glory and ag-
grandizement preyed upon the vital resources
of the national strength and prosperity. And
peace, true peace, has not yet been restored,
and it becomes daily moro plain that the fac
ton now in power will never give the country
peace.
The New York Herald admits the contrast
above indicated and it admits the ultimate
necessity of recalling the Southern Camillus
from Punishment before the country can be
once more united, peaceful and prosperous,
when it says:
These are the political leaders who in 1872, no
matter what they may accomplish in the mean
time, will restore the entente cOFdidle of the great
Democratic party, smash up the Republican
party, elect Frank Blair or Pendleton to the
presidency, and pave the way for q century's
permanent ascendancy in the government of the
United States.
But why postpone this saving Intervention
of Southern craftsmanship until 1872? 1t
may then be too late. Seymour and Blair,
the Herald says, were nominated by the
South. Why not let them enter upon the
work of this craftsmanship at onee-the most
national and catholic craftsmanship which
the country has known?