The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1868-02-08


political situation of what were once the
United States, from the New York Il tbion,
one of the ablest papers of the day, either
in Europe or America, and one so entirely
British in its sentiments while at the
same time so perfectly au .tait in Ameri-
can affairs, that its opinions are certainly
entitled to very grave consideration, es-
pecialIy as the deductions it makes are so
reasonably grounded:
The Dead Swell of Revolution.
To the experienced and weather-vorn
mariner, the first shock of terrific tor
nado is not the part most dreaded; but
rather that period when the whirlwind of
the return blast meets-as it invariably
does meet-the opposing currents and
dead swell of the tumultuous elements.
We have not been of those who quite re-
Gently considered the main troubles past
when the Confederate army surrendered
to General Grant. Nor of those who
looked upon the victory of the Federal
arms as clear proof of the entire success
and final safety of the form of govern
ment under which we chance to live. We
have, on the contrary, invariably viewed
q gross injustice us dangerous; whether
perpetrated by an individual under the
protection Of existing laws, or by a na-
tion, under the sanction of popular I'M
pulse, and hastily pronounced resolves.
In illustration of our deep-seated con-
victions, we believe that the original con-
stitution under which these several
American States were united under one
general government, was unsound in
theory, and consequently unsafe in prac-
tice 1t is not for us to say whether the
individuals, who, acting under the pro-
visions OF an unjust Constitution, or the
collective nation, which originally adop-
ted it but afterwards refused to comply
with its provisions, committed the great
er sin, but certain it is that both have al
ready paid the penalty in part, while
neither have been the gainer in either q
pecuniary or moral sense The individ-
ual sought, and fought, to retain his pro-
perty, as recognized by the laws under
which he lived; while the majority OF the
nation sought, and fought, to deprive
him of his questionable inheritance, with
out granting the least compensation from
the national exchequer. This double in
JiStlco 10 bo-udS uSdllHS Its iC5IRIAadoC
fruits at Washington. Borne on by the
frenzy of party bate-apparently not
tempered in the least by sense OF justice
the warning elements oI individuals, as
well as party strife, are at present pain
fully apparent to all impartial observers.
In one sense, both parties to this intes-
tine struggle are right; but, unllapplly
TOR the nation, both parties are III a double
if not, in fact, a quadruple, sense rroag.
That the Southern, or late slaveholding
States of this Republic ought in justice to
have been compensated from the national
treasury tor their liberated slave proper
y-so-ealied under the constitution
does not admit of Il doubt; and had they
been so compensated iR peace, the nation
al burdens would have been less than
they are to-day. But, on the contrary,
to AN oppressive national debt has been
already added protuse expenditure OF
blood anu treasure, and albeit, the end IS
not yet! The fearful tornado that swept
southwark with such fury, as it were but
yesterday, may yet return with renewed
strength and increased velocity. Already
the mutterings of the coming storm may
be plainly heard; dark clouds are even
now visible above the political horizon !;
experienced political nariners have al
ready sounded the boatswain's note, and
we may, tany time, seethe tirstlli glltning
flashes, and hear the first thunder peais
which tell the doieful news of actual war,
and also foretell the fearful labouring, if
not the actual laundering, OF tine ship OF
State.
We need hardly say that we have been
led into the above train of thought by the