Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-11-05
The RepubIic or the Empire.

i
The Republic or the Empire.
The first great act in the drama Of
American national life is over. On
Tuesday the last battle was fought for the
perpetuiiy of the Constitution and civil
liberty on this continent Capitalization,
corruption and despotism have triumphed
over the Constitution, virtue and civil
liberty. The Old Guard of Napoleon
never fought with greater heroism to sus-
tain the waning fortunes Of the empire
than have the Democracy in the late
struggle for the republic. But defeat has
borne her banners down, and her hosts
fell battling round the lettering base of
the Constitution, and midst the broken
pillars Of the temple of liberty. History
will record it as the grsndest struggle
ever made by any party on the face OF
the earth in behalf of the great princi-
piles of constitutional and civil liberty.
The republic is now thing of the past
II has gone down to take it's place in his
tory, side by side with the long list Of
republics that have from time to time
emerged from the great mass Of humanity.
Gone-gone forever" is the melan-
choly epic written over her tomb; no
power upon earth can reanimate or
breathe new life into the dead body of
the republic. This is melancholy fact
| for the contemplation of the lover of
| liberty. This Government Is dying,
dying, and thirty millions of people are
now standing, mourrers around the
d eath.bed of Constitutional liberty. 1t
is certainly sad sight to behold great
nations liberties pass away, never more
to return to behold free Government
die, aud anarchy and despotism usurp
the place of law, order and constitu-
tional liberty, yet such seems to be. the
inevitable course of all republics. There
is no reason why ours should prove an
exception to the universal rule of fate.
The time was when we regarded our
liberties secure against the encroach-
ments of despotic power; we were mis-
taken then, and the result of Tuesday
more fully impresses the reflective mind
with the universal tendency of all
human Governments to decay and
dissolution. Such is the fate Of all
governments since the world began,
whether we contemplate the fate Of illus
trious empires, cemented by the accu
mulated wisdom and wealth of ages, and
destroyed by luxury and sin, or that bril-
liant array of republics, that have from
time to time ilumined the political hori-
zon of the Old World, dazzling all With
the splendor Of their achievements aud
virtues, and as some declining into vice
and corruption, aud at last passing
| away in the vortex Of revolution. In
all these we behold the application of
that memorable law of nature, to which
all things human must bow. We cannot
turn a deaf car 10 the warning voice of
history, as 1t comes up to ne along the
corridors of time. By drawing useful
lessons from the past we may learn how
to avoid the hidden rocks and quick
sands upon which so many before US
have been wrecked. 1t is now left TO US
to look fondly back Bpop the past and
eonten plate the old Government of SOW
ereign States. around which cluster the
glorious memories Of the golden days of
the republic, and bid them an eternal fare
we'll The past never returns. 1t is the
living present that we now have to deal
| with. We must turn our faces to the
fuizre, and wrench from the iron hand Of
fate destiny more glorious than Rome
in her grandest days.
Nations, like the individual, progress,
and are subjee, to the same natural laws.
The government that was suited TO the
wants of our fathers, eighty years ago, is
now wholly inadequate to our wants and
changed condition. We must give Up
the old system sud create new. Ma
tons in their progress sFe Ike the cur
rents Of mighty rivers-nneonirolIed and
uuconirollsbls. You cannot tie a people
down to aB Interchangeable system Of gov;
ernmeui; the system must keep pace
with the wants aud progress Of the people.
1t is the bounden duty Of our Statesmen,
in this the hour Of our calamity, ie
ssiss the people up, by reeoneiling
them to the MEMORABLE logic Of events.
Manifest destiny has MARRIED outA course
through which We must pass; We eaaBoi
control this event. "Msn proposes. but
0oi sispsses" Whether our manifest
destiny vail isas to the establishment Of
a grand consolidated rspzhlie, or 10 the
erection Of an empire upon The ruins q
the rep1blic, are questions that The ides
Of March Fill determine. Whichever il