Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-21
WHERE THE DIFFERENCES LIES.

WHERE THE DIFFERENCE LIES.
The difference between a Demo-
crat and Radical was forcibly il
Illustrated in the Senate of the
United States on Friday. For that
matter, however, that is done every
day.
Carl Schurz, Senator from Mis-
souri,, is an archetypte Radical
perfect specimen of the highest
order of that genus lie is man
of much scholarship and learning,
and of philosophical cast of mind.
He is a metaphysician of the Ger
man school, being a German as his
name imports. He is a political
refugee from his native land, hay
ing fed on account Of the Obiec-
tons about to take a practical and
punitive form of the government
under which he was born, to cer-
tain notifications in it which Schurz
and others proposed to make. He
had an ideal standard of what a
German government should be.
He had examined the essence Of
things, and saw that the existing
political fabric did not at all con-
form to it. By rule of the logic
learned in his school and
conned in his closet, it WASH
right, and he set up as reform
er. He failed, and hied him
to America-''the land Of the free
and the home of the brave" Here
any man can have any sort of opin-
ion on any subject without moles
tation-or could at one time.
Naturally enough, he fell in with
the political free-thinkers of this
country-the higher law people
who repudiate the restraints of con-
stitutions and give free rein to their
ideas in government. He became
an apostle of this faith, and during
the bloody war which achieved the
triumph it now holds, he bore a
sword in its behalf--not a mighty
one indeed, but the will was taken
for the deed, and as his reward he
is seated in the highest council
chamber of the nation. His first
public appearance was in the de-
bate on the tenure of office law, and
he spoke thus
He believed the law to be strictly con-
stitutiOnal, but the Constitutional view
was not always the only one nor some
times the most important view of a ques-
ton, and in this case there were certain
great practical questions to be taken into
| consideration.
Yes. that is it. In the estimation
Of this transcendental architect Of
governments, who would have re
constructed Germany on his own
model, and is a leading reconstruc-
ter Of ours, " the constitutional
view of a question is not the most
| important one" There are " great
| practical questions TO be consld-
| cred. The metes and bounds in
which Congress as confined III the
making Of laws or the exercise OF
| power, are nothing comparatively.
When an object is to be accom-
| plished, the "pracLical' way Of do
ing it is first in Importance. 1t
matters little to him whether the
| power Of appointment and removal
is an executive prerOgative under
the constitution. His argument
proceeded to show that the law
restricting it, could be retained,
suspended or modified at the pleas
ure of Congress-that that body
could take from or add to the
powers Of the President at pleasure.
This is the essential Radical prin-
ciplc, and this imported eXpounder
OF its creed, has put it concisely.
On the other hand, Mr. Bayard, a
Senator from Delaware, replied,
and the telegraph says:
lie spoke ia favor ofits repeal, because
he believed it to be unconstitutional
Mr. Bayard is Of a grandsire who
sat in the convention which made
the constitution, and is of a stock
that has adorned the Senate since
its creation. They have been dis
tinguished as statemen who rever-
enced the constitution and who held
that the government could not be
administered wisely and safely,
outside Of its grants and limitations
of power. They believe that liberty
should be regulated by law, and the
law adhered to. Tho licentious
ness Of ideas they reject. They
sail by the chart and compass.
So does the Democratic party.
Which is the better representative
Of the true principle of the Ameri-
can system-Bayard, or this meta
physical doctrinairc from Europe