Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1869-03-02
SELF-DECEPTIoN.

suffrage amendment, to indulgeir
"reminiscences touching the event.
of the last fourteen years, during
which he has occupied a seat il
the Senate of the United, States
He said
''The Senate has been divided
into two distinctly defined classe.
of public men. The one class has
been the persistent friends of &
liberal, progressive and Christian
civilization; the other class has
been the sturdy champions OF q
brutal, degrading and perishing
barbarism. By speeches and votes,
by acts and declared opinions,
these two classes of statesmen have
H2e enduring recor - tlich
the, presAnt age and Che coming
ageswill Interpret their motives,
weigh their judgements and pro-
nounce irreversible verdicts upon
their public characters"
The capacity Of man for sef-de-
ception unde. the influence of an
idea is wonderful, and there is no
deceit more despotic than that
which a man, infected with social
error, is able to impose upon him
self. That there may be no doubt
upon the subject, in the succeed
ing sentences Mr.. Wilson identifies
with the first class, leaving
no dispute as to those whom he
looks upon as the champions of
barbarism. It is not TO be cues
Iioned, therefore, that Mr.. Wilson
IS more than contest with his own
share OF the transactions which
nave taken place during his term
Of public service, and entirely will
ng to abide the irreversible ver-
lict which coming ages will pro-
nounce.
The st. Louis Republican in
commenting on the speech in ques-
ton, says a comparative view Of
The state of the country fom :een
years ago and its present condition
might suggest to one, not totally
blind, the c,.--.,..6a whether the
sa1ar nave TAI tsss
interval are such as to afford to
those who have been instrumental
n producing them any occasion
@or honest pride or any desire
% abide the impartial verdict of
,oming ages. 1t is in no small
ie3ree due to the labors of the
lass described as the persistent |
rIends OF a liberal, progressive
md Christian civilizat on, that the
ountry was involved in that
most illiberal, progressive and
'nchristian catastrophe, an in
estine conflict, such as finds no
arallel in the history of modern
mes. Surely in the events of the
ar, in the conduct of its leaders,
r N the still more savage senti-
rents OF those who sat in halls Of
sis'ation. encouraged all Of it's
aormities, and demanded even
reater severity, what there is to
ark the latter as the persistant
lends OF a liberal and Christian {
vilization, it is not easy to dis
'ver. The verdict Of the present
seldom that of the future. When, Ii
view of all the acts Of the last |
urteen years, and all their conse-
noes consequences the reaiza- !;
IN Of which has scarcely COM 6
enced-when the moral and po- !
ical problems involved in our pres- t
t condition, which have hardly
t arrived at q statement, and /
lose solution is before us, shau 4
We been fully wrought out, it is n
no means impossible that inn T
rtial history will reverse the judy .
mt Of the Massachusetts, Senator, i
d pronounce those who call b
smselves the friends Of q liberal
d progressive civilization to have !,
IN, in fact, the champions Of a Il
ltal and degrading barbarism. %
An impartial observer If onr d.