The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-05-05
Whittier Are We Hending?i
THE DANGER BEFORE US.

i All the free governments that cvc1
hourislied became tyrannies,o and fell
in exactly the same way. History is
monotonous witllithe' story Of the ruin
OF nations by the same events in the
same order. Always the motive pow.
-er is minority of plotting politicians
They study first to secure to them
selves the plumber and spoil of tho ma
tional wealth. They can only succeed
in this Ivy getting power, and they can
not get power SO long as.thosc coISst;.
tutional formsare intact by which now
or belongs to the majority. Down GOES
the Constitution, therefore, crippled at
FIRST by a restriction at ono point an
addition at another, and overlaid by
|, changes Of every sort. But the most
important change is that tic Executive
is the only direct expression there is Of
the majority Of the whole people. He
represents tho popular unity, wliilo all
other representation is Of parts. Tic is
the keystone of an arch. He is the will
Of tile nation-its Initiative. And if
q nation is to be really vital among
nations-to be respected, and strong
and FREQ tho only theory OF govern
ament upon which it can stand is that
the Executive is the government, and
all other. parts arc but safeguards TO
prcvcnt tyranny. 81 ,o9
!, This is. tho reverse of what the oil
garchs say-they holding that the Con-
gross is the government and the Exc
cntiye the functionary of Congress.
Pursuing this idea, tho ambitious mi
nority always works upon the fears of
the people by representing the Exccu
tive live as aiming at tyranny, and thus cx-
ecutlye power is given into tho hands
of tho legislature. Then follow in tho
conflict of schemes and counsels disor-
der, license, corruption, anarchy, the
destruction Of property, the loss Of all
public morality, till tho nation become
a banditti and is dotted out, or till
some fellow halts his guard i'll front of
the legislative hall, strides IN and de-
clarcs himself first consul, king or en-
peror, and has tho applause of the ma
ton because at least he represents or
der and safety. Ono might write a
formal history of republics on this out
line of events, changing tho names to
suit occasion, and it would bo always
true. f@ ,'etss h5sa q
We are led to these reflections by I
The appearance in. tho Now York Sun |
ot proposition that the American
people shall now take one moro step
5han they have, hitherto taken in this
career. Tho Sun is the organ, and in
great part, we believe, the property of
Senator who takes an active part in
.lle support of the Tenure of -efiice law,
md therefore, in shaaowing forth the
of the men who, mean. to
'ule this country by Grant or without
Grant, it may be supposed to have an.
,hority and to speak by tho card, We
ought at least to be glad that tho men
Who propose those stops that must in-
lead to ruin will let us know
What they arc at THUS says the Sun:
THE fact that Congress has been ad-
ninistering this Government these
past three or four years, in substantial
independence of the Executive, marks
,ur course toward new methods of pc
itical development. This tendency to
he limitation of executive authority is
worth of pliilosophic. obscr-
ration" Yes, it has been worthy of
philosophical observation a long whilo
md there is some good philosophy on
Tho subject in tho debates Of the body
hat formed our federal Constitution.
Therefore we scarcely assent that it
points to any new methods in govern
nent. With this sort Of stuff for pre-
AGO wellave laid before lis the future
of the anarchists in the
;onate, which is, that if Grant will not
his present attitude, if he
will not give way to the pressure Of
he plnnderers in their cagerness for
,ffice, if he will not send to the right
lbout "the inferior and unknown mem
sew in his Cabinet, and put in their
,laces distinguished representatives
# Influential political and national in
ercsts"--thc Recognized leaders of
opinion and action and viii not give
ip to three politicians the whole run
# government patronage and plumber
hen they will regard him as having
orced tho "frst step toward the con-
titntional change which shall finally
his Office, and will SO order
heir measures that, he shall be, if no.
he last President, at lcast,tllc last with /
wen semblahcc of power, and the
ncn of the future, with tho Presidency
dotted out, shall look only to the halls
# Legislation for tho theatre of their an
icipated rcnowp.' Here is "a PLAN
iese. is finally the open announcement
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