Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-04-23
CLOUDS.


we mean by clouds"
The serious changes resulting
from the anomalous condition of
the country calls for the most en-.
ergetic, bold and persistent efforts
Of the press to avert it. The com.
atosc condition ofthe people un-
der the deadening influences that
are upon them, require that no
pains and no labor should be
spared to arouse within them and
keep alive that sense of political
self-respect, Of State, sectional and
national independence, which is
absolutely necessary to avoid the
ruin aud utter overthrow of this
government, and which are the
natural outgrowth Of true courage,
manhood and self.respect. The
people, absorbed by other cares
and wcaricd and discouraged by
successive blightings OF their
hopes, are sinking into a state of
apathetic Indifference, and while
in their heart they cherish the no
BILE sentiments for which they
offered their lives, and loathe and
contemn the vile men and meas
ures Of the party in power, yet
their indifference and silence is, by
that party, tortured into evidences
of sympathy and support and
result in the inhiction Of fur
ther degradation upon the people.
The pulpit, the rostrum and the
press must work against these adj
verse influences, and however much
they may he urged to cease and
let the people rest, they must not
cease their agitation, dhere is no
rest but in cOwardice. The disease
is spreading and fastening itself
upon the public body and the
deadly gangrene of utter corrup-
ton is supewcning.
In view of oil this may we not
well point to the terrible clouds
lowering over
May we not Justly shout aloud
again and again in the peoples
ear to awake and grid their loins
for action:
Let us hastily glance at the ar
gumcnt from which our stated
conclusion is drawn.
Ours is Il democratic govern
ment. There arc but two other
forms, and when we cease to be
democratic We are obliterated as
a political body, or we adopt an
other form of government.
We are drifting rapidly into an
other form, either monarchical or
aristocratic, and the latter is most
likely and the most to he feared.
at is better to have one tyrant
than one hundred"
A democracy is a government
of the people, and is the purest
form of government. Is this gov
crnmcnt to-day u democracy--a
government of the people-when
II large majority Of the people are,
confesscdly, debarrcd from their
Just share in its control and adj
ministration?
Is the distinguishing feature of
democratic government to be
found here to.day-that feature Of
purity and honesty which, what
ever others may say, had brought
this nation to its height Of pros
pcrity and greatncssE
Are we not to-day the scorn of
ourselves and the world for the
dcccptions. frauds, cOrruptions,
anil tyrannies with which our land
is ovcrrun:
The points which mark q dem
ocratic government are being OBJ
liberated.
Purity, honesty, the rule Of the
people, the rights Of majorities,
the freedom-all which is dear,
valuable, and to he cherished
are, perhaps slowly, but surely
being swept away.
The principle of democracy
which made US the government we
were, was embraced entirely with
in the States. The outside delega.
ton Of general powers was so far
departure from true democracy,
and so far an approach to an aris-
tocracy, that it was watched and
i A.