New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-06-19
FuBrIo pEpxUTIHe,

St4S4soS
The good old times whea only Scholar
could deaas d9alcdt;os, 1 andA Others
looked into the dictionary for its mean
ing-the times Of sixty years sgo-the
times embalned in maxims and pEinci.
Piles of jurisprudence and statesmanship
that constitute now our best property in
written Law, handed down to Us BY jurists
and statesmen of the obsolete school Of
giants-the times when school-boys stared
vacantly on the public streets at one
charged with default, Is. if such trans
gressor could only belong to some other
world and have no possible business
here-or when boys heard Of such prsc-
tees in Office with Incredibly and believed.
on the faith of Mother Goose, that such
ideas were only presented in the shape OF
gigantic Bluebeards to frighten US for run
while We were children-the tune when
ineumbents falsely accused, seeing that
the depravity which could incubate such
charge proved the existence OF class pre-
pared to believe it, committed pnhesitating
suicide-the good old times of our
fathers-when there was not in the common
mind q sufficient lack Of integrity to quail
ify an ordinary man to doubt its pretence-
when good breeding inculcated and educa-
ton taught reverence for great names, not
ribaldry-ought to be restored, the work
Of doing which in the future may be q
labor as great and protracted as the undo
ing in the past. s-s se-r-T
II is not remarkable nor new that civil
war should demoralize . peopie.-The
moral machinery of every man is so ad-
justed that exciting events disturb its
operation, and its balances and checks are
wanting in the run Of long series, as in
war times. Hence, since the eonsuering
Of our, peace, its costs have come in the
shape of decentralization, as BEFORE Of
blood, and among the most conspicuous
evidences of such fact is the create. pre-.
yalence Of. defaulting among incumbents
Of public ooacs. II was, however, pre-
vailing vice long before, which doubtless
proceeded from analogous causes, the
most conspicuous among which was acri-
monye in political partisanship, mostly
bred from rotation in ofice."7s The
principle or idea of rotation is itself
war doctrine. 1t is best expressed
in the maxim "To the victors belong
the epoils," which. was adopted by
the Democratic party through the
great instincts of Old Hickory. Since then
the extension of suffrage and the frequent
recurrence of great issues engrossing the
public mind with more zeal than was
healthy and with too general desire and
pursuit Of Office, have caused the spread of
defalcation. Now that suffrage is univer.
a reservation in respect to
rights, yet to be de6ned-it is
proper to urge some forbearance in the
bad business Of stealing among men in
office and to induct means or measures
Tor a reasonable, sbridgment of these
operations. All classes must, in the fu-
Eure, be educated up to judicious exer-
Else of suffrage rights. by means of public
schools, institutes, ,lyceums, forums
everything adapted TO making men
fraternal as. well as intelligent, lifting
them over prejudice, and consecrating
means to, ends. Exclusive classes that
while they recognize the equality of men,
yet close the doors upon everything like
denouncing all sympathy with,
Or interest in, others than themselves, OF
whatever class or race, are not good citi-
zens nor true men, nor are they Americans
in any other than an arbitrary sense-for
American, everywhere to-day, means JUS
lice, liberality, gentleness, truth, brother
hood, as much as it means power, indi-
vidual sovereignty and self-assertiou. By
excluding others, individuals or classes,
from whatever bene6cences you might be-
stow, you impel them, in measure, to
rong-doing and are responsible, morally,
in the degree of its effects. Let all prac-
tice liberation, kindness, generosity,
which mean only justice, toward every
GLASS and condition excepting those in
default as public servants and to-
ward these let the rigor of exclusion
be applied with an energy and persistence
that may awaken sense of fear,
or shame-or some elementary
emotion which can not sleep
forever under unfavorable or difficult con.
ditions. "A moral tone may be made to
prevail among the people-if it proceed
from source at once exalted and liberal
that takes in its fraternal embrace all the
elements of human life; it must be inspired
by men of benevolent impulses, intellect
ual endowments, social and moral eleva-
ton; these properties coupled with har.
monious and adequate effort, may be the
means of at least reducing peculation in
Office to fewer and less extensive exploits;
for many by such moral signs are to be de-
TERED from the indulgence of evil tenden-
cies. But in the proper and impartial ed
ucation of the young Of every class lies
our means of eventual escape from this
overdone and oppressive vice, aud We will
do well to all think of it together.
CASTELAR, ON PAPAL INFALLIBILITY.
One Of the most eloquent leaders Of the