New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-17
POLITICAL.
Mechanics Institute.

Mechanics Institute.
This historic place, new used as a State
House. was brilliantly illuminated Wedncs-
day night. and meetings were held in the
House Of Representatives and Senate cham
Der simultaneously. In the Senate chamber
the Phil Sheridan Irish Republican Club was
in session in strong force. with Patrick
Creagh in the chair to enforce order. Hon.
T. W. Conway and Joseph II. Wilson, Esq,
were among the speakers upon this occa-
sion.
We had not the pleasure of hearing Mr..
Conway. but feel assured that 80 sterling a
Republican, and one SO eminently endowed
with the powers Of speech, could not have
spoken without having pleased and edited
those whom he addressed.
Mr. Wilson we heard, and acknowledge
we were somewhat startled at the boldness
with which he pitched into Office seekers,
considering that he announced himself one
of them 1t takes brave man to do this,
and whatever may be Mr. Wilson's fate in
his present political aspirations and adven-
ture, his efforts to nave none but good and
competent mcn put forward for
Office by the Republican party
should be heartily seconded by
all good men. As Mr.. Wilson very truly
remarked. intellect. worth and education
should be looked for in men who present
themselves for public offices of trust and
emolument. The State is entitled to the use OF
the best intellect of its sons, and sheer igno-
rance and impudence should not be allow ed
to obtrude themselves into high places to
the exclusion of worth and intelligence.
upon this basis, there would be hope of re-
alizing all for this country that the great
apostle of liberty. Mr. Jefferson. hoped for.
When about to enter upon his duties as
President, he wrote the following as what
he deemed the essential principles of our
government:
Equal and exact justice to all men of what
! ever state or persuasion, religious or politi-
| cal: peace. commerce. and honest friendship
! with all nations; entangling alliances wit
none the support of the State governments
! in all their rights, as the most competent
| administration for orr domestic concerns
| and the surest bulwarks against anti-repub
| ican tendencies: the preservation of the
| general government in its whole cOnstitu
| tional vi gor. as the sheet-anchor of our peace
| at home, and safety abroad; Jealous care OF
the right of election by the people; alb
| solutc acquescence in the decisions OF
the majority, the vital principle of re
publics, from which is no appeal
| but TO force, the vital principle and
| immediate parent of dcspOtism well dis
! cipiined militia. our best reliance in peace.
| and the first moments of war, till regulars
may relieve them; the supremacy of the
| civil over the military authority; economy
| in the public expense, that labor may be
| lightly burdened: the honest payment OF
| our debts. and sacred preservation of the
| public faith; encouragement Of agriculture
| and of commerce as its handmade: the ditfu
| sion of information, and the arrangement
| of all abuses at the bar Of public reason,
| freedom of religion; freedom Of the
press, and freedom of person.
| under the protection of the habeas
corpus, and trials by juries impartially Sc
| lected. These principles form the bright
constellation which has gone before us and
| guided our steps through an age of revolu.
! ton and reformation. The wisdom of our
sages, and blood of our heroes have been
| devoted to their attainment. They should
| be the creed of our political faith, the text
| of civic instruction, the tombstone by which
| to try the services of those we trust and
should we wander from them in moments OF
| error or alarm, let us hasten to retrace our
steps and to regain the road which alone
leads to peace, liberty and safety.
This is the language of a man whose mem
DRY all parties should respect-Democrats
and Republicans; and as these were the
principles that guided the steps Of our revO
lutionary sires of H76, Through an age of
revolution and reformation so they are the
principles that have guided the Republican
party of the present day, through another
revolution and reformation, in completion
of the work commenced by our grand old
sires in the cause of freedom upon this con-
tinent. Let the Republican party go on
with this work then, and the best way to
do it is to secure the best cultivated intel
lect that is available to fill the
public offices-municipal State and
Federal. The offices belong to the
people in this country, and the majority
is necessary for a choice of men to ill them.
The ideas put forward by Mr. Wilson upon
this subject at this time are neither novel
nor original, but he deserves credit for re-
lteratlnS Ineu anu utSlTlIy W nave lUcLu
prevail. If the Republican party has not
made this the rule in the past, as Mr.. Will
sons speech seemed to indicate, it can not
afford to neglect doing so in the future-for
the character of the men nominated for
public Office must necessarily have a great
deal to do with their election by the people,
and no party can afford to disregard so i'm
pOrtant a matter.
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