The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-04-28
Old Folks and Young Folks.

The old folks were ut home when
they met i'm Philadelphia and created
that political marvel-the Constitution
of the United States. They went to
work without lobbies, and knew moth
ing OF the Vaccinations of rings. They
were large-hearted men. There was
not thief or rascal i'm the convention;
nor were there, at that day, broad as
the wilderness was, room for rogueS
and rascals. Hard sense, Indomitable
pluck, and an integrity that never look
ed to the right OF the left, were the
characteristics of the men of the ReyO-
ton. Lord Chatham, the greatest or
ator of England, paid them cOmpii-
ment i'm the House of Lords while the
war was going on-paid it ut the risk of
the displeasure Of King, Parliament
and people-paid il and never retractcd
It, or went back on it. 1t was true, and
history has not dared to say that it was
not-and will not, in all time, dare to
say it. But to the age of the younger
generation, to the age of the present,
the old folks at home, the men of TIE
Revolution, were driveIers, fogies and
dwarfs. OF this particular eye, that of
Butler is the best representative. Why,
there is the old document, sometimes
printed among the statutes of States,
and sometimes called the Constitution
of the United States, all torn, and man.
gled, and reviled. To the eve of the
giants who govern the country "Outside
of it," it is nothing but relic of the
past, o broken monument of other days,
and binds nobody, and is not to Le res
pected. But this is progress. IL is pro-
gress to undo States, and pull down the
solid masonry of arches underneath
which the people of America moved on
to greatness, ifnot to glory. Anything
old seems to give mortal offence to the
rulers of the people. The counties were
all organized wrong, and there must he
q new arrangement. There are SD ma
ny people who cannot live without Of
flee, that counties must be multiplied
to accommodate them. They are true
patriots. 1t is disloyal TO doubt it. The
old fellows who engineered revolutions
cleaned out Indians, cut down forests
and constructed States and cOunties-
be hanged. Back, with the shadows OF
their memory! Down with their skthk-
ing ghosts! Why come they here To
plague us! They had no more sense
than to construct institutions for the
convenience and benefit of the people.
The old dotards never thought of max
ing money, and actually went out Of
office without stealing cent The
Presidents and Cabinets and Congresses
were too stupid to seize upon the reve-
nues of the people and enrich them
selves. The officers of the revenue had
not sense enough to steal hundreds of
thousands and run of to Europe with
it. They had no more sense than to he
honest. They even built jails and PEN
itentiaries to put people in for helping
themselves to that which did not be-
long to them. Was there ever such
folly, Judges knew no better than TO
refuse bribes, and to decide just what
the law is without reference TO the issue
of suits. But all is changed now. We
have rulers who know what they are
about. They commit 10 such foliies as
the old fellows did. You will never
catch them playing the old worn-eaten
role of public integrity. Money is the
new Constitution, and Ayarice is its
interpreter. This is progression. How
do you like it?