The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-04-16
Tho Peoples Fault.

political truth, and justice, and integrity' /,
They must be reformed but how shall IL
b doneS Blaming, as We do, tue poh-
ticians of the country for the evils which
oppress it, and endanger it, very existence
we 20 back of them, and blame the people
more. A corrupt People will produce
naturally and necessarily, corrupt Polih-
clans; pure People will produce pure pub
lie men, For it is the fairests of tests, to
Judge of the character of any People by
that of it's leading men. And, il the peo-
pie elect, support, and applaud men OF
loose principles, and of little or no moral
worth if they place such men in positions
of trust If they delegate to them powers
which the wisest and truest fear to possess
and tremble to exercise, are not the people,
themselves, responsible for the evils which |
such men Sfeatei The abuse of power we
trace back to the source of power. we
blame the fountain, If the stream be cor
rupt. We blame the people for their poll
ticians. These are the outgrowth OF the
body polite. These are the fruits OF the
tree-and by its fruits we judge it.
good tree cannot produce evil fruit-ner
can an evil tree produce good fruit us a
political as we'll a. q moral maxim.
| Why, then, such continual complaint OF
our politicians 1t is the peoples fault.
Why such complaint of the corruptions, the
venality, and other infamies of our politics
It ia the peoples fault. Corrupt politics
corrupt politicians-corrupt people. One
necessitates the other. To purify politics.
You must purify the politicians; to purify
them, you must purify the People. That
our politics are a very Augean STABLE no
one will deny. That the corruption Is De-
coming worse and worse, no one Will gam
say. That this state of things, If we have
any desire to escape ruin, must be remedied
all admit. That our politicians, with the
tremendous trusts in their hands, are not
to be trusted at all, nearly every one Will
eoncede. Here and there, from the midst
If the People, q voice of warning is raised.
Now and then, bravo men and true, who
care more for principle than for false
public opinion, step forward and enter
: their protest. At times, honest and upright
y politicians, uncontaminated by the almost
n general corruption, sound the notes o.
N alarm. But the People, in their majesty
o. where are they In their majesty, did W.
" saya Yes-in the majesty Of their primer
N Piles, their honor, their power, their rights
.t yes-in the grandest majesty Of conscience
lie In their majesty, did we sayf But, VIVA
has become of that Wanted majesty Con
he stitutiops violated, time-honored law
ii. trampled, as if they were vile things,
ing the dust inviolable rights invaded Ju'
Pc tice Knocked in the halls of Justice; iibe1
Gnu sns tea torn by sacrilegious hands, from the
,eir alters, in the Temple of Liberty; have n
the the people Witnessed such proclamation
ave. and worse than witnessed-approv'
with thema Great and good men thrust All
aeia to give way to the vile and the mercenaz
rhsy men whom bribes could never buy, fore
bills to yield place and precedence 70 tns
IA whose conscience could DO purchased
rsse, the paltriest pittance; Intelligence fors
gen. to obey tho dictation Of ignorance; int
rity Obliged to bear the exaction OF corr
Fssss tion true men and men OF soul ORR
snsral from position and deprived of influence
nship the soulless and false have not the L
a WIN nle looked ON aueh outrages, and bs
- dome themf Votes bought and sold, not me
of m. here and there, but everywhere; elect
carried by fraud and intimidation (; b
,os nas nets barring the way OF freemen to
j, begin. ballot-box; arrests without cause;
'hich is with bought testimony; conviction
.a 100 zoo out law imprisonments and deaths
ooa den, out Justice. Have not the People
such things, and stood stinf
~, pr., Usurpations of the most daring kir
" Father their Representatives-the ExecutiV
The world nounced and defed in the legitimate
pronoun' else of the very powers which the
nsnt nro. had conferred upon him the Judicia
Judgment tackled in their Constitutional privi
'onsah Will the Halls of Congress made foul wit
,nsvmsn,. guags that would disgrace the
'ens Latter haunt -depravity; the sessions
'o rS.,. Vn ~e Peoples Legislators turned into
ID repels an where ribaldry and passion ran li'
be criminal interests of the poor tempered wit
ne supreme turned to the advantage of q ne
moneyed aTistocracy the Treasures
p""..D, Government made to subserve par