Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-07
AMERICAN srArEsmaNsHrp.

WASHINGTON, Dec. D, lSIZ.-I there
is any thing that the American people ought
10 study carefully aud thoroughly, it is the
elements and principles of their system Of
government. In spite of the general IL
crease Of useful knowledge from the admin
istration washington, aided by Hamilton
as Secretary of State, in the 80 years that
have elapsed, to the government, of Grant,
Fish and Boutwell,, American craftsmanship
has sorrowfuily deteTicrated in character,
and to the same extent depreeiated in value.
While the growth of knowledge has been
large, that of rascal y has been greater-fill-
ing all Offices Of honor, trust, or profit, with
demagogueism and counterfeit patriotism.
1t was more than thirty years ago when
Thurlow Weed and William Il. Seward
began teaching sectional hatred as virtue
In American Craftsmanship. This idea,
this aid to office, was found net less avail
able in the Southern than in the North
ern States, and very naturally produced
fratricidal and disastrous war. Demagogues
cannot forego their well lesrnt trade. They
never will voluntarily give up It's personal
and political advantages. As the Federal
Constitution now stands, with 100000 ne
gro voters, craftsmanship of the Seward
type can easily invol. the country in civil
war at any time. Knowing well where the
muscle and money power of the repGblic
existed, Mr.. LiDcoln's Secretary of the
State promoted. rather than discouraged
"the irrepressible conflict" How many
fortunes have been made in the North Dy
the domination of this sectional policy, and
statesmanshipi Greeley and other Repub-
lican reformers have found that system
productive of such gains is not TO be sur
rendered, so long as the public Treasury
has money, or Congress credit to borrow it.
Probably the best talent in office is exeried
to cover up fraud in ballots, and crime in
the purchase and sale Of votes. Tbs Har-
pers have published more books than any
other house in the United States; aud their
Weekly Journal of Civilization with its
pictures, has done much to depress and de-
morslize American craftsmanship.
How can it be purified and elevated?
This is a hard question TO answer, 10 con-
sequence of the bad political education of
the masses. Since Mr.. Van Buren's cleo
ton to the Presidency in 1886, our average
policy and politics have baen growing more
and more corrupt. Men who profess TO be
honest and Christians, knowingly support
demagogues and dishonest practices. Il is
assumed that our republican institutions
can live and prosper under this weight Of
any amount CT legislative and executive
misconduct. Heavy public debts, heavy
tsxes, snd heavy ca'ions, are The naiu-
raj fruits Of accepting political vice for poiil-
icsl virtue. The American intellect fails to
recognize the fact, that craftsmanship with
sound morality left out, is a snare, a curse,
and generally crime. tbs aOle to make
man President who dabb!ss with his wife,
in government and other stocks in
Wall street, and accepts presents
from men of high and low
estate. One might hope when SO many
priests turn statesmen that ths political
conscience of the nation would be more
sensitive aud improved, but such is not the
case. The power that is able TO purchase
votes at elections, buys them in legislative
bodies.
1t is not possible to develop higher
standard Of morality and craftsmanship,
so long as the sovereign electors refuse to
support anything letter than they now
have. The elective power was sadly dam
aged by personal, partisan and sectional
antipathies, before colored men we're en-
dowed with the sovereign franchise. a
desolatiDg war proved that fact. Neither
the intelligence, nor the morality Of the bal
lot-box has been improved by negro voting.
II may destroy the Constitution, or what
remains of it, framed By wise, pure and
patriotic men, the illnstrious founders of
our Government. If the descendants OF
Washington's slaves and others, did
nothing more than make laws for
the government Of freedmen, and
constitution for themselves, our in
teTest in their sovereign powers would be
comparatively small. Bat thirty-six mil
lions Of white people have already LOST the
invaluable benefits of the Constitution
made by Washington and his associates,
that negroes may choose negroes TO make
laws that govern white people.
American craftsmanship under the edu-
cation of sectional hatred, has come to this
humiliation aud degradation. Oar loss is
doubtless irreparsble, for the Americans
VIII lever have the moral courage and
union Of purpose TO take back upon sober
thought what they threw away when drunk.
Revolutions rarely, if ever, move backward,
and Radicslism is progressive till it dies.
When will it consent 10 die, and where?
add after what bl0odshed will it give up the
ghost? Z.