American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-04-05
Tho Soul Of the Republic.

The love of liberty is the soul of
all republican government, says the
Atlanta Sun. Without this love
existing fervently in the hearts of
the people, republican government
in any country must vanish and be-
come extinct. 1t begets and keeps
alive that vigilance which watches
with a jealous and argus eye all
inroads upon popular rights, which
may be infringed by intriguing men
in various forms and in many dis
guised shapes. Carl Scburz says,
ssthere have been republics whose
original constitution was as healthy
as ours, but which died after all OF
the slower disease of corruption and
decentralization, and that day of
constitutional life and anarchy of
power which always 60 hand in hand
with them" Says he, ''it requires
more to make aud preserve repub-
lie than the mere absence of a king,
and that when republic decays,
its soul is apt to die FIRST, while its
outward form may still be lasting"
Disregard of the organic laws of
our own Republic is one of the symp-
toms of the decaying principles
which is more or less sapping the
life of our free institutions, ideas of
federatiye government is another.
AS corollaries of these is the spirit
of corruption which may be found
to exist in all departments of our
civil government. Disregard of Or
ganic law, the spirit of the masses
to submit to the centralizing rule of
the few, and corruption in the public
service, are sure iDdices that public
liberty IS in danger, and that the
soul of republican government is
very sick in this country. Men
stand up in our halls of national
legislation to extenuate and apollo
gise for acts of corruption ON the
part of members of their bodies, in
the face of the most indubitable
proofs of their gnilt. Technicalities
are reSOrted to even in our National
Senate to shield men from punish
ment due their criminal conduct.
The case of Calwell, of Kansas,
claiming a seat in the Senate of the
United States Congress-, is one in
point to show the subterfuge which
intriguing men resort to to save
each other from proper punishment.
Caldwell is charged with bribery in
securing his own election. The
most lncontestible evidence has
been produced in the investigation
of his case that he openly pur-
chased the votes which secured that
election. His expulsion is now
pending. Mr.. Morton, with a ma
jority of the committee of investi-
CATION. reported in effect that the
election of Caldwell being tainted
with bribery was therefore void.
The friends of Caldwell now con-
tend that the Senate has no right
to go behind his certificate of cleo
ton and examine the motives that
influenced the members of the
legislature who voted for him. In
order to save Caldwell, his friends
would refuse to Congress the Con-
stitutional right to judge of the
qualifications of its own members.
each body for itself; in regard for
\ partisan friend. they are willing
10 disregard the organic law of the
upon which the rights of
,he people rest. This indication
from the highest legislative
body of republic is a symptom,
n one of it's worst forms, that de-
,ay is set upon the soul of the Re.
public.
Raf,n.,,, 10 What 80 ,,oo1o1 - vra
serve the soul of this Republic.
We need honest men and patriots
n the halls of Congress to legislate
or the prosperity Of the country
md the happiness and security of
he people, instead of plotting and
for personal aggrandize-
nent. Says Mr.. Schurz again,
Secure the exclusion from legisla-
i've bodies Of that class of men who,
lfter the use of ignoble means must
erve sordid ends, aud you will
rave secured better safeguard
lgainst the abuse of power than
~ circumscribing the authority of
he Senate in limits narrower than
he Constitution has designed
hem.n Dangers are threatening
he Republic. Its soul is dying out,
nd can only be inspired with its
vonted life and vitality by an up
Using of the masses, hurting from
ower those who are trading and
scheming and plotting
Or power and the subversiOn of the
ubIic interests to their own base
When the people fully realize the ;
angers that environ the Republic
nd threaten to overthrow their
berries, and to extinguish free
then, and not till then,
lay we hope to see the old vitality
the buOyant life-Of the Repub-
C restored, and its soul burn with
ne vestal fires of popular liberty I
nd republican government as in :
he puIer days of our National ex- {
San. {
George Francis Train goes to the t