The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-08-21

lFrom Dom rlatt's Capital, washIngton.l

From Don Piatt's Capital, Washington
The Republican Convention of Ohio con-
demned the salary grab and eensured the
salary grabbers in one resolution, and in
dorsed Gen. Grant and his administration in
another. From this it would seem we are
approaching state of the public mind ia
vorable to the reception of the doctrine,
''the king can do no wrong" without hav-
ing attained to the institutional condition
which in England supply the reason for
its acceptance The extreme tenderness of
the Republican party-its organs and stated
assemblages- towards the official acts and
conduct Of Gen, Grant, indicates that there
is fear pervading those who think for the
party, that he will be necessary at another
election, or, if not necessary, inevitable.
Through practical changes which have
taken place in the government since the Re
publican party came into authority, the vast
new fields over which it has extended its
jurisdiction, and the equally great increase
in the number of persons tied to it by con-
siderations of interest, the power of the
administration within its party has become
very nearly absolute. How this power
dominates the moral sense of those who pro-
fess to speak the party sentiment may be
easily seen in the contents of party organs
and resolutions of party assemblages.
It is perfectly easy in given case to pre-
dict what the organ viii utter and the con-
vention resolve. Men only think as freemen
while they feel as freemen, and the instinct
of subordination is as unerring as the in
stinct of independence. Over the machin-
cry of the Republican party and over those
who constitute its working parts, the au-
thority of the President bears the appear
ance of being supreme. He holds in his
hand the party conscience, and prescribes
the law upon which the party conclusions
are formulated. No party would spontane-
ously stultify itself as the Republican party
is now doing in the increased salary matter;
and there is but one imaginable influence
adequate to such work of moral debauch-
cry, and that is the influence which ema-
mates from the White House in Washington.
The virtual adoption by the Republican
party Of the dogma, the President can do
no wrong, makes Gen. Grant practically
supreme within the party, and enables him
to prescribe its conclusion as well in matters
of nomination as in matters of opinion. In
other words, it depends upon his choice
alone whether he shall become the party
candidate for reelection in 1875, and as
many times thereafter as, surviving, he shall
prefer, as well as to dictate his successor IN
case he may choose to retire. What a
President in Office, with pecuniary means
almost unlimited and a patronage more ex-
tensive than that Of any throned monarch
in the world, can do to promote his own re-
election was pretty well exemplifed in the
last years campaign.
That is to say, the country, so far as its
sentiment IS indicated by the literature Of
the Republican party, is morally prepared
fora practical dictatorship in the person Of
General Grant, There is Of course no dis
closed inclination to dispense with consti-
tufionaI process in the matter Of election
that to which we are lending being simply
q presidency formerly reflective but ac-
tually perpetual. Whether our political
system would be really improved by the
substitution Of lifelong for quadrcnnial,
Ineffective chief magistrate is one thing:
whether the quadrennial reelection 81 the
same chief magistrate through the use Of
means by which the viii OF the people i
overridden Is wholesome to the common
wealth Is another. It's notimpossible that
the former may be found a proper mode 81
release from complications, the existence
and danger Of which are almost universally
admitted; while from the other rapidly ad-
vancing corruption and misrule win Be IN
separable
Hitherto the Cnited States 81 America
have escaped those rapid alterations Of an
arcly and desp0tism to which the other 90
4 called republics Of this continent. and
rearIy al the republics 81 ancient and mod
ern times have been exposed. How long
4 this almost exceptional immunity VIII co1-
Time "a a question the answer 70 which Wlli
depend unon another. How long VIII y
Be descrv6 There IS no seil-conscrFati tive
quality 81 republican more tlian y any other
form 81 political institutions. Ultimately
every people 1nd the institutional level 70
which they belong ~ yiEtnc % the political
cI.arncter Tg1anls % not put their ie1t
- tie uctks ~ tic people until The neck.
~ he people are bowed ~ entertain tie
FEET 81 iyr1nis Diclaior ~ bot come I'M