The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-08-06
Opposing Majorities.
~THAr IS NEEDED IN OUR POLITICS

lis time-by what he calls "the eve
Increasing despotism of the majority j
r tbs United States" "This power c
hs majority" he continues, sis 80 alb
solute and irresistible that one mus
give up rights as a citizen, and almos
abjure his qualities as a man, if he in
tends to stray from the track which !;
| prescribes." The declaration is ex
travagant; yet who that has seen III,
ostracism of our best men, for view,
wherein they were only in advance O.
their times, will doubt that the tyrap.
ny ofparty and the intolerance of indie
pendent opinion among political asso.
GATES, constitute at once one of the most
alarming symptoms ofour politics, and
one ofthe evils ofour society to be most
strenuously resisted. We defy those
whoput what we.think into fine phrases;
we anathematize those who, thinking
~ opposite, put it into equally fine
phrases; and we cruelty those whom we
bye deiied when they presume to dis
Mee with us. Is it needful, on New
bgland soil, to look far for an illustra.
tn' The great New England Senator,
vbOse fame is a national honor, as his
rrk is the national heritage, and who,
va foremost example of American
slolarship applied to American poll
ID, may fairly count on generous re-.
gd from an audience like this-wbat
sNr its partisan predelictions-wbo
he needs to be reminded what befel
bn, when, without stain on his char.
ser or change i'll his principles, he
ane to honest difference in opinion
hm the generation he had educated
I'D the party he had helped to createa
take an earlier shame, and one that
smes nearer to New England college.
OeAS5S' !
Who here has forgotten how the very
pity which had hailed him prophet,
Hrned to rend the first judicial officer
sthe nation, because, neither degrad-
x MS high place by apologies, nor
Flding to partisan demands, he man
Oily did his duty in great State trial,
j. never did a higher duty. No citi-
IN can do higher duty than to resist
70 majority, when he believes it wrong I
TO asset the right of individual |
pigment and maintain it; to cherish {
Oerty of thought and speech and &C. a
Dn' against the tyranny of his own or t
~ party. Till that tyranny-yearly
Fowing burdensome, as the main OH q
'ct OF an old party becomes more and ?
ore the retention or the regaiuipg il
over, instead of the success of the Q
esh, vivid principles on which new 8
'r1'es are always organized-till that h
Fanny is in some measure broken K
. shall get few questions considered b
their merits, and fail, as we are fail IL
6, to bring the strongest men into "
g service of the State. Here then ia g
other task in our politics, for which Ii
scholar is peculiarly fitted by the b
crafty and independence to which p,
mas been trained; and we may set
down rs another of the functions
nose discharge we have the right to r
pect at his hands. To resist the "
amy of party aud the intolerance of p'
itlcal opinion, and to maintain ac- Vi
Il freedom as theoretical liberty of p'
,ught. ur
great difference between the man OF
culture and the man without it il. ~
&c the first knows the other side. A ln'
at curse of our present politics is II
tyour heated partisan never does. op
can not understand how there VI
uid he any other side. 1t seems TO sp
disioyal to have any other side. ".
is always in doubt about the final ~
'atlon of the man who takes the al
Or side. We have good warrant to p"
oct from the scholar q freedom from u
IAOm II,