New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-21
THE MEAHNEss OF poLrr1c1ANs.

THE MEANHESS VI POkITlCIANS.
We can think Of no other word to d,
J scribe the total want of principle ths
actuates those who seek power by mean
of party. The very last exhibition OF thi
meanness is in the low-down vituperatio
of Governor Kemper, of Virginia, b
those who affect to maintain the sam
doctrines that he does. A bill passed tn
Legislature appointing commissioners t
govern the city Of Petersburg. This thin
of putting city with some twenty o
thirty thousand citizens in commission
was a new freak. The Governor vetoed
the bill, and was burned in effigy by tn
disappointed Office hunters, who, we ma,
suppose, had got up the bill. In his mes
sage the Governor explains his reasons fol
this veto.
The provisions of the bill are, in my
opinion, such as would subvert the prin
ciples of popular government in their ap
plication to the municipality of Petersburg
Neither the Legislature nor the govern
ment is sovereign. Sovereignty resides
alone and inseparably with the people. and
legislators have no arbitrary power. They
| are the trustees and not the owners of the
estate. The fee simple is one-the people.
| They 1.-THE trustees) can not ALLEVIATE, they
can not waste.
] We can not invade the liberties of a single
| city or a single citizen without breaking
down the monuments which secure the
| rights of all.
The complete political and material res
| tOratiOn of our State depends upon her I'M
daunted adherence to the principles and
| traditions OF JeffersOnian repuOlicanism
| which she has ever maintained.
These seem to us sufficient to Justify
the arrest Of this act, but Governor KEN
per proceeds to show the unjust and un-
wise action that it proposes;
The legislative power is limited and ruled
by the fundamental and Indefeasible prin-
clples of right and justice, com monty called
the bill of rights, which can not Only regu-
late legislatures and governments, but
constitutions. Among the foremost of these
the just right of selfgovernment permeates
the whole people, extends to every member
OF this body polite, and must guide and
control us in organizing government for
particular subdivisions of the community
as we'll as in enacting general laws for the
whole commonwealth.
This recognizes the equal right of every
citizen to protection within any locality in
the commonwealth.
But the more glaring inconsistency of
such legislation is shown thus
1t is especially unfortunate that such
legislation should, at this critical iuncture.
be applied to city in which colored men
compose majority of its suffragans. In |
view of the fundamental conditions on |
which Virginia stands as member of the !
federal Union, in view of our own solemn
and sworn recognition of the political |
equality before the law of all men, ire
spective of race, color or previous condi-
ton, the proposed measure, if enacted,
could not fail to subject us to disastrous
at home and abroad. 1t
would root out the growing good will and
confidence now daily developing between
the races. and plant instead the seeds of
fresh irritation and strife II would renew
past, which are being happily settled. 1t
would present Virginia to the world as be-
ng torn by intestine feuds of an appar-
nifty interminable character. 1t would
discourage and postpone, if not repel, the
lpprOach of the immigration and capital to |
which our most ardent hopes are directed: |
md more to be deplOred than all, it would
cTNo dS b prOVOcaUlOu 10 IcUeral lQLector- |
nee in our domestic affairs.
Aye this is the point Virginia has sub
cribed anew the constitution and passed
er parole to recognize the political
quality of all men. She seems no Jesuit
that old State-in the popular, perhaps :
estimation of jesuistry. What ,
be swears she means without mental
and her Roman logic goes on:
UnmOved by her misfortune and standing
mid the wreck of her former. prosperity,
irginia to-day reasserts her inalienable ! I
ght of self-government and maintains ;
lat the common government OF the Union
cling limited to the exercise Of delegated a
overs, can not cOnstitutiOnally interfere v
18th the regulations of the internal, do IT
este and municipal affairs of Ter people. |
is submitted that if this bill became law b
irginia would stand before the world in | 4
e attitude of denying to one of her most :.
lpOrtant municipalities the great body of II
at right of local self government which 81
e untiinchingly asserts and claims for her n
hole people against all Opposers.
Precisely. She would be demanding at ~
g hands of the federal government the :,
cognition of principles which she denied :,
her own citizens.
We see in this noble and Saxon docu- !.
ent the sound seeds of a renewed and T.,
rpetual union. ''Do unto others as !,
ou wouldst that others should do unto :,
u" is natural justice sanctified by in u,
ration. 1t was confirmed by the NJ
te of the Legislature which sustained the =;
%. But We headed this article ''the 80
anness of politicians" Here was man n,
ON we understand was the commander CIV
a brigade or division of the Confed- H.,
tie army at Gettysburg, where he
S wounded, as was supposed, MORALLY. Al
, courage and character are unimpeach-
e, and he has been elected to executive
ce by majority Of the people. And Go
v the political Office hunters denounce We
conduct and burn him in efigy! And bill
what? For refusing to sign law that thu
ated patronage! 1t is thus that the up
sion politicians, having accepted the vel
of Longst-eet and Mosby and gel
rest, and Beauregard and Kem- ha
in the hour when such men on
e in the front of battle, now defame inc
denounce them when either refuses to thr
y the orders of the small potato poll gre
ans whose sole subsistence is office. EN-
, doctrine published by Governor the
nper is brave and honest, and the are
ing words ring as though he trod the two