The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1874-03-06


Robbers have been made detectives,
all protected by Federol power,
while humble submission to tho re-
morseless demand Of this insatiate
wickedness has been made the only
test of loyalty and devotion to that
Union which our fathers helped to
form in order to secure the blessings
of liberty to them and their posteri-
ty w
At the close Of his address he
wisely said:
"In order to elevate our states
manship, two things, in my opinion,
are indispensable. In the first
place, our people must abandon the
insane habit of placing men in high
civil positions simply because of
military talents or success. Lee
was right. 1t is contrary to the
very genius and safety OF republic
can institutions to place their civil
administration in the keeping OF
men of military aptitude and train
ing. Brave fighting is no evidence
of able craftsmanship. 1t is usually
evidence of the very contrary
Otherwise, Captain Jack was the
foremost statesman of this age, and
instead of being hanged ought to
have been made President Or Sena,
tor for life. If this habit shall not
cease we shall not have civil states
man for President during this gener,
alton. In Congress, too, we have
generals, and colonies, and captains
and lieutenants, sufficient 10 make
small army, and scarcely statesmen
enough to form a good committee.
The second thing Indispensable tt
the elevation of our craftsmanship il
the reduction of Congressional salar'
les. Upon principle, the Legislators
of country, who have in tbeiI
hands the purse Of the people. ought
not to have the power to help them>
selves. believe Franklin was
right, when he desired by constitu-
tional provision, to prohibit com
pensation to members Of Congress.
i am very sure the proposition, so
that the members could not increase
their own pay, was full of wisdom.
Madison uttered truth when he
said it was an indecent thing for
members to fix their own compen-
sation.
Then again, high congressional
salaries are wrong and hnrtful in
policy, They excite the merely
mercenary with desires to secure the
seats. This begets scrambling and
trading in every election. Men Of
high ability will not be parties to
such contests. Thus, mercenary
men get control of the Congress, and
as they are chiefly moved by pass.
ion that is insatiate, if the salary
were a hundred thousand dollars
they would use the office to double
the sum. This will finally reduce
our craftsmanship to one groveling
standard +; use money to get office
and use office to get money. With
few exceptions Congress is now but
sad congregation of negroes,
knaves and imbeciles, and no. people
ever won, or preserved, or recover.
ed either liberty or right under such
civil leaders. You cannot scatter a
flock of carrion birds by railing at
them, but ifyou burn up the sinking
carcass that attracts them they will
scatter themselves. So we shall
never get rid of these creatures from
Congress by portraying their char
acters. They cannot see the mis-
chief they are doing, and, il they
could, they have not manhood
enough to be made ashamed. But
abolish the high salaries that tempt
and feed, and they will leave the
places that furnish to them no other
allurements. If high salaries con-
tinue, the greatest age of American
craftsmanship is in the past. We
shall never have another Clay, or
Webster, or Calhoun in the National
Councils. These great men served
willingly on salary Of fifteen hun
dred dollars and less. The Buffers
and Chambers, with their negro and
carpet bag allies-all, but the spawn
OF mad revolution--need seven thou
sand five hundred TO support their
dignity! 1t is sad to see republic
dying, as other republics have died,
and the people still unable to see
the evils which work death until
life is extinct"