The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-06-03
A LANDMARK OF THE FIRST
YEARS OF TRE CENTURY.

Memories Of the olden time are being ae-
lively revived. American independence
and the near approach of its centennial are
directing the minds Of people to old mat.
tiers and old things. The New York Herald
publishes fac SMILES Of papers and doCu.
ments printed hundred years ago, and
everybody who has any old and curious
memento is bringing it before the public.
The STATESMAN has been allowed the use
of very interesting relic, circular in the
interests Of the ',AinerUa, or ARti-Jaeo6in, y
published at Raleigh, North Carolina.
The document before us bears date g Mon.
day, May I'd, 1908" The publication !.
gotten up in very fine style. and contains
some very good doctrine for even this day
and time. The following are excerpts from
the paper:
"The existence Of security and liberty
in a representative government depends en-
tirely upon the virtue and information OF
the people; and Il is perhaps unfortunate,
that larger portion Of virtue is necessary
in the representative system than in any
other form of government, in which man
has thought proper to place his hopes and
ms happiness. A slight corruption OF man-
ners, whether introduced by luxury, the
spirit Of faction. or the arts Of intrieuinQ
demagogues, soon saps the foundation Of
the fabric Of liberty-the temporarr expe-
dients used to prop the building, crush an
der the unequal weight; and the founders
II they exist, with every thing that il valu-
able to the community, ara baSiod under its
ruins. Thus the simple Virtues Of republi-
canlsm have in all ages. sooner or later, be
come prey 70 the hypocrisy, knaVery and
address Of intrigueEsS we cannot faEter our.
selves with the hepe Of always avoiding the
snares INTO wAieh every nation, at some
period or ether, has fallen. 1t is duty,
howeveS which We owe 20 ourselves, on
postezity ana our country, to preserve the
blessings Of freedom and constitutSonal Sc
cnTity IS long as posqbls; and The only
means Of edecting this all impostant OBJ
lect, Is by afrequent recurrence 70 the prin-
ciples Of our constitution, and 3 regular
and constant diffusion Of correct inf0rma-
ton. Virtue alone is noe snficient virtue
must Be enlightened, and that Is the sacred
duty Of the press. We
snail therefore consider Il a Dffmarv dutv
~AAA-N4AL
and moral princlplosof eovernn.eue- 7 ,rl-;rh
form the basis Of this conslifution. and -
do not hesitate to.avOw. that ~ eS5r,;rs-
ton Of the vieWs and conduct 81 ~. ?.
Percr, win Be q lcading object az - ~.
arrnn 49, 49,
acteristios. whether moral or politiesl ~
parties, connect themselves incessanflv ,I;fh
the origin Of al measures, and sverv movo-
ment Of administration. The attention ~
lhe nation should therefore 30 conslansIv
turned 20 this interesting object; 3 fhor.
oagh knowledge Of the elements q which
party Is composed, theiF activity nnd
direction, forms the rational g1ou1d II
public conideace, OF the measure 81 public
contempt aud dctestation.
TIE editor q paper, il q free coI.htry.
has high and solemn duty % perform. and
stands pledged Ct least for his iirnlness-- he
nay want TIE talents q a. able editor.
but y assuming the olIice. ~ hss avouei
thai he possessed the fortsiode az 4 cenii.
mel and win rot desert his post n re hoor
81 alarm o. danger.n
Subscribed upon blank space len 4 The