The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-02-24
DECADE OF DECADENCE.

For ten years past the Radical Re-
publican party has ruled this country
literally with a rod of iron. The iron
it is true, hes been tipped with lead
indeed at bo; ID ends, loaded With bull
LET'S at butt, and crowned with stupid
ity at the top. But none the less a
rod of iron. The purse it has held
and empticd as it pleased. The
sword it has held and welded as
suited it. In all Che rest Of the civil
lied world there has been no such
absolute rule over any people as that
of the Radical Republican party over
the people of the United States,
CHER lives, their fortunes and their
sacred honors." The Radical Repub-
lican party has controlled the Exec
ut,ye. When it found in the person
of Andrew johnson, ten years ago, a
man just deeply enough imbued with
respect for the laws and the Consti-
tuition of his country 10 shrink from
making the Presidency a convenience
of lawlessncss and corruption, it
forced the House Of Representatives
to impeach him, and did its best 10
coerce the Senate into convicting end
ejccting him. 1t bargaincd with a
successful soldier Of fortune, a m:n
absolutely destitute Of political Goa
victions, for the succession Of An
drew johnson, closed the transaction
and put him into power. Through
him and with him for decade it hes
worked lis will, It's whole will, and
nothing but lis will upon this hap
less and helpless land. It has admin
istered the Treasury. 1t has organ
lied and disposed of the army and
the navy. 1t has made and unmade
laws. 1t has represented The Ame:i
can people abroad. It has ruled The
American people al home. Tor sew
eral years after the close Of the war
the supremacy of the Radical Repub-
lien party in the United States wis
like the supremacy of Paganism un-
der Julian the Apostate or like the
supremacy Of Christianity under
Constantine the Great. To belong
70 the Radical Republican party was
70 be yirtuous, 10 5e respectable, to be
successful. 10 oppose the Radical
Republican party was to be dishonest
to be corrupt, to be unsuccessful.
What WAS che pretence on which the
people of the United States were de-
luded and be-devilled into conceding
this uncsampled license ofpower TO
this partv3 Il was the preteace that
this party had carried the war for Che
Union through 10 a vi, toiiors termi-
nation, and therefore thai this pa::y
hid right 10 Insist that il should
be iatiusied with The. Task o. rc.or.
ganiziag and re- oasi netting the cora-
t:.y after The crown az hour OF tri.
umph had souat,c,!. A plausible pre-
text enough this wac !! Ii happened
10 be founded, indeed rpoa ale. The
armies OF The U,i.ed S;a;cs by VIII oh
the w.-r 10. the Ul'ol WIS waged
through 10 vic,ocy wee originally
mace possible by Tie military genius
and the military ski Of Democratic
generals. The heroes Of Big Bethel
and Of Full Rnl were the chief con-
tribu;ioa made by The Republican
party 10 OR m:li;;:ry history in the
outset of The war. The soldiers who
fought out VIGOROUSLY that long end
weary contest were dawn as freely
from the ranks Of the Democracy as
f:om the ranks Of the Republicans.
The financial burden Of tie conflict
would have beea dropped in despair
very carly in The strife but for The
constancy and the abilities Of the
great financial and Democratic me-
ttropolis Of the Ulion. But the lie
p:ospereG, as lies fol- a time are ept
TO do, and the Radical Republicans
hsving made a Radical Republican
President of a soldier whose ooly po-
liSical vote had been thrown for q
Democratic candidate, undertook to
regeaerate the republic OF which they
had impudeatly pretended themselves
as the savioi's. a..,
For ten yeas the country has Civ
en- them their head. For ten years
they have been utterly free TO do
their best and their worst. For ten
years they have enjoyed practically
undisprted mastery Of the whole
position. What haze they done 10th
the Republic? The civil war left us
with navy. Have we a navy now2