The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-06-04
HERALD AND MAIL.
Friday Morning, June 4tb, 1873.

Thinking Americans are compelled to
acknowledge that waste, corruption and
lneihciency prevail in every branch Of
administration, and ignorance and per-
"sOnal worthlessness predominant in leg
'islation. They begin to admit sadly that
the grand experiment begun a century
ago is failure. Remedies must be de-
vised quickly if revolution and disaster
ARE to be ayerted. 1t is conceded on all
sides that universal suffrage, which
however, it is now impossible to abolish
is the root of the evil.-THe London
Standard
The London Standard is mistaken
The organization of our Government con-
tains a corrective principle. One year
ago we would almost have agreed with the
StdHddrd-at least we would not have
taken issue on the above But now we
confidently do So One year ago we
seemed on the brink of anarchy or I'M
perialsm. Grant, through his army Of
Offlce-holdCrs, seemed all powerful. At
that time undoubtedly there was a con-
spiracy to elect Grant to third term,
and then change our form of Government.
The cOnspiratOrs miscalculated the in
telligence, honesty and patriotism of the
people. They believed that with the pub
lie plumber, and with the opportunities to
plumber a large portion of the people
could be bought; and that a still more
numerous class could be misled by their
passions and prejudices; and if these
Two classes dlu not constitute a large
majority of the entire people, that ma
jOrity of the remainder were inactives-
men who, disheartened and disguised
would look on, ifnot with Indifference, with
out efforts to prevent the change. But the
last fall elections showed the conspira-
tors that they were mistaken. The peo-
pie suddenly and all at once, seemed %
wake to sense Of the danger, snd by
their votes surprised and de'noralized the
conspirators, and caused an abandon
ment Ofthc schome.
To-day the prospects of the perpetual
ton of our free institutions seems brighter
than ever before in our history.
Before the war it was said that our pop
ulation was comparatively small, and we
had yet had no test of our form of Gov
eminent; that it did very well so long as
the population was small, landplenty and
people did not come in contact and con-
Hict with each other but on the first oc-
casion we needed a Government it would
be found we had none. Now we have
stood this test and come out triumphant.
Our Government showed a capacity for
adaptation to what was necessary for its
preservation. This was no ordinary test
the dangers of an hour-but one lasting
fifteen years, and requiring the greatest
physical and moral courage, prolonged
mental and physical endurance, and the
truest and most devoted patriotism. The
result proves that our institutions were
such as to cultivate these qualities in the
people These qualities are now ena-
bling our people to successfully wage a
war against public thieves, plundcrers
and conspirators. We are now fighting to
get back to the simple and plain princi-
pies of republican government. Every |
days defeat Of Buffers and Chambers |
and the uncarthirg Of thieves at the de |
mand of the people, show the progress Of |
the people, whose Government this is, are
making toward a restoration of proper
and honest government and the corrcc-
ton of abuses which crept in during the
Struggle for existence. Our confidence /
in the capacity of the people for self
government is strengthened.
Every form of government has its evils.
Ours has its evils, but it has a corrective
principle in the courage and patriotism
engendercd by free institutions