The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-05-03

turn TO these as we'll. And, indeed,
it will be found that such contempla-
tion will be far from yielding salts
faction, unalloyed by just cause for
serious apprehension.
It cannot be doubted that the mo-
raj tone of the people has fearfully
degenerated, more especially during
the course Of the last decade. The
sterling integrity, which character
lied the actions of our forefathers,
has almost entirely Departed
Wherever we turn our eyes, they are
met by the brazen front of open
fraud and blushing corruption. The
calendars of cur bankrupt courts
have upon them vast numbers of
fraudulent bankruptcies. Our banks
and business houses live in constant
dread of the forger and the defaulter.
Our papers teen with accounts of
uumberless swindles and rascalities.
Ships are blown up or destroyed,
with cargo and passengers, either at
sea or in harbor. Houses are burnt
at dead Of night over their sleeping
occupants, in order to obtain insu-
rance. Men are robbed or assassi-
mated in the streets, or in their
houses, in every city of the Union
Trains are cast from the track, re-
CARELESS of human suffering, for ven
geance Or blackmail. Fraud and
smuggling are practiced to such an
extent, by the most responsible
firms, as, to bar out legitimate manu-
facture and Importation, in many
large and important branches Of bus
mess. The witness stands Of our
courts, civil and criminal, have been
made familiar with the polluting con-
tact Of the perjurer. And so we
might extend the gloomy catalogue
indefinitely.
And passing from private to pub
lie life, the prospect is no more
cheering. Justice is, to q great ex-
tent, made q matter of merchandise,
purchasable at the hands Of a cor.
rupted Judiciary. Thieves occupy
many of the highest places in the
land, and number among them gov
errors, legislators, congressman and
senator's. From all sides come but
echoes Of frand and peculation. The
Cabinet of the Executive is ever
thinned, by the se!f.conyiction o
some of its members, and the unde
niable exposure of the rascality 0
others. And worse than all, tn
, broad and shining trail of corruption
: is traced into the very halls of th
Executive mansion itself.
Nor does al this bear an unimpor
tant relation to the destinies Of tn
Republic. Our institutions depen
!. for, their preservation upon the SUP
: port Of the people. They DEEPEN
+, them in war, aud uphold them b
= their ballots in peace. Unless tn
: people be pure and unselish the
cannot be patriotic, for patriotisr
means the sacrifice of self for th
= good of country. A nation of col
y rupt and selfish men can never fu
) nish an army Of devoted soldiers, {
: a body Of conscientious voters
= There can be no doubt that unles
y this food of crime and corruption
public and private, is checked an
,, turned back, that this Republic mu'
" disintegrate, or alter its charactt
:, and degenerate into despotism.-
= And then the great problem of OF
" age will have been disastrously SOL
ed, and the result be the manifest!
ton of mans incapacity to COVER
himself-the impracticability of r
D publicanism on large scale, me
Q Orleans Democrat.
II ELYsIuM. Well, we are lazy j
'c Norfolk, that's a fact. But there
q no need of working here. If a ms