The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-07-06
(From Tuesday's DaIlyJ
THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY.


From Tuesdays Dally)
The CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY.
Every newspaper In the United States
will have this morning carefully prepared
editorial full OF wise saws and modern in
stances telling OF the splendid results OF
events Of one hundred years ago. 1t is well
enough for the country's masters to ''swell
the loud anthem" which goes up from the
throat of Philadelphia, but for US the
theme of patriotism and must owe its bnl-
liant sheen to newly-born hopes for reform
rather than to any perfect blessedness of the
present that springs from events Of one
hundred years ago. 1t may be pleasing to
reflect that the thirteen petty little States |
that were colonies have retained their |
names, but lost their identity, and that IN
stead Of thirteen we have but one republic. |
Not only has local independence been sacri- |
feed on the altar of empire, but the assump |
tion of power by the central government has |
been, even beyond this, rapidly progressive.
The word Federal, in common parlance, is
unknown and unused, and the term
national" is ever applied as properly de-
scriptive of our present form of govern
ment. The overthrow OF the Confederacy |
was the extinction OF slavery and restora-
ticn Of the Union, but the party in power |
have made the triumph of the North the
enslavement of the South, and, that Radi- |
calism might retain supreme power, the
white race in the South was subjected to |
the black, and thus to depraved leaders of
the blacks. When the whites have finally |
escaped from the domination of local stu
pidity and knavery, local codes have been
so transformed that wherever the ignorant
and corrupt outnumber the intelligent and
law-abiding local governments are simply
intolerable, and cowardly demagogues In
legislative and notwithstanding bodies
have neither the courage nor wisdom to de-
clare for reform by restricting suffrage in
municipal elections to taxpaying intelli-
gence. Not only are local systems hidecus,
not only is the ballot-box full of pollution,
but decency is constantly more and more
repealed by the stencil of impurity.
Suffrage is degraded till respectable
ity cares not to WELD 1t, and
evils incident to the degradation of the
privilege Of suffrage are constantly cumula-
tive. The South suffers most from terrors
of depraved suffrage, but Philadelphia,
with its local debt of seventy millions,
would shudder and be silent even to-day
II for an instant the thin veil of smoke
and glory were thrust aside to expose the
horrible, CHASTITY sores that befoul the fame
and blacken the future even Of that splen-
did city. Republicanism in modern corpora
tions is only legalized robbery or, as in New
York, legalized anarchy, and we cannot
discover in this any cause for wonderful
Joy that one hundred years have left inefface
able footprints on the morals Ms on the
facts of the continent. Not only are local
governments made depraved and intolera-
BILE by universal suffrage, but the Federal
system itself is polluted as our fathers of
one hundred years ago never dreamed.
The cost of maintaining public plum
derers In offices of peace, through
9 single, yea is tenfold greater than
was this cost through decade in
in earlier years of the by-goue century, aid
even now, when presidential election Is
pending, the present American chef magis-
trate, possibly that he himself may retain
power, appoints Sheridan to incite violence
- and disfranchise Southern States. He is
given In special charge those common
wealthE in which incapable suffrage may
do its worst. It is by no means certain
that IL Tilden be chosen that he will be
suffered to become President, and Frank
BlAir's prophecy that if Grant became, that
he would die President, is not impossible
OF fulfllment.
There may be reason for patriotic rejoic-
ings in the exuberance of our fields and
growth in riches and power OF the State, but
not in the present wisdom or benefcence
OF governments that had origin In events
of one hundred years ago. Vice was never
so unblushing or villainy so daring or cor
ruptIon universal. We have seen Con
gress devote q session to the exclusive busi-
ness Of pursuing knaves, and men in the
highest offices are found guilty of pecula-
tions that should consign them to felons
cells. There is wealth gathered in the
East, bat its standard of measurement is
the poverty Of the plundered South and
wealth so shapes the conduct Of government
that the rich are steadily aggrandiEed as
the South is steadily impoverished Tn
blcssedness Of TO day is not IN facts OF to
day or Of recent years. 1t consists solely
in hopes for the future unfolded by events
almost Of yesterday. The people Of Amer.
ica, II baptized OF the spirit of patriotism
at Philadelphia, will surely re-inaugurate,
on this natal day OF new American cen
tury, the spirit as well as facts OF Americar
iustice and American freedom and Amer
can eisilisatisa. The necessity for partisan
supremacy will no longer compel whit,
subiection TO African mastery, and swheI
the people are borne down by unheard-o
burdens Of taxation and one branch Of Con
gress would lessen, by fifty millions, sum
exacted during the next year from tar
PAYERS, and the Senate, rather than assent
stops the wheels OF government, we are no
surs that bells ringing out 50 merrily thi
morning fr,m every church steePle sell
. glorious future as Of wonderful past. o
that deep-monthed eannens may not recal