, 1876-11-25
POLITICAL METAMORPROsIs.

LHlCAdOs nov Z@.-lAe AttlLuaC Ol uO 1lCCu-
siderable portion Of the Democratic party, ut
the present moment, Is amusing, II not in
atructivc. Ono Of the most marked features,
perhaps tho most marked feature, Of tho
party during Its entire history, has been Its zeal
for State Rights. The Democracy have carrled
this ldca to the very verge Of disloyalty 10 the
Nat!onal Government. Nay, they bave actually
plunged into the frtghtful chasm OF dissolu-
lion OF the Union in the interest. or supposed
lnterest, Of State Sovereignty. Uador the
tnsteatton Of this disintcgratlng theory Of tho
National Constitution, they havo subjected the
country to sacrifice Of blood aud treasure ar
palllug to remember. And yet we now find Ter
tain Of their Journals urging the popular ina
iority In favor Of MIR. TIldeu, as constituting
vulld reason for reastng the Inauguration Of
Mr.. Hayes, even though It shall be found that
tho statcs Of Florida, South Carolina, and
Louisiana have chosen Hayes Electors,
thus securing 10 hin, majority Of votcs iu the
Electoral College. Rather than submit to his
Inauguration. .us country is to be plunged into
but what has popular majority to do 10 de-
tern,fnlug wlu Ia 10 be tho rlghttul successor to
Ucn. GrantI Under tho Constitution, clearly
nothing. For myself, should raatly prefer ~
have our Presidents chosen by direct vote Ut
tue people OF the wholo cluntry, Without refer
ence to Stute lnes. Such ,nOlu Ut procedure
would better accord with tue tdea that we arc
natton,-an tdea to tlatntalu Which We haye but
reason the Dsu,oeraeY hnye wished our
election laws in this matter TO renain
unchanged. Every Presidential election atlotds,
they conceive, an illustration and proof Of thc
nyana1 Tug S q TO- stntss Wtn
idea OF local rights. The Nation is only the
niuon, sbtuLnK q feeble and borrowed light;
the State is the glos'ous sil,,, whose cllulgSncc
who to this day, despite the lessons Ut the iast
sixteen years, will not 80 much ~ allow that We
arc uatlun ut all.
How comes 1t, then, that they make so great
hue and cry about the popular vote for their
large portion OF the Democratic PRESS and
Democratic leaders Ia male oblIvluus uf tic fnct
that the President 10 chosen by Statesf A
mighty change Ia this which sec,lls to be ron
ing over the spirit OF Democratic dreamsl
Nowhcrs Is tills wonderful n,uta,norphosis
seen in more fantastic light than In New Or
leans. know OF nothing moro ludlcrous lu
the history of American pol!t,vs tlinn the hot
i,nste With which Gov. Palmer mud tho other
Democratic gArbct-laggcrs responded to tho
ulanlate Of 1icad-Ccntre Hewitt. md bctook
themselves to tho Crescent CITY, 10 see that the
duly-nppointed officers OF Louisiana Should
mike proper count of the votes Of the State.
Dnyurd, Ut Delaware, was more consistent, de-
cllnlng to take part IN tnlssLon which sccHled
to Inn % Gil intrinGrnleut upon the rghts
Of sovereign State. And tho manifesto
Ts ,n:ss .o Ssnf ssSn af'r r.
tic form Ut prupnaal to crrtaln Republican
dgn!tarics, only serves to hclghtcn our nslou-
is6nent. As Il to exhibit thls strange picture
whirl, the democracy Inns given Of itselt In the
Identified with party devoted to the national
idea, and In fact often nssaled by Its opponents
o. tho friend VI CMrar aud CHsaristI, DC limo
tho proposal Of Palmer, Dool'tt!c, and others,
tYnHn
would be an unwarrantable interference with
ana. sns III Tho 1 Champions oi State Rights
are put put @ fa!r'y or on tho DEF: defensive.
Single thrust With IL shining spsar u losal
rights, in tllu hands Of Senator Sherman and his
associotcsl What the enu will be We dare not
predirt. Whether tho transformation will gu
IN I'LL we lind tho coubatants, OH the one s!le
remains to bu seen. We vnti'ot say we expect
II. still, such things llave happenesl. aacaulay,
10 his Essay on tho Earl VI Chatham, describes
such political transformation ae having taken
plase IN the reign Of ucorgc the First. Tho
brillant essaylst sets forth this change under
striking illustration, Of which have been forvi
bly reminded by ths state Of things IN our own
country Ut the present time. Says Mneaulay:
Dunto tells Us that hu saw, In Aslooolac,. q
serpent, The oue1nles, after cruel wounds intict.
I'd, stood for tIme .glaring on each Other, 4
| kF6Nt CluVA HuiFVaHaEh kuVtAi "" tAEN HOHAEAe
tnl metumo.phosls be9nn. Each creature was
t!anaagursd lnt9 the llkeness Of tts an!axoniat
mans leg. intsrlwined themselves into taE The
body Of tLc serpent put forth aFms; ths arms of
tae man shraak into hta body. Al length tho
down = serpent, and q lded hlas!uE away. sotuo.
thinQ Ike this was tho transformation which,
two English partiea. Each gradually took tho
cOvr and shape Of It's foot tlll at length tho Tory
rose ~ erect tEs xsal1t of freedom, An tho Wh!s
crawlel md licked the dust at The feet Of power.
Who knows but that Palmer aud his confrcrea
will yet stand erect tho tIrln Odyucates Of tic
tho Republic Is an ,.llu drcamt At tho same
time, We sincerely hopo that the zeal Of sena-
tor Sherman aud his asBouistcs fur local laws
and local rights will never cause them, or the
party which they REPRESENT to crawl aud lick
the dust ut tlr icct III Stata Sovereignty, which
10 lately attempted the life ot tho Nation, and
IL evru now, IN solle quarters, threatening tu
| reuew the assault. JUNIus.