The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-02-14

refined and enlightened nations OF tt
Old World, and OF the States of tn
: Union, caricatures OF The gravest sui
jects and OF the most exalted characte
have not only been permitted. but eve
en- outraged as harmless contribution
to public amusement and even justil
able and customary expedients of polit
, cal warfare. In France, Germany an
England such illustrative assaults upo
. prominent men have been extensivel
EN- ployed by all classes. Even royalt
has not disdained to vent It's spleen an
wit in what we may call written carict
tur es, and many king, mindful OF tn
demoralizing effect of interested fatter,
h as kept constantly at his side an officis
"fool," or "jester," or "truth- teller" wv
might more correctly say, as an offse
to the crowd Of sycophantic courtier
that surrounded him. Voltaire, after tn
estrangement which took place between
him and Frederic the Great, lashe'
his royal quondam friend with keel
sarcasm and gross abuse; but FREDERIC
who was every inch a king, and appar
emily not so sensitive as the modern
high official, instead of planning ven
| geance upon his assailant, soon after
effected O. reconciliation with him, and
the two ex-friends and ex-enemies be.
gan again to lavish upon each other
their old reciprocal batteries. Frederic
was also mercilessly lampooned and
libeled by many Of his subjects, but
had no thought of resenting the license
which they INDUCED In towards him.
"My people and l." said he, "under-
stand each other. They are to say what
they like, and am to do what like"
Henry the Third, Of France, was con-
stantly accompanied by Chicot, his
jester, who lost no opportunity of ridi-
culing his royal master and calling
public attention to his follies and vices.
Many other instances of this lack of
sensiti veness and disclaimer Of touch
me-not, sacro-sanct divinity on the part
Of royalty might be cited from the past,
but our purpose Is better suited by refer
ence to the practice Of modern times,
when, in public estimation, kings are
SO little hedged around by divinity that
comparatively small notice Is taken of
them, and the prominent statesmen of
the land are singled out for caricature
and satire.
Everyone knows with what freedom
the London "Punch" lashes the foibles,
and how pungently it ridicules the per-
sonal characteristics of the leaders Of
political parties, but we have never
heard Of an attempt to suppress Punch
because Of the broad license of his carl
catures, or of a threat on the part of
the dominant political party Of the day
TO visit upon the citizens Of London the |
rage and resentment engendered by the
sharpness Of his sting. The same may
% said Of the Berlin "Kladdera-
latsch," the caricatures of "Cham,"
he Partisan, and their Austrian and
Italian analogues, the names Of which
Jude us at this writing. But there is
n example still nearer to us which
erves as perfect illustration of our
Joint. During the recent heated politi-
al campaign no more effective weapon
# attack was employed by the Radical
'arty than the frequent caricatures OF
iov. Tilden by Thos. Mast. Harper's
Veekly, Of New York-as virulent an
sheet Us ever disgraced
Torthern journa lism and refuted Rad
al IF ] ,
nd sectional reconciliation, teemed
lroughout the campaign with the ,
lost vulga- and disgusting pictorial
bells upon the standard bearer ,
the Democrats, the then hon
red reform Governor Of the Empire
tate. Almost every conceivable {
lime, moral or political, was i'm '
lted to him by pictorial suggestion. :
@ was exhibited to the world in the I
ght Of an associate Of thieves, of a
srjurer and liar; he, the champion =
ng-smasher Of the country, was de- v
ounced as an ally Of Tweed and an Or q
Inizer Of rings, and yet we have never L
card Of threat on the part Of the
emocratic authorities or masses Of
ew Yark to suppress Haa.per's Weehly, l.
to visit their indignation at It's infa- S
Gus calumnies upon the Republicans T
that city.
The foregoing remarks are suggested 8
r the ridiculous controversy which has t
isen here over the recent display OF g
Iomus" in which, it seems, political 9
lusions were discovered calculated to 9
fead the sensihilities of the leaders of j,
political party. We cannot under [.
and why less license should be allowed u
"Momus" than to the countless q q
and political journals Il
the country unless it be because the Il
rmer happens to have chosen for the
eatre Of his display city that has
en- writhing under the iron heel OF .
spOtism, and for the object of his