The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-02-01

rIllllond
FarpAS 8. FsBRu ], q s g
taor the Dispasch.l
Perry. s.
ri IL & litt,e word. but It IS suggestive Of
snuifitusie OF sad and sinc ortaee tneln
ries. Nor does time. " hich brinss aineilo.
ration, I'm many regards afford mueh greulHu
for patriotic hope g rest OF
Han CIVILIZATION, the spirit Oh party sent
come 81 Che purest and wisest OF men into
exile and to death the spirit Is the same
now MS Thea ant we need notgo 70 otner |
lands. or to ether ages, to see what can DC
done By that bidcous monster whose - ooS-} |
enr;nts IN the sands Of time y have ever been
snIeiible. and eyer as black rs perdition.
Hcra at our own door, and IN the orae!
career OF our own country, we may gather |
memories as sad as we need desire ana as
uncomfortable as the most morbid might
crave. Yet it is in no narrow or bitter
spirit that say this. / was once proud OF
VIXEN T could be proud OF it again; nor
fio Z doubt that such day might
come If our people would take counsel
of the past with an eye to future gain, But
it is Just here that the principal barrier IN
our way is to be found. Parties are not
wont to gather wisdom from experience.
On the contrary, so soon aS they are inteu
to power individual corruption sets 10, and
soon after we fad the leaders mistaklng
fhei, own power to do for the written law
az the land; while the many very prompt
.ly come to suppose that what their leaders
do is very probably in the right direction.
From this time forward the Commonwealth
is to be regarded like q vast estate, when
may be plucked in the interest OF party
greed. 49,.
strained at a gnat can come TO swallow
camel is very we'll illustrated IN poilticai
history. at Rome men clamored for the
blood OF julius, and afterwards gladly took
refuge under the considerate despotism OF
Augustus. In the Emitted States, under the
bess and wisest of Americans, men watched
the executive movements lest some uncon-
stitutional thing might be done. at the
present day we accept with thanks, as
grants OF Executive clemency, immunities
which we once proudly supposed were ours
under the national Constitution. Let it not
he supposed that am making thrust at
the present occupant OF the WnHe
House. Far otherwise. do not see that
aIr. HAYES is to blame for being President
of the United States; and while his conduct
remains as it is shall wish abundant sue
cess to his Administration, and would,
gladly do all can to strengthen his claim
to the favorable regard OF future genera
tions. His ilustrious predecessor has reck'
,essiy thrown away one OF the finest oppor-
~, 4 t,a 1,ao6 ofo n
possessed: and could desire he may have
a ulster notion OF the high destiny possible
for him. To heal the numerous wounds OF
nation OF such vast capabilities as ours is
no mean endeaYor, and it is task which
must be accomplished, or else the tree OF
civil and religious liberty has been planted
on the American continent IN vain.
The truth is, il / was mad with Amerl-
can partisanry and wanted to give vent to
INV wrath know not where / would strike.
I was once moderate Wing, and still have
respect for what regarded their funda-
mental doctrines; but | was not long IN
learning that man OF little brains ana
much impudence could become party
leader, and gave up in disgust. with Enc
Democrats it seemed much the same in
kind. and vastly more in quantity; and
then their doctrine of strict construction,
which in their hands seemed capable Of in
definite contraction or expansion, made
me hostile to their ascendancy. OF the Re
Dublicans know not how to speak. May
God forgive them for the ills they have
brought to my own door and upon my
country, as try to forgive them; Tor, to
confess the truth, am afraid that either
OF the other parties would have done as
badly under the same temptations. Inc
only point make against them here is that
,1o f,f oil bo p3
historical precedent. Every reasonable man
of the present day would admit, l think,
that if considerate and honorable loyalists
had been sent into the S0atb to reconstruct
our fallen fortunes perfect repose had long
since reigned throughout our borders; but
instead Of this men have been chosen as If
for the special purpose OF adding fuel to an
expiring fame. Yet the history of the past
is full Of cases whence they might have
derived O wholesome lesson. Let us refer
to one or two.
Never. think, was there in this world
of ours more cold-hearted despot than
the Roman Emperor Augustus; and ac-
cordIng to the political maXims OF bis
age he was absolute master OF the Roman
world. Yet, when he came to arrange his
system Of government, strict equality was
the great rule OF his administration. lobe
sure, our Republican brethren have talked
a good deal about equality, but hitherto
their idea of equality was always to discrimi-
nate against those they denominated rebels.
In France the good King Henry w.,
whose memory the whole world blesses, had
TO fight his way to the throne OF his ances-
tors: and il ever q ruler had Just right to
cherish feelings OF hate and vengeance
against a large proportion OF his people ne
surely had that right. Yet in arranging the
plan Of his administration he called one OF
the most humane aud considerate OF men
to his aid, disarmed his more powerful enc
mics BY his generous magnanimity, and de
c]ared to the masses that by and by, with
Gods blessing, the poorest peasant In his
kingdom should have fowl in his pot on
Sunday. Now, my honest notion IS that
the story OF the fowl and the pot alone will
Weld more glory in the market where fame
is to be bought than all the harsh deeds OF
all the bitter party leaders in the worlds
history. 1t was party fury that had turned
the fair provinces of France into pande-
monlum. 1t was the genius and generosity
OF an absolute monarch which brought
France back to state Of order and repose.
II it be true that history is philosophy
teaching by examples owe might act wisely
in taking counsel Of these and such like
cases. Then, il we would stay to consider,
we would find that in every age parties
have, sooner or later, wrecked themselves
or the fortunes OF their country. Sometimes