The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-11

pair the prosperity and happiness of the
masses and their interest must teach them
that corruption and fraud may enrich the few,
but does so by impoverlshing the many.
Ignorance and unbridled passion Ia legisa-
ton may not enrich the few but must make
the many poor indeed. To which Of these
causes Is to be referred the extraordinary
legislation of the Congresses which followed
the war, 1t Is left to others to decide. The tax
payers know that an increased burden was
imposed on them by the changes made in the
contracts with the bOndholders. The mer-
chants and shipowners know that we have
lost the carrying trade; and to what will they
assign policy which prevents the re-registra-
ton Of an American ship that had changed her
flag during the war, which imposes such du-
ties on the raw material as to Interfere with
ship-building, and prohibits the registration
u foreign built ship, though II be, by pur--
chase, the property OF citizen Of the United
States2
Will the people, If worthily the source Of all
power, allow long continuance Of such pal
pable wrongs TO the masses such ruin to in
terests which have been equally our pride
and means OF prosperity
A form of government must correspond to
the character Of the people for which it is APP
proprlate. 1t is, therefore, that republics
have failed whenever corruption entered the
body polite and rendered the people I'M
worthy to rule. Then they bscome the fit
subjects Of despotism, and u despOt is always
at hand to respond to the call A Cesar
could not subiugate people who were fit to
be free; nor could Brutus save them, II they
were fit for Subjugation,
The fortitude with which our people have
borne the oppression imposed on them since
the war was closed the resOluts will with
which they have struggled against poverty
aud official pillage, Is their highest glory and
gives the best assurance of final triumph.
Well may we rejoice in the regained posses
sion OF local self-government, in the power Of
the people to choose their representatives and
TO legislate uncontrolled by bayOnets. This is
the great victory and promises another as
the sequence to 1t, n total nOn-interference by
the Federal government with the domestic
affairs Of the States. The revival Of the time
honOred doctrine Of State sovereignty and the
supremacy of law will secure permanent
peace, freedom and prosperity. The cOnsti-
tuition of the United States, interpreted as It
was by those who made It, is the prophets
rod to sweeten the bitter water from which
flowed the strife, the carnage, the misery and
the shame OF the past, as well as the fOils OF
the present.
Every evil which has befalen our institt1-
tions is directly traCeabe to the perversion
OF the compact OF union and the usurpatiOn |
by the Federal government of undeiegated |
powers. Let one memorable example suffice |
for illustration. When Missouri asked for |
admission as State into the Union, to which |
she had q two-fold right under the COnstitu- |
lion and usages OF the United States and also |
under the terms Of the treaty by which the |
territory was acquired, her application was !
resisted, and her admission was finally pur-
chased by the unconstitutional concession, |
the Missouri compromise" When |
that establishment. Of o Ipolitic0-geographlcal
inc was announced to the apostle Of Democ-
'acy; who, full OF years and hOnors, in retire.
ment, watched with profound sOltCitude the
course OF the government he had so mainly |
to inaugurate his prophetic |
vision saw the end, Of which this was the be-
f,l1
ire bell at night"
Men had differed and would differ about |
and public policy, according to |
their circumstances or mental characteristics. |
such differences tended to the calculation Of
truth, the triumph OF reason over error. |
Parties SO founded would not be sectional; |
but when the Federal government made O
parallel of latitude q political line, sectional
party could not fulfill the ends for which the |
Union was ordained and established. If the |
limitations II the Ind been OBJ
served, and its purposes had directed Federal |
legislation, no such act could have been |
passed; the lid of the Pandora box might |
have remained closed and the country have |
escaped the long train Of similar aggressiOns |
which aggrandized one section. Impoverished |
the other, and, adding insult to injury, finally |
destroyed the fraternity which had bound |
them together.
It was no part OF my purpose, as has been |
already shown to discuss the politics OF the |
day, though the deep interest must ever feel
In the affairs Of the country has not allowed |
me to ignore them, and will not permit me to |
be unobservant Of passing events, or indiffer |
9nt to the humiltattDg exposures to which the |
Federal government has OF late been sub |
ieCted. Separated from any active participa- |
zion in public affairs, | may not properly |
Judge OF those who have to bear the heat and |
burden of the day. Representing no one, it |
would be quite unreasOnablet to hold any other |
for the opinions which may enter |
tain. How or when O restoration of the govern |
ment to the, principles and practices OF its
given us to foresee For me it remains only |
earnestly to hope, and hopefully to believe, |
though may not see 1t, that the restoration |
will come. To dsbelieve this, Is to discredit |
the popular intelligence and integrity on
which self-gOvernment must necessarily |
depend. Though severely tried, my faith in |
the people is not lost, and prayerfully trust, |
though / should not live to see the hope real |
led, That 1t will be permitted to me to die be-
lieving that the principles on which our |
prevail throughout the land, and the ends |
Tor which it was instituted yet be attained
and rendered as perpetual as human instttu |
lions may be.
| have said we could not foresee how or
when this may be brought to pass, but it is |
not so difficult to determine what means are |
needful to secure the result. First in order |
and Importance, for it is the cornerstone OF
the ediflce, the elective franchise must be in
and honestly exercised. Let there
be no class Legislation, low taxes, low salaries,
no perquisites;, and let the official be
held to strict accountability to his
Nepotism and gift-tahng
by public agent deserves severe5t
censure, and the bestOwal Of the peoples
offices. as q reward for partisan service,
should be as gross breach of trust. Let not
such offenses be- condoned; for, in govern
ment. of the people there can be no abuses
permissible as usefully counteracting each
other. Truth and justice and honor presided
at the birth of our Federal Union, and it's
mission can only be performed by their con
tinual attendance upon it. For this, there is
not needed a condition of human perfeCtibili-
ty; but only so much Of virtue as will control
vice, and teach the mercenary and self-seek-
ing, that power and distinction and honor
will be awarded to patriotism, capacity and
integrity.
To you, self-sacrificing, seIf-denying defen-
ders of impershable truths and inalienable
rights, look for the performance Of what
ever man can do for the welfare and happi-
ness of his country.
In the language of gifted poet of Missis-
5ippi