The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-03-07
a TRIFLING BUT SIGNIFICANT
INCIDENR IN WARRINGTON.


The return of the Vice President tc
Washington yesterday reminds Us that
there was an admirable lesson conveyed
by the manner and result of Ferry's
temporary elevation to Mr.. Wheeler's
place. Mr.. Ferry, it was thought,
would be unanimously chosen to pre-
side during Mr.. Wheeler's absence, but
partisanship interviewed and Mr.. Thur.
man WAC nominated. To him nobody
could reasonably object. Why the
party would become responsible for'the
conduct of the Senate, when it's organ
izatlon and committees are Republican,
it was difficult TO discover. But Mr..
Thurman was nominated, and the con-
test became most exciting. When bal
lots were counted it was found that
Thurman only lost the honorable office
by one vote. The lesson inculcated
by the incident is discovered in the
admirable conduct of Mr.. Thurman,
who was first to congratulate the gen.
tlemsn from Michigan and escort
him to his chair. The unaffected kind
illness of feeling that distinguished
expressions and acts of the two dis
.tinguished Senators should serve as
lesson to the country. When the bal
lot box utters its mandates there should
be, among decent, intelligent, honest
citizens, instant assent to Its edicts, and
passions aroused by the conflict, in
stantly and finally forgotten. When
the ballot is not the ultimate arbiter
OF public events and policy, when Its
DEGREES are not accepted as final, there
can be neither law nor order nor secu.
rlty for life or property or private NOR
ais. Therefore the wlsest and best
men haYe ever bowed before the man.
dates of the ballot box with the grace
fulness that distinguished this recent
conduct of Mr.. Thurman. 1t was in obe-
dience TO this necessity and thus over
lying principle in popular government
that intelligent, honest patriotism bends
reverently when the law, interpreting
the ballot box, perhaps falsely, de,
clares Mr.. Hayes to be the President.
It was in obedience to dictates of
wisdom, practiced by Judge Thurman,
that we suggested the propriety of suf-
fering by-gones to be by-gones in
Louisiana. There were victors and
vanquished, and the vanquished guilty
of grossest crimes; but Nichols is the
supreme master Of the State, liberated
at last from the horrible thral-
dom imposed by Kellogg and his inn
mediate predecessors in. Office, and a
brilliant future dswning upon the
State and its revivified capital, no good
could come Of the invocation Of bloody
repulsive specters of forgotten crimes.
In this we may have erred, bEs not in
congratulating the country because OF
the abatement everywhere of passions
and hates and selfish ardor
OF violent partisanship. Now
and then "a Congressman is pro-
voked to mako sectional or partisan
speech. Conkling has torn bis hair
and appealed sloquently to his adher.
ents, and Garfield was aroused to do
this shameful thing by recent events in
Louisiana. Chalmers responded, but
sectional exaspera ton has not been
contagious. Party-leaders have blum
dered in Louisiana first. and then in
the House and in the Senate. The ten
dency Of popular thinking North and
South is in different direction from
that which speech-makeEs and local
courts and politicians would give il.
Questions Of finance, and not of wrongs
which Nichols or Louisiana suffered
in q by-gone sge, absorb popular atten-
tion. We are not thinking who may
utter the speech most ingeniously con-
structed and AIMED at the opposing
party or section. Gsrfeld's consecutive
thinking and tasteful rhetoric denun-
cistory OF The South and asserting the
necessity for q change Of presidential
policy, because Of the course Of events
IN Loulsanas went UNDECIDED to the
White House and voiceless to the coun-
Try. In truth, the South, as a peliti
cal partisan fact, ceases to exist and
passions and hates Of partlsanship lose
that degree OF virulence which once
affected even social relations in these
Southern commonwealth. Sectional
prejudicss disappear; geographical
facts Of birth or residence measure no
mans personal or social worth; the
lesson incnlcated BY Judge ThuSlnan's
graceful conduct. the failure al Gar
field and others cooperating with him
70 divert the President from his pur-
pose TO sestore the cOuntEy's peace,
and this substitution Of hnsneiai for
political qaestionA even In the strife
brseaing Congress, are facts in surrsnt