Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-04-19
and the uneasiness that

dissatisfaction and the uneasiness that
exist amongst us, which, if they cor
tinue, will bring shame and the ruin
Of the Republic. | despair to-day to
see reached that grand object, the
liberation Of Europe. It is not because
of the coalition of.the foreign powers
against us, nor the intriguing Of the
aristocrats with the princes, but sim
ply because of the tumultuous awk-
wardness displayed in managing the
internal affairs of the Republic.
All our hopes must now be rested
upon France alone, and Iapprove en-
tirely your proposition not to inter-
fere with any foreign country, and to
allow no foreign country to interfere
with the government Of France. That
decree was necessary preliminary
to the cessation of war.
But SO long as intestine disscntions
reign, so long as our enemies entertain
the hope Of seeing the Republic fall to
pieces, and so long as not only such
and such representative Of the De-
partmelits, but the national represen-
tatives be exposed to the insults OF
the Parisians, or at least the clubs,
the enemy will feel encourage to re-
main at the frontiers awaiting events.
The danger that is increasing each
day is that of q rupture between Paris
and the Departments. The Depart
ments have not sent their representa-
tives to Paris to be subjected to insult.
Every insult that is offered them is
an insult to the Departments that have
chosen them and sent them here. |
can see no ,cay to prevent this ,upMre
ercept to locate the residence of the
convention and future assemblies at
some distance from Paris
have seen, during the American
revolution, the evils resulting from
the establishment of Congress within
the limits of municipal jurisdiction.
The Congress was first located at
Philadelphia, and after four years it
was compelled to remove from that
city. 1t was located in New Jersey.
Then it went to New York, and from
thence again to Philadelphia, when it
was found impracticable in either of
these places to establish the govern
nent and the project was formed to
constructs city beyond the limits Of
any municipal jurisdiction, and there
in the future to establish the residence
Of the Congress.
In every city where it has resided,
the municipal authority either by in
diyidual or public measures, has OPP
posed itself to the authority Of Con-
gress; the people Of each one of these
cities have sought to obtain of Con
gress more attention than its just pro-
portion entitled it to receive, as com
pared to other groups of citizens.
The same evils have arisen in France,
and to a greater excess.
]. have DO personal interest in either
of these questions. I feel grieved to
see affairs so i'll conducted, and Sc
little attention given to moral princi-
pies. 1t is these things that do in
Jury to the character of the Reyolu-
ton, and impede the progress of lib
erty in the entire world.
Some check should be put to the
spirit of denunciation that reigns now
a-days. lfeach individual is permit
ted, in order to crafty his malice
or ambition, to denounce at hazard
and without any sort of proof, then
all confidence will be destroyed, and
all authority rendered powerless. Cal
umny is a species of treason. 1t is
a private evil that should be punished
as any other reasonable act. 1t is q
public evil, in this, that it will cause
disaffection among some men, who
would ever remain loyal, were they
not irritated by persistent calumny
1t is as necessary to protect public
officials against calumny, as it is tt
punish them for their reasonable
conduct, or bad behavior.
For my part, | shall consider as
doubtful, until fuller evidence is ad.
duced, the question whether Dumou-
riez has betrayed through premedi.
tation or through resentment. HI
certainly acted faithfully at one time;
but every heart is not possessed o
sufficient tirmness to resist the bit
ter feelings that ingratitude excites
and l believe that he was sorely tried
in this manner previous to his deser.
ton.
Calumny becomes Intellectual and
destroys itself whenever it is attempt
ed to have it operate on too large ;
scale. Thus it is that the denuncia
ton that the sections have preferred
against the twenty-five representa-
tives has fallen to the ground. The
Departments that elected them arc
better judges of their moral and polit
zeal reputation than are those VIII,