The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-27
WHAT IL ALL MEANS.

The New York Sun calls attention to the
following passage from Webster's immortal
Grafton on the completion Of the Bunker Hill
monument which describes, with the spirit
of prophecy, the existing condition Of affairs.
We give the extract, with the SUMS interpo-
latiOnS
Quite too frequent resort is made to military
force; and quito too much Of the substance OF
the people is consumed III maintaining armies,
not for defense against foreign aggression bnt
for enforcing obedience to domestic authority.
standing al mle5 are the oppressive iustru-
ments tor governing the people In the ha DIS OF
hereditary and arbitrary lDonarchs, military
lions like that OF Hayes-EDJ j. and supported.
only by the sword, is movement indeed. but
u retrOgrad3 and disastrous movement. from
the regular and old fashioned monarcnical sys-
tens.
If men would enjoy the blessings of republic
ca "A government, they must govern themselves
by reason, by mutual counsel and consultation
by a sense and feeling of general interest, and
by the acduiescence OF the minority IN the ,rhI0f
peal OF the army AT the polls-EDJ: and above
all. the mi itary must be kept. according to the
language Of our Pin Of rights. IN strict subor-
leeson is not learned and practiced. there can be
9lo p ltical freedom. Absurd. preposterous is
1t, scoff and satire tree forms of constitu-
tiOnal liberty, for frames OF governm MT TO be
prescribed by military leaders luke Grant and
Sherman-ED.l ann the right of suffrage to be
tJtf If5fh ~ Htt pDHn W H1t SMOfN,
When Webster gave utterance to this vigor-
GUS language the country was, as now, in
state OF profound peace. But the regular
army then maintained at the public expense
was scarcely one-thrd as large as 1t Is to-day.
At that time we had quite as many forts to
garrison as to-day,a our Indian frontier was
even more extensive and quite as dangerous
as now. At the time he spoke, no such mill
tary interferences with civil authority, as
made up the history of the Grant admins
tration, had ever been attempted in this coun-
try. The issue upon which the presence Of
the army at the polls is justified, the right Of
the Federal government to manage and SUI
pervfse congressional electione, had never
been heard of at that time. On the contrary
the State CONTROL even as to the manner Of
it's exercise. over the electoral franchise was
universally recognized, and Congress had not
seen fit to enact any election laws whatever
What would Webster say had he witnessed
the uses to which the army has been put in
these latter days2 What apprehensions
would he have felt at the present enormous
and costly military establishment, supported
with the peoples money, to be held In reserve
for the political purposes Of a partisan adj
ministration?
The pending army appropriation bill calls,
in round numbers, for twenty-seven millions
OF dollars, to provide for the support of
| twenty-five thousand troops. Besides cloth
ing, food and shelter, which are provided
| BY the government free Of charge, each soldier
costs the government not less than eleven
| hundred dollars year.
| After reciting this fact, the Sun very per
tinently asks, what number of average
farmers, skilled mechanics and labore1s
make this much year? The very best Of
them do not average over So SO day, which
amounts at the end Of the year, there being
six working days in the week, to but S1O95 So,
and this only In case OF constant employment
and without deduction for single day lost
by sickness or other causes. Out of this The
farmer or mechanic has to support himself
and his family, pay rent, expenses in case Of
sickness, and for a thousand other things
which are supplied to the soldier he helps
to pay to overlook him al the polls and
disarm him OF the only weapon OF defense
the poor man has, his vote, to protect his
liberties and vested rights. This Is the hard
pan of the issue now before Congress, and
which the people will have to finally pass
upon in 1880.