Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-09-30
Some Reflections from an Ameri-
can FOsMs af View.


can POsms Of View.
We proposed to allow few days
to pass before indulgiug in few
temperate remarks on some of the
passages Of the Rev. Mr.. Ellis's
prayer and Of Judge Brunsen's ora
tlon on the occasion of the me.
mortal services to the late Presi-
dent Garfield. A decent interval
should be permitted, considering
the character of the celebration.
But President Garfield has been
committed to the tomb with un-
sxanpled splendor and with many
evidences of genuine sympathetic
feeling, both at home and abroad,
and we are now released from the
bond of dscorous silence.
For both the gentlemen whose
remarks We propose to criticize We
avow the most thorough good feel
ing. There is absolutely nothing
personal in what we propose to
say.
The prayer of the Rev. Mr.. Ellis.
which was in many respects admir-
abe, and which was unreported,
was dishgured by such expressions
~ ''ruler,n as applied to the Presi-
Dental Office, and "subjscts," as
applied to the frseborn citizens of
the United States.
Very much to our surprise,
Judge Brunson also permitted
himself to apply to American Free
born citizens the term "loyal sub
jects." II he had stopped at that
portion of his address in which he
apostrephized the dead President it
might have been said, by the by
psrcritical, that there was too
much of the fred light of hell" in
1t, but it would have been a feel
ing, patriotic and American ora
ton, In passages energetic and elo-
quent.
Now as to this matter Of "ruler"
ami 'subject:'' Until the Repub.
lican party engraf,ed the old Fed
eralist ideas upon our later politics,
no man has presumed to create
such being as "ruler" over free
born Americans. The Presi dent,
by all wholesome traditions, is
the Chief Magistrate and first citi-
aen Of the Rspublic-simply that
and nothing more. Such Presi-
dents 40 Thomas Jefferson and An
drew Jackson, fepudiating the
monarchical nonsense of old John
Adams, and the set forms and Ger.
emoHials of State which Alexander
Hamilton and his crowd even
forced upon the august George
Washington, delighted to style
themselves the s''servants" of the
people. Hitherto the popular idea
has been--or was at least until the
Republican party warped it in q
slavish dlreetion-that the Ameri-
can people we're sovereigns, in
dividualIy.
by the way, the exact status Of
the question was once very felici-
tously put by Louis Napoleon.
That able man had spent some
time in the United States, and he
knew of our wholesome Democrat
10 ideas. On an occasion when Mr..
4oule, and certain British noble.
man Of high degree were to dine
with the Emperor of the French,
some question Of precedence be-
tween the two arose, and the EN-
perer was appealed to to solve it.
"aive il to the Yankee" said the
prisoner Of Ham, "they are all
sovstAigns in that country.u
So much about "rulers,n an of.
fsnsive, disgusting and impossible
eendition in the premier Republic
Of the American continent.
Az to the disgusting phrase Stub
jsct," we have no patience with it.
It TITLES" US, and produces sensa-
lions OF nausea which trench upon
the fsinting stage. We thought
that the matter was adjusted for
ever with the old stupid King
George, towards the close of the
last century. Ugh! The word
sends shudder through our frame,
and sslf-respecting Americans,
who have inadvertently used it
with reference to the free-born
American, ought to repent serious
", and thoroughly rinse out their
nouths.
With regard to Judge Brunson's
idea Of surrounding an American
President With guard Of soldisrs |
By day, and patrol by night we
avew an utter lack of sympathy.
hot only that, but we are ready to
sxclaim. with febrile energy, San
athena, Marantha." It was the
Remain Emperor Heliogabalus
who built him, on the tarret of his
palace, gallery emblazoned with
mirrors, by aid of which he could
early discern the approach of an
nssassin. Yet II WAS this same
Lellogabalus who saw the assas-
line approaching, In despite of his
eretorian Guards. from q hum
lrsd angles, and who died .
hundred deaths at once. as q re-
ult Of his emasoulatsd prscau.