New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-19
"y1TUR4L LEADERSHIP.r


controversy now going on in the Senate
is in the question whether Bourbonism shall
be permitted to strengthen its hold upon the
Solid South-is contained in the assumption
that has come down from the ante-bellum
period, that there is n certain class OF persons
who, by virtue of birth and Inheritance, supe-
rior education, intelligence, wealth, landed
interest or social position, are entitled to iead
the people and control affairs. The natural
leadership, we are told, resides exclusively III
them. Aside from the general claim that HoV-
eminent should be administered by the IN
telligent and educated as having the
wisdom necessary, and by the wealthy
as having tangible interests at stake
which they put forward ~ political aXioms
rather than propositions TO be demonstrated
by argrImcnt--thcy urge that the experiment
of trusting the responsibilities OF government
to others than themselves has been tried, ana
lamentably and disgmcclully failed. They
dwell at length upon the incompctency and
dishonesty of the carpct-ba regime, the Icck-
less and ignorant legislation, the extravaganza
and corrupt expenditures, the oppression OF
enormous taxes, and the general worthlreinesS
of the officials of that period. They offset 1t
against their own wise and hcuienant rule, rs
though the only alternative to Bourbon rule
were carpet bag government, and they unhcs-
itatingly Justify the violence and fraud by
which their domination is continued 10y the
assertion that the carpct-bag rule WIS 50
intocrahc that No blame could attach to the
use of force and fraud to overthrow and per-
mancntly defeat it.
Now, suppose wc grant all that is cl1imcd
concerning the iutolcrIhlc hlrd~hips the nat
ural leaders endured under the rule of the
majority, though we know them to be greatly
exaggerated; and suppose we cOncrdc that the
Bourbon rule, except 80 far rs II involves the
suppression of honest votes has been bcnlg-
nant and wise, which hy no means appears and
suppose we admit the other aN,umpti0n-for
which there is no reasonable ground-that the
only alternative To the rule Of the bourbon
minority il the return of the incompetent and
dishonest carpet bag governments to power
what then Are free Institutions failure J
Shall the majority no longer rule Shall weerlse
the fundamental proposition IN our democratic
form of government, SAY the doctrine OF equal
rieht, does not apply to one section of the
country but that there ruling class must bc
recognized This il the simple claim OF BOur-
bonism stripped to the bun. 1t lays double
claim to the distinctive name 10y which 1t has
come To be known in American politics. 1t
not ONLY answers to Tnllcyrand's description
of politicians "whO learn nothing and
forget nothing; it adds thereto that it
stubborny set. itself above the people by Di-
vine Right Tho claim of natural leadership
is nothing less than Divine Bi;ht very little
diluted. over and over agAin has this claim
been asserted, openly ia the pres, and on the
stump ut the south. and continually by lmpll-
cation during the Senate debate now
in progress The leading organ Of
the Bourbons in South Carolina which
has frequently ayowcd is sympathy with
the men who fastened bourbon rule
on that state 10y fraud. not long ago openly
urged that the Democratic party should as'um"
the responsibility for their defence before
the Federal Courts, bccaU~c the party required
such work 10 be- done and pIo'itrd by 1t.
The naked issue presented To the country 10y
the present struggle III the senate Is whether
We shall have majority rule Ia onc-hilt of the
country and natural leadership - sort of
didcd Divine Rhythm the other The Bour-
bons in the Srnatc have u very clear under
standing of the situation. However much
other people may hc brfoggcd 10y the talk
about Malone and the NcAdju,tcIs bargain
and sale, distribution of patronage, etc, etc,
they know very well that the struggle
has deeper meaning. They see in
II nm EFFORT on the part of thr Republicans to
encourage and sustain thc ouly movement that
has yet made any hcadWay III breaking into
the solid Bourbon South, and it * because of
| this that they are making such desperate OPP
position. liourbuniSn is at war with the first
principles of free goycrnmcnt---thc night Of
the majority to rule. Upon the plea
that the majority is unfit, its suppression by
force and fraud il openly justified, and the
business of the Nation is oh,tructcd week after
week IN order that the rising protest against
the ruling oligarchy may be stiilcd and sup
pressed. The Bourbons have yet to learn the
lesson of patience with an environment of cir
cunlstanccs Of which they are themselves the
authors and that progress cannot be- stayed or
citizens deprived of their just rights because
any set of men claim to be- natural leaders"
/
Mr. Randall's denial that he was n Rcadjuster is
| not audible yet.
II the pugnacious Senators intend to talk all sum
mcr il might br well cut on the Capitol from
| municaiion with tho rest of the country and give
| Us peace.
No fresh news from the Albany wobbers. Per-
| haps tn y have got away again.
II is noticeable that the Democrats handle Scna-
tor Mahoncs revelations about their attempted ne
gotatons with him in the last campaign very gin
gcry. They don't care to attack them for fear he
may be rritatcd into further developments. He has
already let out the interesting news that Barnum
was in the field early trying to buy denomination
| for Tdcn, that Randall anxious TO have tho
Rcaduslcr- triumph in Virginia in order to crafty