The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-08-10
THE GOSPEL OF PARTIES.

celtIul anu designing pOlltlclans
have had things conducted very
nearly TO their entire satisfaction for
twenty years. The rule of corrup-
ton was established during the war,
and, fastening itself upon the coun-
try, we have seen state governments
copy after the practices put in ope-
ration at Washington until govern
ments at large have been degraded.
In the south, before the war, the
state governments were admins
tered with an eye to integrity, SINH
lar to that regard in which the
honor OF the family circle was pro-
tected. The one was held above
suspicion, while the other was cher
ished as more precious than life or
property. Sad changes came over
the land during the wretched,
wasteful years of war, and when
the reign of corrupt usurpers began
society sank in the moral scale as
never before, and the south was pub
licly clothed for years in the most
pitiable evidences of depravitY. The
power that was robbing the federal
government of honor extended itself
into every quarter of the southern
states, and truth and honor were
made pOwerless that corruption
might have sway. Good people
dared not seek to impress their coll
victions, for depravity had been en-
throned as tyrant, and there was
no appeal from its harshest DEGREES.
Every element of badness, inherent
in the nature of man, was developed,
and the moral contagion spread I'M
Ill it was by no means confined
to these with whom it originated.
Glasses throughout the entire coun-
try fell into base conditions, and the
south was by no means singular in
remaining exempt from the tenden-
cies of the times. Under reconstruc-
ton our state governments became
most corrupt, and it is useless to
deny that contamination did not
spread until, if it did not involve
society, it at least dragged out of it
subjects perfectly adapted to the
new conditions surrounding these
states. Good certainly remained in
all its purity, but it was powerless'
except for recuperation, and in
this it had to patiently bide a
time. Under recuperating condi-
lions in the south it has
made meritorious effort to
retrieve public affairs from the con-
ditions besetting them, and these
efforts have been crowned with de-
cided results. Still we may even
now hear of legislators being bought,
and sometimes the evidences are
very strong that Democrats, while
acting in the capacity of public SER
wants, have fixed prices for them
selves; but these cases are becoming
less frequent, because the popular
mind, once more in the ascendant,
weighs public men with the great
est scrutiny, and, when found want
ing, such men are discarded as I'M
worthy. Corruption for some years
welded its power in Texas, and now
insincerIty and deception is proper
ly met with the condemnation
that is merited. The people are
aroused to the fact that the pur-
poses of government have been
long enough diverted toward pri-
vate gain and personal ends, and
they are demanding sincerity and
truthfulness from those who expect
Office. The rule should be establish
ed in all severity. No man should
be admitted to public place unless
his record as citizen be pure, and
unless his pledges be made and de-
livered for execution. The only
means by which this may be done is
through the purity of political par
ties or organizations. Party pledges
should be held as sacred as the
duties of Christian to his faith.
While the church deals with
the unreal soul; while it pro-
poses to save us in the
hereafter from the torments of per-
dition, while it elevates the moral
excellence of people by holding out
to them the dreadful fate of the sim
ner IN the future state, political par
ties fix the principles upon which
governments are administered a; they
promise that honesty shall signalize
the work of those chosen to office
that needed reforms shall be insti-
tuted, that great public questions and
desires shall be formulated and exc
cuted that public servants shall be
sincere, executing public trusts to
the best of their ability; that
the public's reputation shall be
preserved untarnished. Political
parties, promising such things,
should be held to a strict account.
ability, and while platforms should
be explicit, the parties promulgat.
ing them should hold them as sacred
compacts made and entered into be-
tween the people and their admin.
istrators. There should be a gospel
of parties as well as that of the
churches, one as binding as the other
Doctrines taught and principles
executed should be as much in the
interest of exalting people through
party organization as through any
agency. In truth, the party creed
is nothing more than a political
religion, and the Bible is full of po.
litical platforms, recording the pop
ular doctrines of the ages, upon
which peoples and nations pros.
pered and became great, or upon
the practice of which they lost char
acter and grew powerless. A man
who does not hang his hopes upon
some political creed is devoid