The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1882-03-11
a Fatal Sense Of Safety and Sc
curity.
American Regis ster.l

[American Register.1
Let us not deceive ourselves. or be
lulled into false sense of security If
the idea be indulged that no danger is
threat ening the safety Of our free insti
tutions it is a great aud fatal mistake
No Intelligent observer of the course of
events in this country for some years
past, who has studied the history Of
free governments, can fail to see the
danger manifestly approaching.
When Clay and other great states
men warned the country of the dangers
of rupture in the Union of the States.
and civil war, from the reckless course
of partisan leaders in trampling upon
the pledges of the public faith upon
which the Union had been founded,
they were hooted and ridiculed- Andt
not until the war actually broke Que
and was upon us, did the people really
become sensible of the dangers of which
they had been for years warned.
Only a few months since the Presl
dent of thet United States was brutally
assassinated in a public thorougfdre as
G. direct and Undeniabie result of the
"spoils system Of office" and yet when
an effective remedy for this degrading
and corrupting practice in our political
affairs is proposed in Congress, it Is
ridiculed and derided by public jour
mails and votaries of monarchy.
/ Within few years candidate for
President, undeniably elected by a
majority of the people, was by un-
precedented arrangements cheated out
of the Office, the country brought to the
very verge of civil war, and the defeat
ed candidate actually inaugurated and
made President of the United States.
The dominant political party, in
order to control the elections and per
petuate its partisan ascendency and
power, has adopted and organized un
der celor of law, system of partisan
supervisors and deputy marshals of
elections, whose appointments and
proceedings are conducted in partisan
secresy. and paid for by the Govern
ment; whereby the elections have 6een
corrupted and controlled, and that par
| ty continued in the control Of public
| affairs.
| The political party in power has
undertaken to aid in a scheme of re-
| pudiation of State liabilities in the
Southern States, in order to strength
en itself in power. The demoraliza-
ton of this movement will soon spread
into the other States, and. finally be
extended to the liabilities of the FEEDER
al Government. And the rule of ac-
! tion of this party, Epblicly proclaimed
I on the floor of the United States Sen
ate, is, g that anything is justi6able irD
morals and in taW that pitl beat dotCH
| the Democratic party, and Keep the Re
publican party IN poaUer," This is the
teaching of political ethics by the Re-
publican party. Every thing has be-
come debased by partyism. The party
instead of the country fills the minds
or politicians. The interests and success
Of the party, instead of the sre!fare OF
the country is the ruling principle.
Partyism has become the aMoloch to
which the country and it's safety are
being sacrificed. Ambition. cupidity
and selfishness have taken the place of
patriotism. and smagnanimous regard
for justice, and the rights and liberties
of the people. The unrelenting and
inexorable partyIsm of the party in
power has degraded and demoralized
the political elements of the entire
country.
In view of all these matters referred
to, and which are in no wise exagger
ated-indeed, not fully portrayed, a
man must be pnrblind, or ignorant of
the history of nations, who cannot see
the approaching danger to our country
and its free institutions, It is simply
question of time when the conflict
shall arise, unless Congress shall speed
ily adopt some efficient and thorough
measure to arrest the manifest danger
and remedy the evil.