The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-07

they did SO much to destroy. They commit
ted as great, tf not greater. crime than Cat
allne did against Rome. This illustrates thet.,
decline Of patriotism more forcibly than.
I am apprehensive for the future of our..
country. Statesmen are growing scarcer.
while the mutiform and complicated inter-
est of this great country Is being put more
under the controlling influence Of politicians.
When we read Of the star route frauds, inter- 4
nal revenue corruption, and the dominating
power of whislIey ring and other rascaliteS.
we cannot but think, that, unless somethings
is done to clean out this Angean stable of cor
ruption, and to check thi cal nival Of impuu- :
ity and commercial methods In politics, the !,
days of the Republic are numbered, although
our national life has not vet measured CEN
tury since Washington was first inaugurated
human capacity for self government tho
dowfall Of this Republic would be!
Grave problems are daily. presenting them:
SeGes eoG iTf nn anI @
rayed against each other and white. the con-
flict goes on the interest OF the cotntfy suf. !:
fers and the stability Of the government is
endangered. Socialism, that bydra-haaded:
monster, is rearing It's crest as q dsturbipgs,
element. We are face to face with conditiohss I,
where there Is absolute equality in law and
the most glaring inequality In fact, and it I.
Democracy which annihilated the feudal sys-
tenn, levelled the Bastile and vanqnished
kings will respect the citizen and capitalist;
IL VIII UG IOE llS W SOlNG Tue DTOOleUl Us 10 !
whether the very rich and The very poor. cait (. :
live together as equals and brothers, or wietb-i
er there Is to be war between them, and no :.
remedy for evil but evil, no safety from inju- !,
events of every day impress upon our minds
the necessity for studying those causes which
threaten our social and political state. The
deadliest Of sins Is thoughtlessness and indif;
ference to what Is going on In the minds -Qfs.
the masses of the people. A spirit Of unress
is abroad III the land. ANOTHER question that,
presents itself for slatesmanlike action Is tho
negro problem. The education Of the negro :
is q question that demands consideration; his :
social status must be regulated; his valnc ai
peasantry must be considered; his political &
power controlled. Is there any danger or hrs
becoming balance power: is he a failure or
not as a citizen? Is he likely to follow In the
footsteps of the abOriglnes, or Is he likely to
remain to rex and annoy us as q tantaliziH3;. .
and unsolvable problem? If he remains, Z
what Is the best course to pursue with. refeEsi
cnce to him and how best to keep The two
races separate and distinct, while they afe all
the inhabitants and citizens or the same coun-5
try and subject to the same laws? How, to
manage TO make the two races "distinct az
the blllows yet one as the sea" and TO govern
them SO rs to prevent antagonlsms and COM 8
ficts Of races, and at the same time prevent Z
them becoming an element OF weakness and
danger instead of a source OF strength and q 5
powerful factor In developing the resources OF
lenge the attention OF rejecting minds and
should command the consideration of our j
law makers.
Some may say this is dark and untrue !
picture, that we have no cause to apprehend
danger to our national existence. at least no 8
Immediate danger My friends, have we not Z
historic illustrations that will tit our case,
experience OF the past? Is IL not the part OF
wisdom to be guided by the experience OF
other nations, and avoid the shoals and {
breakers that destroyed their national free
dom and existence. z
What careless or superficial observer would
have supposed that at the time Cesar con- :
troIled The affairs and shaped the destiny OF
the Roman empire, when every one was Inn
pressed with the. apparently, unrivaied
splcndor and matchless power of that great
nation, that as matter OF fact the liberties of
rea re power seby Of ie mad
parted, that she was like Sampson shorn Of Z
his locks, and did not realize that her
strength was gone, and that the splendid pic. 8
ture Of robust health ahd vigorous power was
but the hectic flush that fOretells decline and
dissolution. Says an eminent historian, in Z
speaking of Rome ut the time of Cesar and
spirits that ait was the blossoming period OF
the civilizations, when, the intellect waS
trained to the highest point which it could
reach, and on the groat subjects of human In Z
art, even on religion itself and the specula-s
tive problems OF life, men thought rs we
where we argued. aspired and struggled after
the same objects. 1t was an age of material
progress and material civilization; an age OF
civil liberty and intellectual culture; an age
vine parties, Of senatorial maJoritieS anu
electoral corruption. The highest offices OF
State were opened in theory to the mcanest 7
citizen; they were confined, In fact to those
VINO hai the longest PURSES or the most ready
use OF the tongue IN popular platforms. Dis
tinrtjons Of birth had been exchanged for
distinctions Of wealth. The struggle between
pebCans and patricians for equality Of privi.
lego were over, and q new division had been
formed between the party OF property and
u party who desired 4 change In The structure
Of society. The rich were extravasant. for
ccpt for It's material pleasures; the occupa-
tion of the higher classes was TO obtain NOM :
cy without labor, and to spend 1t in idle en- I.
joyment.
Patriotism survived on the lips, but patriot
ism meant the ascendancy of the party which
would maintain the existing order OF things,
trlbution of the good things which alone were
valued. Religion once the foundation Of the
laws and rule of public conduct, had subsidized
into OF inion. The whole spiritual atmosphere
was saturated with cant-cant moral, can't pG-
ltical, cant religious, an afectation Of high
principle which had ceased 10 touch the con-
duct, and flowed on In an increasing volume
of insinccrc and unrealSpecch." What per-
feet likcmcss of our own times Is the above.
1t reads as if our own habits, manners and
customs as people were being described;
yet 1t Is q picture OF Roman life when Roman
ony, and when the Romans thought them
selves secure in the enjoyment of their free
dom. Is this not an apt illustration OF our
own danger? Has not our own national eX-
iStencc as Il republic been mcnaced? Did not
Grant make an earnest and strenuous effort
to obtain the Presidency for the third time
when the unwrittcn law OF the land was
against third termism FOR that high and hon.
orlbIc office? Did not the leading papers or
this country then raise the cry Of Imperial
ism? Was Grant honored the less because OF
this attempt to destroy the life Of our Repub-
lie? He was not, and this. to my mind, is ev-
idcncc of The flct that we do not properly APP D..
preciatc the splendid legacy which we inner.
tied from our sturdy Sircs.
The vast accnmulatiOnS Of wealth Is also 4
source of danger to Il Republican form Of gov
crnmcnt.
''Ill fares the land to Fastening ills prey,
When wealth accumulatcs and men decay"
IT. is useless for us to remain supine and
fancy that our liberties are secure.
"A commonwealth, says Cicero, ought to bo
immortal, and forever renew It's youth. Yet
cOnmUnwcalthS have proved MS uncndnrinS
as any other natural object" Cicero WAS
wis. and lie knew that eternal Viginncs was
the price of liberty: that the entertainments !,
of power were insidiOus.
".And this high state prescnteth naught but
shows,
Whcrcon the stars in silent influence conf
mcnt"
My friends on each and every one OF us rest
grave responsibilities aS citizens and patrons.
The ci:cIc of our influence may he limited,
still we should remember that "as every foot
fall changes the centre of gravity OF the earth,
he it ever so little, and helps or hihdcrS in
their courses the riewlrsS OrbS on creations
farthc>t boundary, so the influence of every
life, no matter how humble, goad or bad shall
go on iOrrN cr.'
Let us then he careful to exercise our influ:
cnc", for the advancement OF the highest and
best inteSt Of our country, in whatever sphere
in life destiny may have assigned us. Let us