New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-11
"GEyTrs FOR GOTERNWENT"

rboro i . story current in Washington 81
two Senators from Southern States. b'ih of
whom had served in the Confederate Army
cong home together in cmyiyial mood from
- marty after dining well. when one drew HIM
self up suddenly 10y a lamp-poSt and Sa'd
cav old fellow. did YOU ever think how funny
al this business i>?' w hat business Slu
tba other. "Why. this business here. Only
few wears ago you and were IN arms against
this Government doing all We could 10 break
II ND and SGT mp another. Now here we are
sonat,rs of the Government we were fighting
ocainst-mc1nb,rs Of its highest legislative
body-making laws for il. Great thing am
it?" eyes" said his companion. at rs "a
Great thing This j. q great and mlgnanimonS
Government" "Oh. magnanimouN he ID
said thu other, "th,re isn't any magnanIini!
abmJt in. It's sheer genius, my boy. W" icl-
lows have the genius Of government ana they
know il. They can't ct along without Us
That's what's the matter, and that's why we &c
here"
Leaning there at midnight against the lamp
INST. an old notion which had doubtless hcd
poSsessiOn of the statesman mind for some
mime found suddenly candnl cVprc'S'on. 1t
was Not a now noton-that eve fell VS. OF
the South have the genius for government
and "thcy can't got along without us FOR
\ great many years prior - 1860 II had Doch
not merely a notion or cOncct. but llll1a-
mental article of belief among Southern states
mon that all the political wisdom OF the COM
trv. the capacity for directing public aiialS'
tho conius for governments in hort, was south
Of Mason and DxOnS line and that. though
occasionally a man might be sent e. Cong1 S.
frm tho North whom they could recognize
nc thcir peer. the South was the only natural
habitat. breeding place and training ground
fer frst-cla>s statesmen. Tho belief that they
wore essential to the Government ana That
witb,,t them there would MT b. enough
capoctv for conducting affairs left t. prevent
the entire system from going to pieces led them
into trouble in 1861. II was very Serious
trouble. They wadcd through 1T FOR four years
with great courage and conStancy to their
| belief be il said-and at the end OF 1t DIS
covered that they had ~ monopoly OF the
genius fon. government. They found that the
crc,t body Of citizens north OF Mason and
Diycn's line. though they lived by their own
labor and were much cngr sScd in the occura-
ti,ns nv which they earned their subsistence,
and sometimes sent sh' cmr<crS, tallDrS and
blacksmiihs t. represent them IN Congress,
v.cr, after all MT unskiiful in the conduct
Of government. and entirely competent t. c1rry
Il on not only without the aid. but against
tho onncsi.inn Of the whole race Of gcnluScS.
For a few Ncqrs following the failure Of
tho cnt(ryrise entered upon BY the gentlemen
yyho have the genius for government. during
tho time when the Government was removing
tbo disabilities they had incurred by treason
and restoring TO them unimpaircd all the rights
tbcv had forfeited, they were good enough {.
admit that they had been treated with magma
rimity The conversation under tn lamp
ncst indicates the pass ne Of that period. The
old delusion is rcSuming It's sway. They are
falling again into the belief Cha: they are the
horn rulers with the genius for government.
and that the country cannot get along without
them. And ON the whole. why should they
NOT think so? With the return Of the Demo-
cratic party to power cJmCS back the old
regime under which a small kn ( Of politicians
controlled the Southern Democracy, which was
\ minority of the party in the country, and
that minority controlled the whole party abso-
h,ely. The few leaders who could swing a
great party as they wished. and by means Il
IL swing the whole country 10 their PURPOSES,
certainly did have some warrant for claiming
tn have the genius of government. The man
ner in which they arc filling mp all the places
! IN the Government and assuming ~ direct its