The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-05-23

{
of thousands Of our people That grea,
and good man, Dr. John A Broadu-, a
little before his death, said OF the re-
prOaches cast upon our last Congress
The most painful thing l., it destroys
all reverence for those God has placed
in authority over us. II i undermin-
ing the very foundations Of our gov
ernment."
Much has been said about our last
State egisature-much more than
should have been said Some of our
representatives in that body may have
been bad or incompetent men some
of the laws enacted may not be wise or
beneficial, certainly, they are not in
accord with my views or those of many
of my fellow citizens but | believe
/
many men of honest purpose to do the
right. They were not thieves and cut
thrOats OF alien birth. but men "to the
manor born" and recognized as men
of honor and integrity where they were
reared They were backed bv the best
constituency on the face of the earth
for l verify believe that the rural pop
ulation of North Carolina are the best
people in the world. Right or wrong
politically, they are the best people we
have. Both our representatives and
their constituencies may, under bad
leadership, have gone wrong politically
But | believe the greater part of them
were honest and conscientious The
end they sought was relief from fnan-
cial depression the means they adopt
ed we're, in the judgement of many of
us, unwise and unfortunate. If our
people ever become again unified, as
they once were, let me say this happy
consummation will be reached by 9th
er means than ridicule and sarcasm.
1t strikes me as a piece of policy to
charge the last Legislature with favor
ing miscegenation. Probably there
was not single representative that
favored this abOminatOn. If there
was one, he would be repudiated by
his constituency, it known to be such.
AS for the So called asst lgnment law,
no political party approves the thing,
and none should be held responsible
for it. Find out. if possible, the sharp,
unprincipled person or pesons who per-
petrated this fraud upon our people,
and punish them to the full extent OF
the law.
But let me emphasize the fragrant
wrong of speaking evil of our civil Off
GERS, and thus degrading them in the
ewes of the masses. When we have led
or, ,ao,,Jo to boIo ~ .ocpoo+ for tbooo
whom we have chosen by our suffrages
to make, interpret, and execute our
laws, they will have no respect for the
laws themselves. Every man will be
law unto himself, and this country will
relapse into a state of wild anarchy.
Dr. Adam Clark never spoke wiser
or truer words than when he said
Behave respectfully to men in office
if you cannot even respect the man (for
an important office may be filled by an
unworthy person) respect his office. If
a man habituate himself to disrespect
official characters, he will soon find
himself disposed to pay little respect or
obedience to the laws themselves"
But let a greater than Adam Clarke
speak. Paul the Apostle, under great
provocation, applied to Annanlas,
cruel and avaricious man, the oppro-
brious epithet. "whited wall" Upon
being reminded that he was addressing
the head of the Jewish court, Paul said,
Il wist not. brethren, that he was
the high priest for it is written, Thou
shalt not speak evil OF the ruler of thy
people" This corrupt official deserved
the epithet vet we infer from Paul's
language. that he would not have APP
piled it to him, had he known, or been
mindful Of thesfact that Annanias was
the high priest. He would have res
pected the person, for the sake Of the
office
Let no man think that l am fight
ing a man of straw. | could fill every
page of this newspaper with virtuper-