Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-10-22

and ends with itself. We're it innocent
error there would be consolation of
soul, but broken pledges, violated
faith, intrigue and political corruption
make the lover Of country plead for
the freedom and peacs Of his people.
Would that politics were more stable.
Yet, men are sliding and measures are
changeable as the shadows of the
fields. Politicians without firmness
and integrity are far more dangerous
than traitors; for whilst they appar-
emily labor for country, yet for ag-
grandizement they subserve any pur-
pose, any measure, any cause, any
party; be that subservience fraught
with honesty, with political juggling
or with deep moral corruption. They
change on the political stage with
every annual round of the sun, with
the statistics of every popular election,
with the current of every presidential
message. The principles of mid-life
are not akin to those of early manhood
and the principles advocated In the
evening of their days are at broad
variance with those of any former
period. Politicians without firmness
and integrity make men, not princi-
Piles, the landmarks of their action. In
their highest aspirations they aim for
the mountain heights of afauence and
power rather than tug higher to
those golden temples of honor and
enduring fame.
Would there were greater consist
ency m the affairs of State. The times
of a Greek Olympiad mark the life and
burial of old principles, and the rise of
new mark the change and varied adj
vocacy of sentiment and opinion,
mark entire revolutions in the views
and actions of men and states. Hence
the partyisms in the national family,
hence the diversity of arguments and
contrariety OF action, hence the jar
ring elements of faction and discord,
hence the woes, the misery, oppress-
ions of our people, hence the jargon,
the wrangling and contentious abou,
measures, laws and constitrtion, hence
the fears, the distrusr, The dispair
foreign and domestic, with respect tc
the issue of our national affairs anG
policy.
Our nation, in order that it may as.
sumo q more splendid station and be.
come the happiest among the powers
that be, must ever adhere to con
slant, fixed and wise policy. It's min.
listers, officers and servants must evel
be beyond the pale of petty politics
and the tamperings of unsteady poll
ticians. They must not swerve from
high duties because of the influences
of friends, must never be moved BY
the persuasions of party, nor yield tt
the popularity of measures new ant
untried. Such patriotism, magma
nimity and fxidity of purpose woult
ennoble party contentious and zeal
would lift the acts and policy of civi
ministers and officers above the dus
and vulgarism of abuse, would max,
4 government as it ever should be, th'
true representative and honest ad
: minister OF the win, wants and wishe
of q great Christian nation.
Il There is another sign of the time
that makes all hearts tremble. As ye
it is dark cloud, lying low upon tn
distant horizon, and may heaven aver
its ever o'erspreading the blue bu
peaceful canopy of our skies. Tha
sign is an offensive intermeddlini
with others rights, which policy an
government vested in them. tn
spirits of '76 were, morally, religiously
, civally and politically impelled t
: break up the ties that bound ther
/, to their king, and to raise their coun
, try to station among the nations. 8
. are we by the same magnanimou
principles bound to maintain our ran
3 and preserve this grand confederac
of states. Theirs was most splendi
. triumph of concession, of compromise
4 of patriotism, of intellect. To preserv
this union can never require less con
cession, less compromise, less patriot
I ism, less intellect-can never be lei
Q splendid triumph. Then let all th
\ noble principles of our nature has
Q their sway and influences. And thel
away with the bones of sore and dar
Q gerous contention. Let 1t pass frol
q the hearts OF men as the mist from Il
u hills, and let these states and this pei
10 pie bind stronger still the hgamen
: that course the great body polite, Al
: let them dispel the moral infectioi
that would gather q deep gangrel
around the vital parts of their exia
ences. If not, we shall be gone, n
even to drivel ont the few ages OF
Roman republic or Grecian confede
acy. Then this great day viii be b
a pleasing remembrance in the gre
circumstances of time. Its glories v
be known, but to make patriots we
over the blasted wreck of the cons
tuition OF Madison and Washington.
Yet while we have observed up
L H. l.