The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1897-08-07
THE n1cENERY RECEPTION.


Grand Opera House tonight. That spec
taclc IS the rejoicing, the exultation of the
rank and file of great political party over
the defeat of its chief principle and mea-
sure by its opponents; the Qualification of a
man over principle; the triumph of State,
boldly brazened. in game of spoliation and
robbery. Into this rottenness has the fruit
of the tree of liberty rpened. Does it
Portend the greatness, the honor and moral
height of sovereign Slater Or is it the
sign of degradation and the decline of the
party of the Constitution? Have we reached
depth of the degradation wherein the
cuckold triumphs and rejoices in his shame
and humiliation
The morning papers publish the official
call for a meeting at the Grand Opera
House intended to do honor to Senator S.
ID. McEnery. Quite formidable list of
vice-presidents are appended to the call.
some of whom we know to have been placed
there without authority.
If this meeting were designed simply to
do honor to the Senator as 4 man and one
filling high position, we should heartily
as any man endorse it. But unfortunately
such is not the case. 1t is to be, not a
gathering to do honor to a man, but to
w "oAhOA ~ q pN'AiISaaA "Ao LII a lIylHS
period Of his party. deserted his co1ors and
his natural allies and went over to the
envy, body and boots. We can take part in
no such meeting. We commend no
such disloyalty to principle and party.
We fully understand the incentive to this
remarkable demonstration, the first and only
one of its kind in this any free country.
That incentive was the degrading assun,p-
ton, as widely spread that Federal legisla-
ton is game of grab and that every fellow
should get away with much of the plum
der as his superior audacity and skill may
enable him to secure. This degrading view
of Federal legislation is widespread and is
poisoning all the pure and generous streams
. Of public and private action. When men
reach the conclusions that there is son,e-
thing better worth than life and honor;
=. when they can stand on the street corners,
in club rooms, Senate houses and public
meetings and say damn your principles,
let's get all we can, is the case. the
foundations of the civic structure rotten
and the whole structure is Fastening to its
ruin, and let Christian men and women, and
high minded, honorable men or women,
bear it in mind incontroveriiblc fact,
that when the politics of country arc
on the lines of spoila,ion and pelf, the
rup,ion soon spreads 10 social and CONNER.
Gal life as we'll. Is the Choctaw Club, as
it pretends TO be, promoter of Democratic
principles, is it, the cali for this meet
ing would indicate, the promoter of the pro-
position that robbery is the first and only
object of federal legisla,ion2
This government in its origin fe der
ntion Of reru!,licS each havinp SOVEREIGN
power over certain well-known subjects of
legislation, all others being specially dele
gated to the general federal government.
Among these latter was the power of taxa
ton, more especially of levying tariff duties.
Thus the governments and legislatures of
the different States have jurisdiction over
questions and policies appertaining to the
local interests of the States, while the
President, Senator aud Representatives of
the Congress have exclusives Legislative jur-
-isdiction over all subjects of interest to and
affecting all the States and all the people,
d and it is the sworn duty of every Senator
and Representatives to legislate the
highest and broadcast grounds of justice to
the whole country, and he is foresworn if
he sells out the balance Of the country to
SEIZURE some especial benefit for his particu-
lar State or district. No man can dispute
this proposition; no honest man will at
tempt to dispute it.
That Senator or Represen tatives, there
fore, is recreant who, to secure what is
termed protection for some class Or classes
in his own State, joins in general raid
upon the earnings and comforts of the mas
ses of the people of the whole country.
Again, there are now two parties in the
country. One is the Democratic party, the
object of which is to preserve and promote
the principles of our Constitution, which are
ahe preservation of liberty, equal rights to
all aud the protection of life and property.
The other is the Republican party, the OBJ
-ject of which is to overthrow free insti-
tutions and government and establish in
their place a-mighty Plutocracy, or moneyed
aristocracy. This latter could not and can
not be done by any usurper any armed