Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-14
ALEAF OF HISTORY.

The Mobile Register, in an editorial
commenting on the casting up Of the
ballots of the national electors last Mon
day for president and vice-president of
the United States for the next four
years, concludes as follows:
Any one who reads the debates of the
constitutional convention, as recorded by
Madison, or who has in mind the review
of that conventions work written by
Jefferson, cannot fail to observe how app
prehensive the delegates were of the fu-
ture; how DESTROYS of safeguarding the
people from the consequences OF their
own acts, and how many "bugaboos"
they foresaw and at which they took
alarm. They made no allowance-or
very little. allowance-for that equation
of popular government called national
honesty and its concomitant, common
sense. Our history shows that very
many of the fears entertained by Jeffer-
son were groundless-not because he was
mistaken in his Judgment of the weak
nesses of the instrument. but because he
did not unders. s,s:f the genius of our
people for self-govfftment.
Let us take a leaf out of this history
and study 1t to learn one lesson, namely.
that even now, when we are tempted to
fear the future and its actions or to des-
pair of the republic because of its laws
and their Interpretation, there Is yet the
good common sense of the American peo-
pie to fall back upon. We have too pro-
found a reverence for liberty to part with
any part of it in blind obedience to ira
dition-whether oral or written. Being
a great people we shall find a great way
of accomplishing our destiny.
The Register speaks like philosopher
when it calls attention to the fact that
whatever distrust may exist in the minds
of some as to the policy to be pursued by
orfx- In 1,a FL
erty and good government is too well
grounded in the minds and hearts of the
American people not to find a way to
accomplish our destiny
Political issues have been the basis of
education ever since the formation of the
government, and will continue to be, and
we have too much confidence in the
good common sense of the American peo-
pie" to believe any political party desires
to wreck the commonwealth, either for
personal or political power, or to fill their
Golfers with glittering gold.
Now. that the issues upon which the
last campaign was fought have been set
tied for a season, it behooves every cit
izen to accept the result as becomes
American freemen, and exercise wisdom
in instilling in the minds of the people
confidence in the supremacy or our gov
eminent and the honesty and integrity of
our people.
That issues will again arise equal, per-
haps, to those of the last campaign, will
only be a repetition of history.
If the same issues are fought over
again, 1t will not be an exception The
tariff question: has ever been bone of
contention, and no one at all familiar
with the history of the country will fail
to remember the great battle of the
giants as to whether or not the consti-
tuition was a compact which required not
only war to settle, but thirteen amend
ments to the constitution.
| IT is to be hoped, however that all ques-
| tions in the future may be adjusted
| without resort to arms, or material in
| jury TO any section of the country, and
! with disposition on the part of the
whole people to yield to the will of the
majority, acknowledging equal honesty
on the part of their opponents with them
| selves, this can be accomplished. Educa-
ton upon this line for the next four years
| by tbs press and the people will do more
| general good than all the arguments that
| can be offered favoring any one partic-
| uiar measure.