Year: 1859

INDEPENDENCE.


This 10 good word, and when rghteously applied
and honestly practced is emnently deserving respect
and veneration. But it has many other definitions,
and some Of them are well calculated to despoil a
good word of its proper and generally understood
significance.


There has been some talk Of an independent ticket
in this city at the coming June election Not long
ago we took occasion to demonstrate that such q
thing was impossible; that an impossible barrier
stood in the way of its success that the time for
such movement, if it ever did come, was distant
more than twelve months for the conclusive and
rrefutabe reason that the character of the municipal
administration could not be changed before that Pc
rlod We also proved that there was no ground for
the obviously hnted demonstration, by showing that
the taxes had diminished that the municipal debt
had been immensely decreased within the last four
or hve years; that more street had been
set on foot than ever before under the auspices OF
the existing government; that the police were eff.
cient-all OF which we argued would be ample evil
dence to sensible people and taxpayers that the
present Common Council was about the best, if not
the best the fair city of New Orleans has ever been
blessed with. No attempt has yet been made to
controvert solitary point presented to our read
ers, and we have idea dsputation will be essayed
in any reputable quarter. We stated nothing but
patent truths, as far as we went, although we did
not begin to cover the whole ground, being con.
strained to brevity on account of room.


One argument against independent tickets on gene.
raj principles. we did not notice. We will briefly do
so now. This country, of which all towns and cities
are but unimportant parts, taking the sum total of
population into consideration ever has been and is ever
bound to remain under the domination of one or the
other political parties of the day Nothing can be
clearer or more incontroyertibly positive than this
proposition. Hence it follows as natural conse-
quence that independent organizations can only have
brief existence, when by any strange and unac.
countable combination Of circumstances they succeed
at ALL which only happens at epochs as wide apart
as angels visits are supposed to be to earh and then
the extreme breyity of their practical life upon the
stage OF action, seldom or permits them to be-.
come the means of accomplishing any real good.


Further as general rule, they are anything but
independent. They assume taking title, to carry
out purposes in which the most stringent partzan-
ship, not the public good is the governing element
Such has ever been the case in New Orleans, as we
have demonstrated heretofore, and shall demonstrate
hereafter if occasion should require it. Besides fail
ure utter and complete, has heretofore been the fate
of every effort of the kind This proves if it proves
nothing else, that the masses have never sympathized
with, nor supported, the SO called Independents.
Then, again. it is poor compliment to the intelli.
gence and patriotism of the Aforesaid masses-at least
nneteentwentieths of whom are attached to the DO.
ltical parties of the day-for few "independent y
gentlemen to meet privately in magnificent parlors,
and tell them--the power of the State-that Meu are
anat,t aofn fnr
pure outsiders must do the work for them, without
any consultation of their wishes, if it is to be done
well, or wisely, or judicously No wonder the voting
masses take umbrage at arrogant procedures Of this
kind, and invariably ballot down the models thus
kindly set up for them to make obesance to.


The Courier of yesterday morning had some very
excellent remarks on this subject, which we append.
Indeed, this article would never have been written
bat for the following observations which led to the
train of thinking we have induged in. or course
we have nothing to do with the political portion of
oar cotemporarys Article. Here it is:


AN INDEPENDEET PARTY. - We hear that it is
seriously intended by many most respectable citizens
to run an independent ticket for city officers at the
election to be held next month. We have not heard
what tickets, if any, will be started in opposition
to it.


There is something fascinating to the ear and tick.
lin w IneAPeileHCe III lDe WOTQ " 1nQeDendelce.' 1t
sounds like something above and beyond all party
considerations or selfish schemes like pure patriot
ism and nnmixed public spirit. When, moreover, it
IS proposed to select for such ticket the best men
OF all the city, regardless OF party, the innocent aud
quiet citizen who only desires good CITY admins.
traton and leave to attend TO his own affairs is very
apt to think he has found the very thing he has
always wanted, and to go into the movement &C.
cordngly.


All this would be very good and very proper and
very sensible, if it were possible to put the theory
into practice. Unfortunately, however, experience
has taught us that independent party so called, is
as much OF political party any other except that
II Is loose and leetng in its organization aid is
unpledged to anything, except the good will and
pleasure OF the men who may he elected by it.


Who IS to judge as SO what constitutes the best u
men! lsit the original little committee who nomi.
ted them, and make out the ticket? What reason is
there to believe that self constituted committees as
such generally are, are more apt to select the best
men than any other committee, or than convention
elected hy the people? What reason is there for be-
lieving any man to be the best man, because his
the last resort at the election the voters must judge
who is the best mau and if they choose vote accord
ingly. Why should not each party put up the man it
deemed BEST and let the people decide between
them?


We are not at all satisfied as Democrats, that our
Democratic party should omit to make a regular
party nomination. Surely there are enough good
men in it to make up good ticket. The name Of


lhaependent merely means pledged to moth
ing The will Of the people is paralyzed, and the
voters are compelled to vote blindy for persons and
not principles, for men and not measures, whenever
no regular party is in the field


We hope no good Democrat will be seduced into
leaving bis organization, becoming cool towards il
by any. such professions Of independence and good
ness Let us stand by our glorious party in victory
or in defeat.


P. S.-Some ten hours after the foregoing was put
in type, an independent Citizens Ticket was
handed in. 1t appears in the proper column. The
lateness Of the hour precudes comments if any were
needed.


H8-fendinE matter OH first, second, third
fourth, seventh and eighth pages.


ADJUSTMENTS THIS EVENING.


THE ORLEANs.-For the benefit of Mime Wade
the opera entitled Un Sonee dun Nuit 6'ete anf