The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1859-07-13

press!
We accept its travestied pictures OF Southern life,
its bald meagre outlines Of Southern scenery, and
+" never look the gift horse too curiously in the
mouth" To be sure, with some few exceptions the
Creole nan is painted as ignorant, vicious, and
brutal and the Creole woman as across between
Gree and Messalina, but elways an il.intentioned
and mischievous appendage ofany decently respect
able household Rut what does that matter to our
superb indifference! We buy their books, shrug
our shoulders and submit to the award of the great
tribunal. Well they know, Chat Northern clique)
that from it no appeal has ever yet been takcntoo
well alas. We know why il is that Southern talent
has hitherto found no voice, in which 20 express an
indignant denial Of the weakness and vice general
IL attributed to the Louisianian.
Countrymen and countrywomen why should this
be so? We want no cacoethes seribend;, no deluge
Of weak vaporish trash such as VIC can always get
BY carloads from our Northern friends, but our
beautiful and beloved Louisiana calls loudly for
interpreters to read Alright the real truthful earnest
life of the South. TO gather from her mighty
rivers, her sunny lakes, and broad aowery praries,
some home echoes, fuller and more enduring than
any which have yet sounded in our ears. 70 rem.
der forth in fitting guise the old kuightly histories
with their self.sacrifce and patient TOLL which won
this goodIy heritage from its primeval solitude.
The much loved soil where mothers voice first
sounded in our infants ears-where our youth sor
rowed and rejoiced, hoped and believed in the
great possibilities which now, alas, seem dim and
afar where our Southern hearts drew = fuller and
completer life from these genial Southern skies
Surely in common loyalty tits only right that q
struggle should be made to cleara way through
the wilderness, and leave landmarks to show tha,
human beings have lived and loved, wrought and
sung, smiled or wept in the humblest cottage in
despised Louisiana.
No empty fame for the pioneers in this work.
Slow steps and much er'tangled BY underground
much impotence too that Gods sunlight will not Al
once stream IN, broad snd full, upon the scemine
earth.
But courage, brothersl Let Us be content Il
gather and compare-tp be hewers Of wood ant
drawers Of water, if BY these humblest Of labors,
few stones Of The foundation Of 4 noble structur
may be laid. More skilfulhands in time will snap
the dome and polish the shaft Of which We william
gathered the rough materials.
But still there is dignity in our labor
The dignity ofbelieving that Louisiana win ye
take stand in the ranks Of mind, worthy Of he
high gifts The dignity Of lending our own effort
to arouse from their lotuseating sumbers, the ric
full atterances which might swell throughout tn
length and breadth Of the land, and teach tn
slanderer that the Louisianian is not always VIC
Gus fa;neaat nor his soil alone the God.accurse
abode Of reptiles and birds Of prey. (Other cline
can show truer breed.) Nor are We always wall
ing in the thick black night Of Gehenna, and ravin
and disappearing, and being crying nuisance upo
the face of the earth. Whose voice will help th
protest? s.
/ Euthanasia! happy death! Isitnot written j
that calm, tranquil sunset which With the conscious
ness Of duty fulfilled goes peacefully to its rest
Shall it not be written over our own graves, II v
have earnestly, and in fearless faith wrought o.
our own appointed tssks-never forgetting by who'
they have been set--never forgetting unto who1
the full account must be rendered.
| Over the Louisiana sod under which We hop
some day to rest the blue skies we have loved 9
we'll will look calmly down the flowers will sprin
in their familiar beauty the birds carol their vii
glad notes, and amid these precious sights an
sounds Of home, our truest epitaph will be that '
have loved them oil. Aye, and With passo
which made US seek that our brothers should los
them too, and tell Of their harmonious and Co
leading influence In more eloquent language tina
has ever yet escaped from our own inmost hear
So mote it BE-.