The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1865-12-27

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the golden promise Of the future.
Has not the South yielded to these de-
mands? Tt is frivolous, worse than frivo-
lous, it is childish to make the allegation
that she has not done so in proper spirit.
lis 1t not enough that sick man should
take the medicine prescribed without hav-
ing to do so with smile on his face and
swearing that it is delicious? Is there not
Ia dignity in all things? Having fought
four years for the maintenance Of certain
tenets, to abiure them is enough; to do so
|cheeyully would be to eyince a want Of
manliness, which even Henry Ward Beecher
does not wish, exact or expect from q peo-
pie, whose heroic suferings and self-sacrii-
ces, whether in the right or wrong, now
challenge the wonder and admiration Of the
world.
Suffice it to say, wherever q Southern
State has assembled in Convention, slavery
has been abolished, the ordinance of seces-
sion revoked and the war debt repudiated.
Defeated-the South acknowledges the
death oftheprinciples for which she warred.
Heart-sore, she has dried up her tears and
shut her ears to the blood of her honored
sons, that cries from the ground. Poor,
she has but fixed poverty on herself by alb
juring oil claim to her chief property for
all time to come.
Yet she has not been accepted. There
are those who still cry for more humilia-
tons, establishing the standard Of cringing
to be required Of US out of the capabilities
of their own craven hearts. Voices, husky
with unslaked vengeance, still cry for more
sacrifices.
Disbelieve it, as We fain would, large
body Of the Northern people have in their
hearts a hellish hate for the South. We
had prayed, we had hoped differently. But
lit is now too evident that no ceremonial
of supple knee, no sacrifice Of property, OF
bloody offerings Of victims can for one mo-
ment relax the dark soul Of this implacable
demon. 70 yield, is but to increase the
exorbitance of its demands. In November
we yielded to the exactions of May only to
find greater exactions. If we yield again
to-day, anon they will still be greater,
There is q hellhound determination about
the Radical Northern faction which would
be disappointed if death itself should
put their victims beyond the reach Of their
torture. AS soon as the Confederate lines
were broken up the correspondents sur
charged with venom, pour into the South;
and we invite the world to show parallel
of gross Misrepresentation and malicious
SANDER. They know the nav which they
have to feed. One word Of truth or compli-
ment would turn it inside out with nausea;
but o universe Of lies or SANDER could not
glut it.
The South has met and is glad to meet
in a proper spirit those of the North who
have offered a reasonable plan of recon-
struction; but she must cringe no more to
the selfcomplacent saints of the Massachu-
sets school, who arrogate to themselves
the leadership Of literature and progress,
and forget their own vices while they are
thanking God they are not like other men.
There was time when the abuse Of
these people fred our hearts, and was in q
great measure instrumental in making us
attempt to shake loose from a government
Of such unhallowed brotherhood; and to-
day it is the obstacle which stands forth an
almost insuperable barrier to our rekindling
in our hearts those loyal sentiments which
people should entertain towards its gov
ernment. What guarantee have we that
this hate will not again assume the form of
0 positive encroachment on our rights Of
Even if it is q minority, has it
not once already made catspaw Of the
North, and may itnot do so again? By
fAa phaar forro of ,,ars;sto,,f Is,, 3o,,r. h q