New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-10-09
shan we e rsell.les Alone !
For The Nov orleans creseent.l

SUBJECT. 10 our mllnu the question conveys, VI
rectly and coaterally, an admonition to the PEG
pie Of the South, which, if needed, would culmi-
nate in their meekly crossing their wrists for the
gives and letters which New England fanatics
would hasten to impose.
We are told thatour interest in political affairs
Is, and will continue to be msconstrued, and that
cur enemies will charge us with efforts to obtain
an ascendency by strategy which ne failed TO
gain by force of arms
We are counseled to beguile the blood-thirsty
spirit which persecutes us, by false scent, and
to soothe it by the harmony of jingling dollars II
is potent spell, beyond doubt and the subject
as ready to yield to its influence as the bloody
Saul to the melody Of Dayids harp--when that
subject is an Individual, or a New England body
corporate.
The spirit of wild fanaticism which now rules
the councils of the nation, however, is not one
which will down at our bidding, or yield to the
charmer, charm he never 50 wisely. 1t betrays
an objectionable ignorance Of human nature and
History, to talk Of divertng the persecution of an
/ trammeled, sdominant fanaticism into side chan
nels, and toward others objects than those which,
4 as objects give it name and place in history.
| We, of the South, for a long period Of years,
rang the changes upon the coinage, paying heavy
tributes to New England until she Waxed fat
! and kicked. We fanced we could understand
her bitterness in driving US back into the Union,
andher enthusiasm for the political ties which
4 Massachusetts first taught US neight be ropes Of
1 sand. We deemed the almighty dollar the shrine
i at which her people worshiped, and we still be-
lieve that the " old fag,' under which we stand
to-day is but the curtain to that shrine where her
Il leading men devoutly kneel.
F.t+. n4al 1fSr afajn Sd
! poisoned the Northern public mind from patriot
ism to bigotry, uat they themselves cannot
!. queil the storm they have awakened and are fam
". to drive before it while they profess tolead
If, then, in our golden days Of prosperity we
failed 10 conciliste by our rich revenues, how
!. much less now, in our impoverished condition,
may we hope to chill the lust of power by our
feeble efforts?
We struggled for . cause dear to us as the heri-
q tage and brthright Of our children. In resignipg
the struggle we received assurances Of an honor
able reconstruction, and Of the renewal of our
influence and representation in the councils Of the
country. We have been deceived; and because
deceived and disappointed, we must, forsooth, use
craft and guile to win the boon at reluctant hands,
or lie snpiney Indifferent to Fate's worst behest.
\ We see nothing mastery il such inactivity and if
: as ID be wholly unable to take advantage of the
fact. We claim it as right, that we shall discuss
political matters. We claim our place as Of the
States Of this great American Union, and that the
] voices of our representatives be heard at Wash
/ ington. We are honest and earnest, and because
both, we can afford to speak frankly, openly and
fearlessly. We accepted the appeal to the arbi-
trament Of the sword, and an inscrutable Provi-
\ dence decreed our discontinue If we did not
: find success, we did more, and won besides a
i glory and reneWn imperishable. Our fair acres,
/ and estates, and bank accounts, and stocks, and
securities, may all have disappeared beneath the
tide of war, but the one jewel Reputation, we will
/ leave to our children undimmed by the unmanly
J, and unnecessary surrender to an ignorant and
fanatic mob, Of the right Of opinion and its ex-
/ preston.
III We cannot afford to let politics alone Our own
i success In business and the Rell-being of our
children hereafter depend to great extent upon
Il our earnest efforts toward the reconstruction of
Il stable government. We claim our opinion upon
the subject Of the politics which shape and model
such government Having opinions, and rea-
son for the faith that is in us, and believing that
an opinion, properly SO called, is worthless il un-
II worthy of expression aud maintenance, we deem
i It nnmanly to pretend indifference and maintain
silence when every motive Of interest, patriotism
and political principle IS involved ny
The motives for our interest in the politics 0
: the country may be mistaken by the mob of thu
!, North, when interpreted by Massachusetts proph
: cts, but
1 Virtue itself escapes not calHnnious strokesp
! and this operates as no reason against a proper
and warranted line Of conduct Motives Of pol
II icy such as are counaeled, would be at thi
iuncture dshonorable and a fraud not so muol
= upon our enemies as upon our well earned fai
fame as a peoples We are as truly at this erisi
! making history as when contehding armies stool
Y upon the banks of the Potomac. Let,us now, d
2 then, quit us like men in the bold advocacy o
= what we deem our guaranteed rights.
= Reference is sometimes made to tho politica
= retirement and reticence Of our late Southern
Y leaders as examples for our guidance NOR
delicate appreciation Of proprieties might sugges
Y another reason than political Indifference to thei
Y avoidance Of public notice.
q teach our children well nigh to worship with Vi
ID amid rena;n an tba aaiI thew nar;llad life FL
ii s.,t,;t,;4;,,
tuHb ditu nUnpf IoEi 5AuRDtliuS SUCH pueHuIueuO