The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-12-18

public credit maintained, and order brought
out of confusion. 70 accomplish these
ends would require all the wisdom and yir-
tue Of the great men who framed our 'irsti- I
tutions originally. I confidently believe
that their descendants will be equal to the
arduous task before them; hut It's worse
than madness to expect that negroes will
perform it for us. Certainly wesousht not
to ask their assistance until we despair Of
our own competency. The great difference
between these two races in physical, mental
and moral characteristics, will prevent an
or fusion ofsthem together
in one homogeneous mass. If the inferior
obtains ascendancy over the other, it
wi govern with reference only to its own
interests, for it will recognize no common
interests. and create such a tyranny as this
continent has never yet witnessed. Al
ready negroes are influenced by promises OF
confscation and plumber, They are taught
to regard as an enemy every white man
who has any respect for the rights OF his
own race. If this continues, it must be-
come worse and worse, until all order will
be subverted, all industry cease, and the
fertile fields of the South grow up into a.
wilderness. Of all the dangers which our
nation has yet encountered, none are equal
to those which must result flom the sue
cess of the effort now making to Afrlcanlze
half our country. would not put conssli-
erations of money in competition with
Justice aud right, but the expenses Incl
dent to reconstruction, under the system
adopted by Congress, aggrayate what l
regard as the intrinsic wrong of themea
itself. It has cost uncounted millions
already, and, if persisted in, will add large
| ly to the weight of taxation, already too
oppressive to be borne without just COM
plant, and may finally reduce the Treasury
of the nation to condition OF bankruptcy.
We must not delude ourselves. 1t will re-
quire strong standing army, and probably
more than two hundred millions Of dollars
per annum, to maintain the supremacy Of
negro governments after they are establish.
ed. This sum, thus thrown away, would
|if properly used, from sinking fund large
enough to pay the whole national debt in
less than fifteen years. 1t is vain to hope
1 that negroes will maintain their ascendancy
themselves, without military power. They
are wholly incapable Of holding in subjec
ton the white people Of the South. / sub
nit to the Judgment Of Congress. whethe
the public credit may not be Iinjuriousl,,
effected by a system of measures like this
!, With our debt and the vast private inter
ests which are complicated with il, we can
f not be too cautious OF q policy awhic
!, might by possibility impair the confdenc
. of the world in our Government. Tla
e confidence can only be retained by careful
D ly intoxicating the principal Of justice an
g honor on the popular mind, and by tn
# most scrupulous fidelity to all our engage
r ments Of every sort Any serious breac
' of theorganic law persisted in fora cor COZ
' siderable time, cannot but create fears f
e the stability Of our institutions. Habitq
), violation Of the prescribed rules which +, y
!. bind ourselves to observe, must demoraalil
t. the people. Our only standard Of CIV
'e duty beings set at nausht, the sheet ancht
W of our political morality is lost, the co
,e science swings from its moorings and ylel'
is to every impulse, passion and interests.
re- we repudiate the constitution, we will nj
- o.,o oh For N, n va aoaupi