New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-01-28
NO FALLING FROM GRACE.

liean party; that the people had admins.
tered TO it a severe rebuke; and that its re-
construction and financial policy had re-
eeiVed an overwhelming popular con.
demnatien. These assertions have been
repeated with damnable intention until
some credulous people actually begun tC
believe them. Now it happens that there
are no men so swift to discern the signs O
change in the tide of popular feeling al
the professional politicians and office-hold
ers of the country. These gentlemen stand
with their fingers en- the national pulse
and anxiously watch the countenance 0
their patient. They can tell with the pre-
eisiOn of an experienced physician whether
the country is in a raging fever or in G
wholesome perspiration; and they do moi
mistake temporary loss Of appetite for Q
symptom OF immediate dissolution, nor 0
little healthy excitement for a sign of feb
rile disease. If there be any one class Of
men in whose utteranees we may find fore
bodings of changes in popular sentiment
they are the Republican members of con.
gress and the Republican governors Of the
Northern States These men are in power
now, and they desire to remain in Office
They are the last men upon earth to
attempt to lead public opinion; they
devote their best energies to the task
Of skillfully following it. There are few
Of them who will run their heads against
the stone wall of popular opposition, or
| seek to turn aside the torrent of popular
passion. There are sSch men in the country,
bat they are never found in office. They are
the Wendell Phillipses, the Ralph Waldo
EAhersons, and the William Lloyd Garri-
sons, men who are always in advance Of the
day in which they live, and who flourish
best in the cold shade of the opposition.
The oiice-holding politicians are made of
very different clay. 1t is their business to
obey the people, not to oppose them to
follow their instructions, not to educate
them. The latter is the business Of the
newspapers, and of the pioneers Of thought
and freedom. If, therefore, we can find in
the utteranees and the actions Of congress
men and goVernors-the representative
men of the dominant party in the country
any Indication that they know anything of
this Fraction = five can see that any Of
the mutterings of this awful storm of dis
content have reached their attentive ears /;
II we can see that they are preparing 10
take the back track, OF are in any manner
scheming to change their political position,
VIC may conclude that there is some foun-
dalton for the declarations of the Democrat
ic seers but if we can discern nothing of
this nature, we may set them down as false
prophets, and dismiss their warnings from
our consideration.
What are the fuels? Congress has been
in session nearly two months. In the
house of representatives. are l4S Repub-
lican members, nearly the whole Of whom
viii go before their constituents this fall
and ask for a reelection. Have these
gentlemen heard anything of this @reae-
ton" against the policy which they have
pursued for the last two years Do they
manifest any symptoms Exchanging it? Are
there any indications Of want Of stiffness
in their backbOnes? Can any one say they
are preparing to back down What has
been the tone Of congress since the 2lst of
November? Scarcely had the Republican
members got warm in their seats before
they affirmed with one voice that the re-
construction policy Of the party was to be
faithfully adhered TO, and serupulously
carried out. Fer a while it was thought
that no further legislation on the subject
would be necessary; all was going on well
in the South, and there was reason to be-
lieve that the restoration Of oil the South
ern states wOuld speedily take piece under
the arrangements already made for that
purpose but there Was not the faintess
whisper Of desire 70 repeal any law that
had been enacted, or 10 change the policy
that had been thus far pursued.
There was but little Indication of
any backing down in this. Men who would
act like this in the face of popular
"roaction" must be either very bold or
very foolish congressman are neither
famed for their bravery nor notorious for
their stupidity ; and the most reasonable
explanation Of theiE conduct is that, after
all, there Was really no reaction to alarm
them. At later period the president
began to again attempt his vented inter-
ference with the work Of areeonstructiOn,H
and certain events occurred In the South
which indicated that some additional legis-
lasion might be necessary 10 secure the
triumph Of the congressional plan for the
restoration Of The Union. This was still
more severe test Of the truthiu;aess or those
who had proclaimed The news Of the
reaction" II the people had begun to
look with dissAyor npon The past recon-
ssruction legislation Of congress, would not
their impatienee rise into anger al any
further action 10 the same direction The
wise and careful members Of congress did
not seem to see the subject ia this lisbk.
With an amazing disregard Of tie re
asti0nY theory they went forward as II
aHSared Of the support Of the people, and
the legislation o. the past few days Is their
answer to the predictions 81 Che Democrats
aiaxmissa.
How = Il wish fhsir political brethren,
az b a4.saaft9.ss s.4......s. " AZ i 49, -.