The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-08-11
The RADICALS ON TRIAL.

used or abused, the fruits of the peoples
| blood in the late war, and the money wrung
by taxation from the peoples industry. They
know that many a man has been justly con-
demned to the gibbet or the convict prison for
| less squandering for less plundering for less
misappropriation, for less violation of solemn
trust than they have perpetrsted within the
past three years. Not daring to stand before
the country in answer for their conduct during
that period, their only hope, if they have any,
of carrying the coming election is to detach
the contest from the living questions eff the
present by reviving the old war feeling and
vexing the pale shades of long silent bate
fields, by shouting the old war cries. This
will not de- The people had done with war
upwards of three years ago. For upwards of
| three years they have been concerned only
about the interests of peace, and they want
| to know what the party in power has done
| within that period towards securing to the
country the legitimate and substantial fruits
of peace. This is the sovereign demand to
which the Radicals are held to answer. In
vain they endeavor to evade it through frivol-
Gus bubbles and impertinent recriminations.
They, and they only, are on trial before the
country The grand inquest of the nation
accuses them. The people would be as mad
| as Radical policy has been both mad and
criminal, if they should accept the Radical
assumption that the issue is upon different
trial-that the "rebels are on trial, that
the South is on t'ial, that the copperheads,"
the peace Democrats and the war Democrats,
are on trial, that President Johnson and other
stunch champions of the Union and the
Constitution are on trial. and that a Radical
caucus. are the rightfnl and sole accusers,
witnesses and triers. The Radicals have had
universal control of public affairs for nearly
eight years, and at length the great and por-
tentous fact is impressed upon the popular
intelligence, that al this time public affairs
have been going from bad to worse with
accelerated velocity. They are now called to
account for the manner in which they have used
the extraordinary power, the grand opportu-
mites for good, which a series of events
caused to fall into their hands. Their first
grand opportunity occurred about three years
ago, when, according to the official testimony
of Gen. Grant, the temper of the Southern
people and the internal condition of the
Southern States were such as to admit of the
instant admission of those States to the
Union and their representatives to equal and
proper places in Congress Weighed in the
scale of patriotism, this opportunity was
invaluable; but weighed in the scale of parti-
san interest, it seemed in the sight of the
Radical politicians to be wanting and hence
it was peremptorily and scornfully rejected.
This was the first step in their descending
career of treason to union, and treason TO
peace. From that moment, under the baleful
effect of their policy, the moral elements re-
quisite to true and perfect Union, and to a
profound and lasting peace, have been more
and more obscured and stifed, until it has
become evident that those ends are utterly
beyond attainment except through the over
throw of Radical power. But laying aside this
consideration, the Radicals are called to
fearful reckoning in regard to the administra-
ton Of the national finances and to the ma
terial condition of the country. They have
had, since the close of the war, at their dispo-
sition fifteen hundred millions of dollars paid
to the general government by the taxpayers of |
the country. What have they done with it
What have they to show for it? They have
spent, it is clear, about five hundred millions |
of the peoples year in time of |
peace-of such peace as Radicalism can |
give; whereas the whole expenses of |
Democratic administration, in time |
of peace, never even bordered on a hundred |
million of dollars per annum. Has the |
national debt, or any portion of it, been paid? |
No. Its interest eats up more of the peoples
substance than it ever cost to carry on anv
other than a Radical administration. and its
principal is constantly increasing. Has it
helped to stimulate the industry and enlarge
the commerce of the country? No. Ameri-
can shipping is becoming almost strange to
American ports; the exports of the country
fall off from year to year; while the products
of the labor of the country, staggering under
taxation and high prices, diminish in pro-
portionate degree. Where, then, has this
enormous expenditure gone? Two-thirds of
it have been devoted, in some shape and IN
der some pretext, to the work of enslaving
and plundering one-third of the Union
for the purpose of perpetuating Radical des-
potism and securing impunity for Radical
The whole of it, indeed, has
been swallowed up by Radical misrule and
profigacy. For all this the Radicals are on
trial. No wonder they fear to meet the issue
HE SHAKsPEAREs. - The Varieties was
filed from pit to gallery last night with
and brilliant audience. There
was no sitting room for those that came late.
although the heat was intense. The members
of the club enhanced their fame. if that were
possible, by their rendition of the drama of
the dead Heart" and the farce of .'Sketebes
in India" Every scene in the two plays
went off admirably. The spectators testified
their appreciation by warm and repeated
applause, and appeared to witness the
acting during the whole evening with inten.a