New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-05-01
mn usE oP BAnp NAMES IN PoLITIGs.

AAAANA- @Ne~se
To be found in some Of the despotisms Of
Europe. They northumberland some Oh
them still mailtain-that were 1T not ior
the efforts Of the enlightened few, ''e.
themselves, the larger portion Of the com
munity (being ignorant and desplcably |
wicked could not be kept from robbery,
arson, rape, and in fine the whole
category of crimes. Should the sovereign /
withdraw bis hand for single
day it was affirmed. They declared that
the "base lackey peasants" who Tor cen"
turtles comprised ninetenths of the popu-
ulation of the now most advanced Eu-
rOpean powers, would do nothing but
Stay, plumber, and favage. Words could
not be found strong enough to describe the
meanness, cOwardice, and utter worthless
ness of the humble masses. The very
name Of the peasant in England was
"Uillain,' synonym of rascality OF the
deepest dye. The Italian peasant is stiA
known by. the same term, and in every
European language the common deslgna-
tons of the peasants and seris of fifty years
ago-now become the terror Of kiugs and
princes-were words expressive Of pow
erty, degradation, and wickedzess.
We need not inform our readers that this
same theory was the fundamental idea of
the slaveholding Oligar chy, and that kin
dred sentiments are to-day really the main
thing obstructing the progress Of recon-
struction. True, TIE Southern chivalry gave
the " franchise" to the "poor whites" but
that was only tub thrown to the modern
whale, Democracy. Itamounted to nothing;
the pells always having been snare and
delusion TO the low downs" Of the South,
in fact the very instrument by means of
which they were made to stultify and de-
grade themselves. The poor white trash"
and the herds of slaves we're treated
just as the peasantry in Europe were
treated over half century ago. The
Southern chivalry claimed the almost di-
vine right to not only hold and manage
their slaves but to rule the poor whites, and
in fact the whole country, in view Of their
own selfassumed moral excellence, valor,
superior wisdom, and higher cultivation.
The result OF the war has of course some
what modified Southern ideas. The "cbiv-
alryn now admit that one Southerner can
not whip half dozen Yankees, but that q
Yankee, Southern liberal, OF an educated
cOlored man is or ever can be, their peer
and equal, they will no more admit than
before the war. These slaveocrats, or
would-be slaveocrats speak Of the freed
men and their loyal friends just as they
spoke of the slaves and their friends ten
years ago, just as the aristocrats of Europe
spoke Of their serfs Fifty years ago. The
bankrupt planter, the selfstyled aristecrat,
still attempts to assume the bearing and
language Of feudal lord, just as if
that thing were not about played out
in Europe and an object of contempt and
ridicule and sarcasm. (It may, however,
comfort the Southern aristocracy to tell
them that we have more then ence had
our Republican boots blaeked by real
baron, in Hungary)
Now what we complain of is that the
Southern newspapers and the leaders of
public opinion usually speak of the Re-
publicaas in their midst, Unfortunately
and falsely, as mendicants, cormorauts,
sneaks, pestilent fellows and disturbers Of
the peace-the same kind Of abuse as that
which the European aristoerats of fifty
years ago habitually heaped upon the
base lackey peasants;" precisely the same
kind Of abuse that one, Mussulman heaps
upon another by calling his mother hard
names, and akin to that Democratic
clincher which always closes discussion
"WouId you like your sister to marry q
negro" fto
This is the method Of argument usually
INDUCED in by our Democratic neighbors,
method which doubtless has the odOr Of
antiquity, but We are glad to say has be-
come musty from disuse in more eniight-
ened communities. When we have proved
that the Southern theory of government is
antagonistic to civilization, erroneous in
policy, and, if carried ent in practice to its
legitimate results, would lead to anarchy
and barbatism, and utterly disorganize
society Questions that have little mere to
do with morals than the double rule Of
three or the colsr Of ones haif-our moral
character is at once assailed, and in
place of answers to cur arguments,
an manner Of opprObiOus and filthy
epithets are hurled upon US in Chinese
fashion from the rebel armory Of stink.
pots. q p ~ 5La'.l
When We have demonstrated by the IN
erring laws Of political economy that the
false ideas Of the Southern planters relative
olabor and cotton raising have destroyed
the cotton interest and inyolYed both them
selves and the freedmen II rnin when We
have demonstrated that equality before the
law, complete and Immediate protection to
life and property, and the largest liberty
compatible with public order, are the prin-
ciRlss to be adopted and carried out Il we
VIA % secure speedy and wonderful de-
veioPment Of our material resources ail
simple matters Of opinion, Of political
economy and eeelal seienee, and very re-