The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-12


of this city do not pay much attention to
politics Immersed in their private AFFAIRS
they do not take the trouble to engage prac-
tically in public concerns They content
themselves with reading the daily newspapers
with grumbling when things go wrong, with
complaining when taxes are too high,
or when trade is dull But to vote
they fancy would in some way associ-
ate them with the politicians-a class for
whom they profess to entertain great hor-
ror, but in whose hands they are satisfied to
leave the control Of public affairs. Perhaps
after all, this apathy of the business men is
in ordinary times, rather healthful than
an alarming symptom. 1t may prove
not deleterious indifference but Just
confidence. in. private enterprise and
energy. rather than a facilitating re-
lance on governmental experiments. 1t
is to be presumed then that there must be
some extraordinary and threatening condition
of affairs, when these usually abstinent per-
sons come forward and take personal part
in the politics of the day Such is the situa-
ton at present The merchants and traders
of New Orleans manifest a lively interest in
the coming election; and they have practi-
cally demonstrated their interest," by register
ing their names as voters. 1t is common
remark that hundreds of persons who have
not voted for years, have ayailed themselves
of the recent revision of the registry, to have
their names placed on the lists; and we have
no doubt that the business men who have now
registered far exceeds the number of the
same class that have ever heretofore
taken part in politics in this city. This
is very natural, and very encouraging.
The men who have devoted their lives
to business affairs, who have embarked their
means in commercial enterprise, who are
identified with the prosperity of Louisiana
and of New Orleans, are, reasonably enough,
alarmed at the prospect of a revolution which
threatens ruin to their fortunes, which would
seriously disturb, and, perhaps, destroy our
industrial and commercial system, and which
would SO confuse existing relations as to rem
der almost impossible, for long time to
come, any real progress, or any development
Of our industry. The apprehensions which
are felt are not in regard to the purely politi-
cal features of the new Dryades street Consti-
tuition. The merchants and all other sensible
people know that any permanent political
ascendancy of the carpet-baggers and their
negro allies over the white people of Louisi-
ana is simply out of the question. They know
that governmental devices which attempt to
elevate an ignorant minority over an in
telligent majority must be futile. But
they know. too, that the consumma-
ton of the radical scheme of reorganiza-
ton in this and other Southern States, would
involve disastrous social and industrial
disorganization. There is something more
then to be met with than the usual risks;
something else to be ayerted than the ordinary
dangers of political contests. 1t is not
question whether this man or the other shall
be governor whether this party or that shall
control the State and city administrations
but whether European civilization shall con-
tinue to exist in this State !; whether we shall
continue to advance from the point of evolution
and enlightenment at which we have arrived
or whether we shall go back to African barba-
rism, and surrender our personal rights to the
ignorant tyranny of a savage race, the vindic-
tive despotism of renegades and deserters,
and grasping cupidity of homeless adventu-
rers The merchants of New Orleans have
shown, by registering, that they fully appre-
ciate the importance of the occasion, but
they must remember that to register is only
half of their duty-and half which, without
the rest will be entirely useless. Having
registered, they must besure to vote-vote the
whole Democratic ticket, and vote against the
Black Crook Constitution. They must not
only vote themselves, but they must see that
their employees vote; they must persuade
their friends to vote, and try to influence
their acquaintance. Let every merchant
bring one voter with him to the polls and
try to gain at least one besides from the OPP
posite party.