The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-09-27

posed registration Of Baker and thus rivet the
chaius OF negro and carpet-bag government
for this seli-eIected degradation-if they have
the energy, the spirit and manhood to resist
the most atrocious usurpation, the most law
less violence and partisan villany ever attemp-
Ell in this land, then they must make that re-
sistance when it is attemptnd TO carry into
effect the infamous registration of Baker e. Co.
This is to be regretted, if the resistance
advised implies force. An oppressed people
have but two alternatives for redress
strict adherence to the law by which they
are governed, or revolution. Spasmodic
violence and lawless outbursts but rivet
their chains more securely, and redouble
| the cruelty of their masters. Either submit
fully and unreservedly, or dissolve the con-
| nection. Our leaders ought to know better
! than to counsel halfway measures. Pa
tienoe, then, gentlemen! Patience and poll
cy, Or-warl
What good will impotence dof Of what
avail to kill a few Warmoths, Lees, Camp
bells, and Bakers, without the determine
| ton to follow it up with warf You are
anxious to stay in the Union, and yet you
do an act which, inevitably, prevents your
participation in the desired advantages of
that Union.
And why this sacred rage against the ne
groes Have you forgotten their fidelity
during the war 2 Do you not consider their
native stupidity which enables designing
miscreants to deceive them into folly {?
Even if all this is ignored, let us not forget
the immense preponderance of the white
element here. 1t would not be Job of six
ty minutes for the white men of the city to
drive the whole negro population into the
swamp. In fact, men enough to do it could
be detailed without being missed from the
busy throng of our thoroughfares. What's
the use then of getting heroic over itP Does
not over-eager readiness in SO safe con-
test look like cheap valor9 1t is puerile
and highly seasoned with the ridiculous.
In truth, this FESTIVE impotence of the
people is not due SO much to wrongs al
ready endured as to another cause, alluded
to in the quotation above given. 1t is the
apprehension that the present condition of
things will be interminable, and, perhaps,
grow worse and worse. We are inpatient
by anticipation, forgetting the maxim {:
" Sufficient to each day-is its own evil"
But let us reflect for q moment and see if
there is really any probability that our
condition will deteriorate or even remain
as untavorable as at present.
If the Democrats succeed, as they NAV
very we'll do, unless our own folly defeats
them, we gain all we ask-deliverance from
parasites, self-government, representation
in Congress, and equal rights of every kind.
But if Grant is elected Ifrevo1ution should
even finally become necessary to the asser-
ton of our manhood and to the disappoint-
ment of a low and fiendish malignity! Why,
even in that case, delay works alto gether
in our favor.
Delay developes our resources of agricu1-
ture and labor; it repairs and extends our
railroads; it rebuilds our steamboats, and
ships; it diminishes our colored population
and increases the white; it unites our
people under a universal sense of outrage,
and makes Kentucky, Missouri, and Mary
land one with us ;. it strengthens our COM
mcrcial alliance with-the Northwest and
might, in case of war, secure us the neu-
trality or cooperation of all the territory
west-of the Mississippi, now so rapidly
becoming Democratic, thus ensuring free
communication with Canada.
AS much as it would do for us, so much
would it do against our Radical oppressors.
1t would embitter party feeling at the
North, and, perhaps, create civil war there.
Under an administration continuing the ex-
travagance and impolicy of the Radical fac
ton, greenbacks and bonds would steadily
depreciate in value, and American credit
would decline to such point that in case
Of disruption, the Northern section would
be incapable of securing loan, foreign or
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