The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1869-09-04
An Explanation of National
Pusillani1nity.


home is, of logical necessity, a
cowardly government in its rela-
tons with foreign powers. This
is the secret, according. to the
New York Evening Telegram, of
the extreme pains taken by the
present administration to avoid
offending Spain by any interior,
ence, direct or indirect, in behalf
ofthe struggling Cubans, and its
remarkable weakness towards
England, as contrasted with vast
demands and swelling menances
implied in the Alabama speech of
Mr.. Sumner, its reputed Senatori-
al exponent. The Telegram, a
paper that has not been identified
with opposition to the party in
power, says:
"Nhat then can be the cause of
this fear of a conflict with out
siders? 1t cannot be a doubt of
the strength of the American peo-
pie, for we have abundantly de.
monstrated our ability to hold
our own with any nation on the
face of the earth. There is one
reason which will, perhaps, ex-
plain this anamolous state of
things. The cruel, suicidal course
Of the Radicals and their brain
less chief towards the people of
the South has widened the gulf
which the rebellion dug between
the North and South. Every DOS
sible species of indignity and in
suit has been heaped on our de-
fenceless brethren, until patience
has become exhausted. Were the
administration to become embroil,
ed in a foreign war to morrow the
sympathies and aid of the South
ern people would secretly be on
the side of the foreigner.
s9The carpet baggers have sue
ceeded in instilling a deadly,
deep-seated hatred of the North
in the Southern mind. Impartial
conservatives from the North who
have visited some of the recon
structed States express their
amazement at the patience and
forbearanee of the people there
under the most unheard of indig-
mites. 1t is a melancholy fact,
but fact nevertheless. We can
only hope that the new conserva-
tive spirit which is spreading over
the country will remove these ter
rible feelings from the present
imbecile government we must
not expect anything but tyranny
towards defenceless citizens and
abject fear towards foreign pow
erS.n
The kilograms theory that do
nestle tyranny necessities a de-
gree of national pusillanimity is
abundantly sustained by historical
examples. But it overpaints the
illustration which it draws from
the present situation and temper
of the Southern people. Their
sympathies and aid would not be
ION the side of the foreigner" in
any just war to which the Govern
ment of the United States might
be provoked by a foreign govern
ment. Nor have ''the carpet bag
gers succeeded. in instilling a
deadly,deep.seated hatred of the
North in the southern mind" The
Southern mind is too considerate
and discriminating to hate the
whole North because of the North
ern origin of that interloping and
raptorial class of politicians called
carpet-baggers. The obnoxious
characteristics of this gentry are
peculiar to no particular cline or
country. There is no more reason
for holding the North responsible
Tor the rapacity of these adven-
turerS than there would be for
holding Norway responsible for
its migratory rats. In one aspect
only has the Southern mind Just
ground for thinking hardly of the
Northern people in general. We
refer to the fact that they have
been for the most part inactive
and practically consenting while
venom0us fanatics and unscrupu-
lOus adventures were having full
swing over the South, instead of
rising up tothe high argument of
true craftsmanship and catholic
patriotism and quelling these per-
nicious spirits, as they might
have done with a single breath of
earnest, determined protest. The
failure 10 do this accounts for all
the harm which the whole country
may suffer from an unwholesome
state Of things in the South. 1t
also accOuutS for whatoyrar +;n,;d;