New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-13
aop IS TRUTH.

their direct and present welfare. that they
should hear the one and accept of the
other. They prefer to be hattered, al
though they must know that the tongue
which utters it is false, and the design
poisonous. The infrm desire to be told
that they are healthy, the aged ask to be
complimented with the assurance Of
youthfulness, and the most hor-
rid fright will smile if told
that it is handsome. Our pre-
JUDGES seek the same support. A fail
ing cause begs for sympathy and conf
dence, even when it feels the ground CIV
ing away under its feet. Bankers have
been known to smile even while the vault
was empty, if the protest had not yet
been made Warriors with defeat staring
them in the face 60 into the dreadful
vortex with trusting followers, and come
out with the sacrifice of thousands on
their hands, because they did not have
the courage to face the truth that their
fortunes were desperate. Through all
classes Of society this weakness permeates
and saps the courage of mankind, making
men drivellers and towards, who might
be great workers and brave soldiers of the
right if they could only admit their error
and consent to correct their mistakes.
And in nothing is this more palpoble
and ruinous than in the present political
condition of the people Of Louisiana.
They need to be more courageous of
opinion. They are expanding their force
in cultivating the physical when they
should be lifting themselves up to
greater moral level. The truth is the.
hardest enemy they are called upon to
contend with. 1t gals them to face an
honest and open avowal Of their own
weakness and of the common failing.
And We have at hand two notable illustra-
tions of this moral cowardice. In the
riot at Baton Rouge the negroes were not
to blame. Neither was the entire COM
munity. The colored people were de-
iberately beset and wickedly shot
by band of men who rep
resented nothing but their own devil
ish hates and the unforgiving prejudices
of the Democracy. The colored people
were merely victims. Taken unawares,
shot without cause, flying without offer
ing resistance, who can truthfully declare
that innocent blood was not wickedly and
wantonly shed for no earthly purpose of
good. Then where was the truth when
this was published as negro riot. And
when the entire bar of Baton Rouge POM
pously entered the court room and
valiantly volunteered TO defend the par
ties who were charged with the commits
sion of the riot. where was the courage
and honesty that should have been dis
played in seeking for the truth Of the
case? What distinction can be expected
to arise from this effort of intellect and
wealth to crush out justice because
it belongs to poverty and color?
Again, when the flaming lie was
reported that the negroes had
burned Donaldsonville and were threaten
ing death to their opponents, why did
not the truth come out as it should and
declare in joyful refrain that no such
horrible state of affairs ever had any ap-
proach to an existence? On the contrary,
men that are really sensible in other mat
tiers actually seem to be hurt that the ter
rible news from Denaldsonville is not
verified. And when it is told that the
colorod people are peaceable, and that
they have no ill-feeling toward any. and
that their general disposition is to be
quiet, laboring men and women, in their
way, the prejudices Of large class of
our people resent this fact and fly into an
argument to prove that it ought not to be,
even if it is So.
And for the two years that the. Repub-
lican party has held undisputed control
of the State, although it has been accused
of seeking to break down all social dis
tinctions, who can point to a single evil
dence of this disposition? We have ever
pointed to the broad line of distinction
between public and social rights as the
one that no party could overstep with
safety. The fact is, thousands of people
are having terrible fight with their own
consciences to suppress the truth. And
until we get out of this moral night, and
cultivate broader Christianity, and
higher charity, we shall stagger along un-
der a weight of individual and social folly
and wickedness that viii pull us down in
the great race of life.