New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-16
POLITICAL q soaRHEAQer

L
! guage of the Democracy-the adiydine
| of the spoils." The .sorehead !" isno new
character in political life. He had an ex-
istence far anterior TO the :" roundhAd,
who wore short hair and claimed TO be
pure in oil things, neither mongrel ~
religion nor politics; but straightout and
steadfast to his faith In this, then, consists
the differences between the ''rounhead and
1 the {" sorehead. The "sorehead" is more
selfish and less pure; less to be depended
upon in the great struggle for principle
not Office. The g sorehead" is eminently
a man for Office /; in fact, an Office seeker.
It makes no difference whether he is emf
nently qualified, SO as he gets the Office
that is, it makes no difference to him.
With him that is not matter to be con-
sidered. Office is the great desideratua
with the sssorehead. :" IF he fails to OBJ
tain it-or if he has obtained it and fails
through lack of discretion and qualiica-
ton to hold it, or to geta better Office his
patriotism and devotion to principle soon
play out, and with Janus-face and
poisonous tongue he sets about the work
of discord. In low and vulgar phrase he
denounces men raised to high positions by
the popular voice, simply because they
can not crafty his morbid appetite for
Office. This is his principal work night
and day, for he scorns honest labor, and
would make dupes of the men who labor,
with as little remorse of conscience for
having deceived them, as for having made
'.most hellish meals of good mems
names" But the ''sorehead" is more at
home in ward meetings than anywhere
else. .t Wax - ~
This is not unfrequently his only home,
especially when out of Office. The club
room where the ward meeting is held is
the grand receptacle of his august pres
ence day and night the forum for his
forensic displays. If he can succeed in
augrnenting the sorehead brigade TO
few noisy adherents (for without them, be
it remembered, he considers himself
brigade), men who like himself have been
turned out of Office, or who fancy their
invaluable services to the party have been
grossly sighted, he is in his glory, for
then the work of noise and confusion COM
mences in earnest What the ssore-
head" lacks in brains he expects to make
up in this way, and if he succeeds in
breaking up meeting or in creating
divisions and dissensions among the MEM
bers of his party, his ambition is satisfied
for he thinks, poor devil, he has achieved
a victory, when, in fact, he has only
aimed an 'impotent blow at the very prin-
ciples he has pretended to cherish the
sacred principles Of self-government; of
NATIONAL liberty. To this extent,
then, the. ''sore head"-the bitter,
malicious, vindictive, useless 'tsore-
head" Of the present day, bent
on mischief only-must be watched
and shown up. He must not be permit
ted to deceive those who are true to Repub-
icanism-true to the great Republican
party of the United States. The principles
of that party are the principles that forced |
upon the country civil war of gigantic |
To resist these principles of |
freedom the enemies of equal rights to all |
did not hesitate to raise the standard of |
rebellion. The act of rebellion sealed the |
fate of slavery, for the people rallied SO
strong in defense of the Union
that victory finally perched upon
it's banners, and determined princi-
Piles Of the grayest importance to the ma
tion. These principles have since been
ratified by peaceful action of the
people, and made part of the constitution
Of the country. The slaves of the country
have been made not only freemen, invested
with all the rights and duties of citizen
ship, but they have been clothed also with
certain responsibilities that make it in
cumbent upon them, if they would con-
tinue to enjoy these rights and privileges,
to observe faithfully. They are not to be
influenced by the "sore heads who
would seek to use them to promote their
own selfish ends. The Republican party.
should have but one enemy to contend
with, and that is the Democratic party.
That party undisguisedly and frankly
avows its opposition to all that has been
done by the Republican party since it was
placed in power by the people. If by
any action of the Republicans the Demo-
Gratis should be again vested by the people
with power, there is no doubt but that
party would attempt to carry out its views
BY changing our system of suffrage
Is at present established, and that
hat inestimable right would be restricted
% the white people of the country.
The Democratic party might go still fur
Their and require property qualification
from white folks, but it is barely possible
that it would do this, though it is highly
probable it would endeavor TO change the
United States constitution SO that each
State could again regulate the question Of
suffrage; and in that case what chance
would there be for colored men to vote in
the Southern States? Let the s'sore-
heads, white and black reflect on this,
and if they are really Republicans they
will cease their work of dissension and 90
to some better work.
ADMIRAL DAHLGREN,