New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-10
THE PEOPLES PARTY.


,fl A dozen or fifteen editors of cor
d servative papers have recently been hold
@ ing convention for the purpose, as the re
h suit shows, of forming a new party
Within the past ten or dozen years thes
q gentlemen have been attached to three O
four different organizations, called by a
, many different names, such as Democracy
a ! Know-Nothingism, Southern Rights, Sc
cesson, Conservative, etc. All these hav
. lag had the same object in view-the at
9 tainment of political power-have beer
rejec ed by the people, and the distin
guished leaders are left without followers
They propose now, therefore, to sponge
the slate and start anew. They wish tc
organize Peoples party, Of which they
shall be recognized as leaders. Silence is
to be invoked for the past, as the
new party is to be formed with
out reference or regard to antece-
dents, political or legal" Probably
an exception to the rule would be admit
ted in case it were proved that the appli-
cant had always been consistent Repub-
lican. This old cry of "let bygones be
bygoces" is generally raised by those who
are ashamed of their record, have nothing
in their past history to be proud of, and
fear to have their acts testify against them
They are unwilling to abide by the logical
| results of their own doctrine for the last
ten years.
In the formation Of the new party,
therefore, they are met with difficulties
and perplexities at the very threshold.
AS the record of the parties they have
heretofore controlled and ruined presents
! nothing useful, popular or valuable, they
pray for the charity of oblivion and tacit-
ly promise to do better in The future.
They wish to throw their promises. extolt-
ed from them by their hapless situation in
the balance, against the recorded acts ofthe
Republicans. They accuse the latter of
hypocrisy; of protesting correct principles
without intending to carry them out.
This charge implies that the leaders OF
the Peoples party, if taken On trial by
the people, and given chance, could and
would carry out the Republican principles
with the utmost zeal and sincerity. These |
men who have fought agaisnt the princi.
pies of Union, freedom and equality all |
their lives, now set themselves up as |
more proper champions than those who
have contended for them, fought for them,
sacrificed for them and triumphed with
them. The late Democracy, of which the
leaders in the new movement have bither-
to been regarded as the shining lights. is
not amenable to the charge of hypocrisy
toward the colored race. The
orators, newspaper writers and members
of that party have ridiculed
abused, villifed, imprisoned, enslaved,
murdered and denied the political and
civil rights of that race all their lives with
the most refreshing frankness and SINGER
lty. Nearly every member of the late
convention represented locality where
his political zeal and directness of action
aas been practiced for many years, with
he apparent fall concurrence or co.opera- {
ion Of these assailers of Radical sincerity.
But these are the acts for which they i'm
,lore forgetfulness. If the people l
will give them another trial, they promise I
O do better, not better than the Repubi-
ans have done, but they will behave in
he future better than they have in the
'ast. 1t is difficult to see what the colored !
ace, or any other element of our pop
lation is to gain by changing
heir long tried friends; the party q
hat is justly proud of it's record, for men !,
onfessedly ashamed of theirs, and over g
hitch they seek to draw the vail of for \
etfulness. That accomplished fact, the 6
iteenth amendment, will long stand as Q
Monument of what the Republican party G
as done for the colored people. To charge 4
re earnest friends of that measure with !,
ypocrisy, and at the same time offer 8
leir bitter opponents as specimens of q
udable sincerity worthy of confidence, g
pom vague promise of doing right in q
re future, is to make burlesque of his l.
'ry no less than to suppose the colored Il
eople to be wanting in common sense. .
Let the new party leaders thoroughly :
urge themselves of their antecedents, b
ease to ridicule and abuse colOred men,
It them come out and join in celebration
the fifteenth amendment in all sincerity,
nd they may be received as recruits into
le great Republican army that has been NJ
II years waring for the common rights of
amanity. For they may depend upon it Ii
lat until they have shown that they are
uly penitent, their former errors, blum
srs and crimes, will be remembered to VI
10 last day of their lives. Not to punish, an
1t to watch and avoid, will these men be
Id in remembrance by all Union men
ID Republicans. Since they have been PI
Hired from power, our political, fnan-
al, commercial and social affairs have !
thu
'en slowly but surely improving. The f0II
'ople dread relapse, and are not likely do
4 44s AAe-e4 -.