The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-11-02
" Tntemnerate Zealots, y

Incorporate LedlCts.
Under the above caption article appeared in the
Gazette of Sunday evidently written by the senior
editor of that paper, which feel fully justified in
eharaeterizing as ll-advised mpoc and in miseabiy
bad taste When we say impolitic mean only so
far as the effect might have upon the success of the
Democratic party is eoneerned-for otherwise 1t might
be regarded as a very polite article indeed How
ever much the excessive conservatism OF the writer
might deplore the of abusive epithes in speaking
of the Radical party and Of the men who represent it
in the Souh-a class who have been denounced by the
few respectable Radical papers in the North and South
as an incubus upon and disgrace even to that party
he must have known that the general tone of the ar-
Gle could only operate injury to the party he processes
to champion, especially on the eve OF the election
when would be late, if desirable, to change
he candidates Moreover, decent regard TO the
facts of history should have prevented the indulgence
Of such language as this:
Those who were recreant to duty in the hour OF trial.
and Who by their lukewarmness and treachery, aided
in breaking the spirit of the soldiers 81 the 'front.' are
now the most rampant, rabid and rantankerous war
men. They are ready to renew the wal, and some OF
them propose begin by driving out all the Northern
men who have obtained Office, either by appointment
or election. When there is no danger how valiant
some men become
The gentlemen in our own parish to whom this STRIFE
ure is evidently meant to apply were all the time at
the front doing gallant service, nor can any one point
to an act of theirs as evidencing either lnkewarm-
ness " or treachery."
There is unfortunately in all ages and in all coun-
tries, class of men who deprecate any acton-eTer
advocate the do-nohing policy. Such would stg-
Matte as "intemperate zealots" Bruce Wallace Wash
ington Lee Sonewall Jackson and the host of ilustr
GUS dead whose names gem the pages OF history and
who taught the world that there is something nober
to live for and if need be, die for, than temporary
e1pedency. And such men were the partlzans OF Ed
ward in Scotland the tories of revolution, and the
croakers of the late rebellion"
What those illustrious patriots of the past-whose
hearts were probably animated by pure lore of
country as the school of politicians which have
alluded can boast, and were possibly as "eenteel
Northumberland to do, and what some OF them did
do in military capacity, the Democratic party at the
South are endeavoring to accomplish by the bal
lot And if in doing so, abuse of corrupt party be
INDUCED H. that partys thieving propenses must be
held accountabe-and the mild writer of the
tcle in question admits their extravaganza and cor
ruption."
But the article says
The people are disguised with the mere slang whang
ing irresponsible politicians who, by virtue OF their
impudence and total untness for any respectable
cupation thrust themselves forward self constituted
leaders and oracles of parties.
We want practical men who have business capacity,
and whose opinions entitled to respect, to counsel
the people in this crisis They should be invited to
address the people and to the weigh of their in
1uence in giving instruction and advice to the mex
perenced and in restraining those who have more zeal
than knowledge, and whose minds are distempered by
prejudice, poverty and perhaps bad whisky
All this comes with bad grace from the self cons-
uted representative of the practical men who have
business capacity, and whose opinions are entitled to
respect" because he must know that those men who
have GENE forward to take active interest in the
campaign-most of them without hope of Office or of
reward-would have been gratifed beyond measure it
these practical men, whose opinions entitled to
respect could have been induced to address the
people," The misfortune has been that most OF the
men who are invested according to the Gazette, with
these attributes unwilling to make personal sacri
fees or are oyerawed by the powers that be, and
deem thatdscreton s the better part of valor-that
the do-nothng policy is the only for Themselves safe
policy.
Whilst we deprecate editorial controversies and
especially with neighbor and friend yet conceive
that could do no less than protest against the pub
lication of such article the under review at
ALL and particularly at this time. From paper re-
garded as Democratic it cannot possibly accomplish
any good, and might accomplish much harm. There
are always hanging upon the skirts of every party a
class of men who do nothing themselves, but make
ample amends by censurng and criticzng the efforts
of those who endeavor to act for the best. To these
men such structures sweet morse, and moreover
they will afford infinite delight to the Radicals them
selves, whose organ in New Orleans will doubtless
repubsh them with Mandatory comments.
The relations existing between ourself and the So
called junior editor of the Gazette must be apology
for so far violating editorial ethics to indicate the
writer of the article will the latter feel at all ag
geved for without question: bis eminent conservatism
prompts him to rejoice in the authorship, however
much the ideas expressed are in antagonism to the
sentiments of his co-editor.
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