The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-09-28
A RADICAL QUANDARY.

" in want of hobby on which to ride O
nto power at the approaching election t,
rhey had ridden the Niger question +,
Town. They dared not go before Inc g.
,.on,e on the Reconstruction measures, :,
he Revenue measures, or any other ~ ~
MEASURE which was the result OF the
legislation of the present l
Congress-. But the belligerent DISPOSE '
ion of the European powers came TO
heir relief. The war between Prussia !
and France was to them perfect God t
send, and at once furnished, as they G
thought, sufficient stock-in-trade on |
which to enter the approaching cam ,
naign and to carry it to a successful
termination.
Their plan was somewhat after the
following fashion. The old Know
Nothing platform was to be adopted SO
far as its anti Catholic feature was
concerned, its opposition to foreign en-
reimbursement being wholly abandon
cd. All the Puritanic element OF the
North was to be enlisted in crusade
AGAINST the Catholic Church. In this
crusade they hoped to get the sympa-
thy of the whole German population,
professionals, jews, gentiles, intidels anu
others, by their own outspoken oppo-
sition to the French Empire in its war
with the Kingdom of Prussia. They
represented that the Emperor OF the
French was the main stay OF ~ tie Cath
olic religion in rEurore, and that his
success ir the war would be the indef-
mite perpetuation of the Catholic relig
ion. Of course things went swimming
" ON for while. All the New Eng
land puritans were delighted at the
prospect of returning, under Radical
endorsement, to the happy days OF
Convent burning, which lightened up
the political campaign, under Banks,
in 1854. All the Germans were de-
lighted at receiving in this country the
sympathy of great political party
, with the cause of their Fatherland.-
They enthusiastically quaffed their
beer, sung "Wacht am Rhe'm," and
shouted Justify for the success OF the
Radical ticket. All went on merrily
j, and the Radical leaders thought that
their own domestic misdeeds had been
thoroughly covered up under the splen-
l did issue presented by the complication
0 of European diplomacy.
). But alas for human expectations
J. All the Radical fat has been thrown in.
+ to the fire by the success of the very
J. power for whose success they manifest
, ed so much sympathy. The success
full military exploits of the Prussian
:. around Sedan have led to the estab
y lishment of Republic in France. MI
e. Washburne, the American minister, a
1t the representative of the "model Re
;e public" has an ovation whenever n
d appears on the street. Mr.. Grant, tn
d leader of the Radical party, gives un
,e mistakable signs of sympathy with tn
o new order of things in France. FIT
~ Radical newspapers instantly chang
:, their tone from sympathy with Prussi
"a to sympathy with the new French RI
~ public. Now what can the Radios
~ Puritanic rank and file do7
OF The Teutons still drink lager be-
I'd and hurrah for King William. TT
r. Puritan Radicals dare not oppose
20 government modelled upon "the be
X. government in the world" and viii
- appeals to that government for symp
III thy on the score of old friendship.
49, But the success of the Republic do
az not kill Catholicism any more than t
III success of the Emperor Napoleon.
le- With the success of the Republic t
'er people of France, all ofwhom are Cat
Dr. Ole to the backbone, will have t
to right to worship God according to
to dictates of their own conscience. III
mo- of course will not suit the Radics
who believe that all the world sho'
w worship God according to the dictat
Of the fanatics of New England. Hel
thousands of votes will be lost to
JIG Radical ticket by the recognition of
iao French Republic.
at Moreover, the Germans are still
and favor of King William and the Faith
en- land, and are opposed to France, Emu
ade or no Empire, Republic or no Rep
,or. lie. Hence they view with indig
tho ton the desertion of the Radical lie
ii ers from the cause of Prussia to
49,, cause of France, and the whole {
~, man vote cannot be calculated on
the Radical ticket as it was calculs
anu on some weeks since.
the Thus it is that the Radicals are
zon- now between two fires, and are
Zero most distressing quandary. If they
nice, for the French Republic then
mis- must lose the whole German vote
G IF the vote of those Puritans whose "
~ political creed is summoned up i
intense hatred of the Catholic CHI
w, If they oppose the French Repu
WI" then they must lose the vote OF