Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-11-12
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OF the Grecian States. perhaps mos,
of them, were at different TINA.
ruled by oligarchies. SO with con.
tinental Europe; so with England
In some cases these o,igarcb;s.
We're founded upon intelligence
sometimes upon wealth and I.
times upon the peculiar circum.
stances Of the country. But it w,
reserved for the South to pressn,
10 the world the monstrous sna.
tacle Of an oligarchy founded upoo
the accident of color. Althopvb
the verdict Of history. both ancisn,
and modern had pronounced tb;.
form of government the most upre.
liable as wefl as the most odiou.
the South chung to it with all the
tenacity Of u drowning man to !.
floating spar. Upon this monstrous
idea she founded all her institution,
social, political and religious. Nor
did she hesitate to defend it in on.
position to the received opinion,
and settled convictions of the civil.
lied world. Everywhere, in the
forum, in the halls of Legislation.
through the press and i'll the pulE,
did her scholars, statesmen and
divines undertake the bold but Tor.
iorn task Of uprooting the settled
opinions of: mankind and of con.
verting the world into the belief
that slavery and despotis.u wcr.
divine. But it was ali in vain.
mankind had learned too we'll from
history, and experience the banelll
effects If these twin sisters in criDs
TO sanction or countenancc in sv
way their pretensions. Learned
minds and eloquent lips might por-
tray the advantages Of such civil.
izatiOn. but men had drunk un
deeply of the bitter chalice they
would have them taste and would
not be cajoled by the willy serpent.
for,
Right we'll they knew and deemed it one
That freedoms sons should STAY or shun.'
And when its advocates discover.
I'd that neither persuasion nor
menaces could retard the progress
of better and higher civilization
they committed their cause to the
ar5itra,nent OF the sword and a.
ter struggling vainly against the
convictions aud sentiments Of the
world this social structure passes
away.
Another most odious feature III
the OH system wos the existence OF
A LANDED ARlSToCRACY.
In considering the elements that
entered into the composition u
Southern 81 Getty, as it I, rmerly e.
listed, l apprehead, that We have
not laid sufficient stress On the fact
that it presented mi ny OF the wort
features OF the landed aristocracy
Of Europe. -
No feulal baron ever gloited
over the possession OF his hef with
more lordly PRIDE than did the
Southern land owner over h'
thousands of acres and towering
forests. To dispose OF his patti
mony in any way, to divide 1t up 40
that it might come in reach Of his
poorer neighbor, or tob compelled
by force of circumstances TO pal'
with any of it was to lose caste Win
his more fortunate compeers. MOI
were the effects Of this system ieS'
baneful than was the leudal system
upon society in Europe. The lanu'
owners of the South did not 'naea
like the barons of the middle ages
lead their vassals against each o'ne'
to despoil them Of their goods ana
devastate the country, but laborlls
under a system that was antagoh'
istic to every principle Of our CIVIL,
zation and utterly incapable Oh
using those scientific agencies .!
which impoverished lands may Oe
enriched, they led their slaves aoOu'
from place to place impoverlsnlnlS
the country until many OF 'n'
Southern States presented perise'
pictures OF desolation. And wFH
this aristocracy began to feel II.
power waning from the effects ..
the rapidly developing free LABOR y
the North and its own siuesr'
habits at the South, it began "
clamor for more territory IN ~nHD
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