New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-03
Republican Misrule In the south.

|
| From the Chicago Post.
There is no political reform which it il
possible to accomplish in these Cnitel
States that can not he accomplished within
and by the Republican party. There is NJ
political corruption which it is possible fol
thieves or scoundrels to introduce into the
Republican party which it is the duty OF
that party not to denOunce. The dOer Of ar
evil deed always prefers to wear respecta
BILE cloak for the hiding Of his yillainy; bu,
it is no part Of a Republican journals bust
ness not to tear the cloak Of Republica nism
off the villains backs.
Republican misrule in the South has been
the prolific theme Of the Democracy from
the day when Abraham Lincoln proclama-
tion and General Grants guns opened a
way for the first fair trial of Democratic
government in those States. Prior to that
time, the slavehOlding sovercignties had
been oligarchies. Their wealth was in
human flesh. Their best paying manufac-
| ture was the production of human flesh for
| slave purposes and BY slave help They
were without railroads. They were with
| out schools. A prominent white Demo-
cratic member of a present Legislature of
| one OF these States can not read his own
names he is fifty years old and political
| power. The deb of these States. consid-
| ering the uses made OF the money, were
enormous. The States were mismana ged in
the most shameful and ignorant manner.
The great mass of the people were incapa BILE
OF touching governmental affairs. and as in
different as they were ignorant. The oil
garches were more engaged in watching the
chains of their human ciIattels than in Sc
curing efficient State government Nothing
was done except to levy assessments pile
up debt, and increase negro stock.
After peace and emancipation. there came
new order of things. Enfranchsed slaves
and DISTINGUISHED slave masters put into
power men elected upon the principles and
the pledges of the Republican party Some
of these men. tlOated to the surface amid
the general debris of the war, have proved
mere hooty-hunters, wreckers of the polit-
zeal sea. But most OF those elected entered
upon their responsibilities with the honest
intention OF making every Southern State
as similar as possible to the Northern
States. in order that like prosperity might
be attained. To do this it was necessary
To build railroads. to build schOohouses
to drain marshes. to bridge streams. to
deepen rivers, to provide revenue for the
tOst of these enterprises.
And rebel murderers and mohs made II
necessary to support militia. to pay police
and constantly to exhaust contin gent funds
In protecting the lives and property of the
peaceable classes. Ibis has been the heayi.
est item of all.
1t would not lie possible, it vas absolutely
beyond human power TO provide for the
wants of aveholding States without ac-
cumulatng vast debt Given the same
wants in Illinois az in Texas. and in all hu.
man probability they could not be supplied
by less expenditure than that created in
Texas.
But IN several of these States there has
been gross incompetency. coupled with
what looks SO much like theft and malver-
sation Of public funds, that the Republicans
in power owe it to themselves and the |
country that the inconpetents and the
guilty be sent respectively into private lif,. |
and public jails. Bullock. OF Georgia. is a
very proper subject for investigation
In several cases, Islander, the cheap weapon |
of political warfare has been too freely
used to render possible belief in charges
loosely made, and when one charge OF a
class is shown to be tasehood the charac-
ter of the rest is set in grave doubt
For instance, the most outrageous state
ments have been made with regard to the
State debt of Texas. There was gigantic
work to be accomplished there, between in
ternal improvements and border lawless-
ness: yet the facts are wholly to the credit
Of the Republican administration 1t is true
that five million dollars have been voted to
one railroad and six million dollars to an
other. but in neither case is dollar to be
paid before the completion of the road. The
school system has been established at an
expense no greater than the necessities of
the case required; and SO far as facts show,
the belied administration there has been
honest, economical and efficient.
Not so in South Carolina aud North Caro-
ina. 1t is plain that some men in these
states have succeeded as well as Tweed in
New York, and that others have been as
guilty in intention. The State debt of the
irst has been increased to $34, 0OO, 900, two
birds of it since the war, and the State ia
low talking of compromise with creditors
+ not of reputation. For the latter there
s not the slightest necessity; but rigid ex-
animation should show wherein the frauds
lave existed, and the amount of money dis
honestly disposed of should be recovered or
he bonds representing it destroyed. In |
'Outh Carolina, the State authorities ad-
nitted a debt Of $!3,500, 900, $4,000, 900 Gre
ted since the war; and in the funding and
exemption of this, bonds of twice the ag-
regate were discovered ready for usual. 1t
)oks as it the entire State government had
cen attempting wholesale robbery, and we
rust investigation will not cease until eyery
lal guilty is punished according to his
eserts. Owing to the Democratic talk Of !
epudiatiOn, and intense political feeling,
he banks of Columbia have thrown the 6
tate bonds from their counters.
Let the Republicans of the South see to
that every man guilty of crime in these
latters be brought to speedy justice. The
epubllcan party Of the country has not as
luch mercy for criminals in its own ranks
pity for those of the Democratic party !
om whom integrity is not to be expected