New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-07
VICTORY THAT MUST NOT BE SUFFERED.

II u hepuOucan reverse III LIE na1on"i
elections next year simply meant the trans
fer of the machinery of government from
one set of men to another, or If 1t even
meant considerable change of prln-
ciple as applied to federal legislation
the people would have nothing TO
dread from the success Of the DEM
ocracy. If the contest partook IN Its
nature of an old time struggle between
the Wings and Democrats, wherein prin-
ciple alone would be the dividing sugges-
ton, we might look to its determination
with comparative indifference, for the
country would be as safely and as honestly
governed by one party as by the other.
But, unfortunately, there can be no
such narrowing down of issues. Two
elements will enter into the next cam
paign, which must make the result one
of serious apprehension to the conser-
vative mind of the country. We shall
see the Democracy in the field, supported
by Prejudice and Speculation; and these
two elements combined are fearful to the
contemplation of the student and the
observer. Prejudice is blind, and Specu-
lation is wicked. The one follows, while
the other leads, to ruin. The Democracy
is hostile to the colored people; it is
bitter against the reconstruction laws; it
violently assails the amended constitu
ton. This is entirely based upon
prejudice against color. Speculation is
willing to use this evil sentiment to
secure its own victory, when both preju
dice and color will be subjected to its
terrible extortions. AS an illustration:
while certain Democratic members of
the Louisiana Legislature of 1868 were
publicly denouncing the negroes in the
most expressive language, were they not
privately treating with them for advan-
tages? And is not the same disposition
manifested daily by the leaders of the
same party in their advances to these
very people? These trades are the very
essence of dishonesty, for they seek the
darkness to cover their fruits.
When the campaign opens the Democ-
racy will appeal to the white element for
its support, on the ground that the recon-
struction laws are unconstitutional, or, at
least, unjust. Prejudice alone will enable
the partisans of this unjust and improper
to succeed, for nothing is more
fixed and established than the permanency
of our present political relations. 1t would
be impossible to alter the condition of the
colored people from one of personal free
dom and political equality. And yet the
Democracy will succeed with the white
element, because it will knowingly, will
fully, wickedly and falsely promise to alter
that settlement which it knows to be IN
The very men who will proclaim
from the hustings next year their desire
to accept the situation and their DISPOSE
ton to abide by the settlement will be I'M
derstood by their more rancorous parti-
sans to be cheating the negroes; and they
will be as well understood by the negroes
as cheats as they will understand that
they are themselves. The most extraor-
binary period of self imposition that was
ever reported occurred in 1870, when the
Democrats knew that they were cheats,
and knew that they were considered as
such by those whom they were attempt
ing to practice their impositions upon.
The contest of 1872 will be the revival
of that of 1870. The sentiment of opposi-
ton to the government will be seized
upon by men who will care as little for
one principle as for another. but who
will hope to obtain political ascendancy
by using the prejudices of the people to
help their own purposes. As matter of
course, the leaders who will resort to
such measure in order to secure their
own advancement must be dishonest, for
it is dishonest way in which to obtain
a victory. Once in power, the specula-
ton which employed prejudice to carry
it to conquest will use opportunity to
make its own profit. The Democracy is
hungry for Office. The leaders are as
ravenous to handle the spoils as the fol-
lowers are to secure a triumph over the
radicals The defeat of the, Republicans
will witness triumph that will shake
the very republic, for it will destroy all
confidence in the honesty and justice of
the people. Speculative politicians will
pander to prejudiced bigots, while they
plumber and Cypress the State. We shall
be given up to Tammany Hall, and the
swift hands and cunning wisdom Of the
Tweed and Sweeney ring will soon develop
at Washington the same extravaganza
and peculation which has made New
York city bankrupt.
This one fact is of itself sufficient to
appal the public mind at the bare sug-
gestion of a Democratic triumph in a
national contest The people of the
United States are unprepared, or ought to
be, to submit themselves to the extortions
which have originated at New York under
the rule of Tammany Hall, and which
those who have benefited by them are even
now anxious to have translated to Wash
ington city. Public honesty and private
morality will be in danger of subversion
when the nation puts on the robe which
the New York Democracy is preparing
for her.