New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-19
ERRORS OF THE PRESS.

Ii the Northern papers Will pay more
attention to our affairs than they appear
to, their reflections upon the situation
in Louisiana, as they call it, will be en-
titled to more respect Some of the lead
ing journals are very correct in their use
of our politics and politicians, spelling
the names Alright and stating the position
of gentlemen properly; but otaer news
papers of extended influence and great
ability not only middle up our public
men with names that were never heard of
in this locality, but they put them into
positions of friendship or enmity totally
at variance with the truth. This is not
creditable and though much of the blame
must be put upon the telegraph, which
seems to be incapable of spelling proper
names Alright, the editors are greatly re-
sponsible in not knowing better them
selves We commit no such blunders
concerning the officials of Chicago, st.
Louis, Louisville, Boston, or any other
city, for it is an easy matter to turn to
the papers published in these different
cities, files of which are kept in oUr Office,
where the proper names can be correctly
ascertained. The editor of a leading news
paper should be familiar with the public
men of every part of the country, and he
should know the politics and position of
these men almost as well as he does that
of his neighbors.
And it is not alone in the names~of
public men that this error is committed,
but also in the statement of their posi-
tons. During the excitement of the past
two weeks, when the whole country had
its eye on New Orleans, and when every
movement in this quarter was telegraphed
as matter of private and public interest,
to the most distant quarters of the Union,
the gravest mistake was in constantly put
ting very prominent gentleman in o
false position. General Longstreet, about |
whose name there could be no mistake, |
and about whose position there should |
have been none, has been necessarily an
noyed by his classification as one of the |
Customhouse clique, when in truth and |
in fact he was neither acting with Mr.. |
Casey, nor was he with him in sympathy. |
General Longstreet felt that a great |
mistake was being made by the collector,
but he had no power to arrest it. He did
not approve of the use of United States
soldiers at the convention, since he
thought then, and still thinks, that the
power of the State was sufficient to pre-
serve order. And to-day, although he is
an ardent supporter of General Grants
administration, he maintains that the fed
eral influence in the city has not been
used for the benefit of the Re-
publican party, as it should have been
used General Longstreet is gentleman
Of such sagacity that the attempt to mis-
place him was a reflection upon his judg-
nent, and the mistake of his actual senti-
nents was inexcusable in those who pre-
ended to speak for him. He deprecates
he existence of the present disagreement
n the Republican party, and is using his
pest endeayors to reconcile it. This is
What every Republican should assist in,
md the example of General Longstreet is
! warrant for its correctness If the
Northern papers will correct the state
nent about the position of our Louisiana
republicans in accordance with the truth,
hese reflections will be read with all the
more interest.