The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1871-11-25
THE RIGHT SPIRIT.

AStraws,n which contains sentiments
$50 exactly in accordance with our
own that we cannot pass it by I'M
noticed. The article in question was
written in answer to q proposition
advanced by the Carrollton State
Register that Senator Pinchback, bust
ness manager of the Loaisianian, had
r. gone back upon himself" in his
zColored Convention speech, inasmuch
as he had previously declared his
intention to oppose President Grant
provided rebuke was not administered
1 to the federal officials who, as the
Register naively remarks, "held a
meeting in this State two or three
months ago, which they called a
Republican State Convention"
The Louisiaaian says:
When Senator Pinchback made the
speech referred to, every one under
stood that it involved contingencies
which only time could settle. The
only prospective quarrel which any
good Republican can have with Gen
eral Grant must be based upon his
endorsement of fragrant Outrages upon
freedom of speech and fairness OF
political conduct.
After stating that Mr.. Pinhcbaek re-
|iterates what. he said in his speech,
that Gen. Grant would commit an un-
|pardonable wrong if he sustained and
endorsed men in Office who invoked
the aid of United States troops in
time of peace to commit an outrage
upon the people, the Louisionian goes
on to say:
But in the same speech it will be
srecOllected Mr.. Pinchback uttered his
unqualified belief that General Grant
would not endorse these actions by
the retention of the men in office who
lwere responsible for them. He is of
THAT opinion yet, and when a reason
able time eiapses, if General Grant
fails to do his duty as public SER
j want, Mr.. Pinehback will be compelled
to arraign another public servant for
IA fragrant dereliction of duty.
The article concludes thus:
This journal attempts to represent
the opinions and interests of the col0red
people, and, the manager of it assumes
|no attitude which he thinks viii not
be endorsed by his race. He has no
personal spite to crafty, no enemy
but the Democracy to punish, and no
|disorganizing projects to carry out.
IF General Grant does his duty as we
understand it, he shall have our I'M
compromising support, and if he does
snot, he,will receive our earnest oppo-
|sition.
The latter sentence should express
the sentiments of every Republican
|in Louisiana, and it certainly does
express our own, While we acknowl-
edge that General Grant has, by his
past leadership of the victorious
armies of the Union, and, later, by his
generally excellent administration of
the affairs of the government in ac-
|eordance with the principles of the
party which elected him President,
gained some claim upon the Republf
|can party for a reelection, yet we
hold that this claim is not SO strong,
nor have his past services been SO
great as to secure him amenity from
$50 grand a wrong as the endorsement
|of o fragrant outrage of one of the
dearest rights of American citizens.
Let the insult to the Republicans
|of Louisiana be wiped out by the
removal Of the officials who offered it,
and the party in this State will be
|unit in support of General Grant for
Denomination but it is useless to
try to force it to give this support
with that insult unatoned for.
There are other great men in the
country whose ability 10 far superior
Ito that of General Grants, and whose
devotion to Republieanism is as, un-
questionable, and Il the New Orleans
Custom house officials are retained in
office, we believe there can be little
doubt but the delegation from this
State to the Republican Presidential
Convention of 1872 will support any
|other candidate before that Conven-
|tion in preference to General Grant.
We. have entertained this belief for
some time past, and now that the
Heading organ of the preponderating
element of the Republican party of the
State has expressed itself in the man
3ner we have quoted, the belief has
grown almost to positive conviction.