New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-11-21
aEYElaL sHERIDAN,s SPEECH.

on Saturday night. We do this not Sc
much on account of the excellence of thu
speech as a brilliant production of ora
tory, albeit the sentences of the eloquen
speaker run as smoothly and melodiously
as the sweet waters from the mountain
spring, as for the importance Of the sub
jects he considers and illustrates. We de
rive from General Sheridan's speech tina
he is disposed to inquire into the right o
certain politicians to call themselves Re
publicans. In his judgment, the time ha
evidently gone by when We are to eithe
receive or retain men in our party withou
an examination. And his incisive exam
ination of certain new recruits shows tina
he knows how to deal with imposter
with the hand Of skillful operator.
Casey is shown to be man of merel.
reflective qualities. Without his brother
in-law to hold him up, against all reason
he could not keep his place three days
Without men Of subtler Intellect to adj
minister the duties of tie Collector, ani
perform the work, while he draws thu
pay, the affairs of the Customhouse would
directly be plunged into irretrievablt
confusion.
He dissects Mr.. Garter N the mos
skillful and scientific mann T. and ex.
poses his political frauds + lie eyes Of
those by whom he has been tl ed only
to be deceived. The eloquent 7rator,
standing in what was the ancient Ca. ital
of the State, proclaims to the people tie
undeniable fact that the Republican part y
owe it to themselves to slough off and re-
ject the unworthy camp followers who
have joined our victorious legions merely
for the spoils Of conquest. And in this
declaration all true Republicans, all men
true to the grand principles of the party,
will give hearty affirmative response.
For it is better to be in the right than in
the majority; and luckily, we have it in
our power to be both the one and the
other. It is not for such recent recruits
as Carter, Casey and Pitkin to shape the
policy of the great party of progress that
has brought them out of the ditch and
clothed them in decent ralment. So long
as they were content to occupy the hum
BILE positions their limited talents and total
lack of principle naturally entitled them
to, they might be tolerated as auxiliaries
of the Republican party; but when they
bolt outright, and form combinations
fatal to the success of the principles of the
party, and to the party itself, the law of
self-preservation demands their repudia-
ton.
General Sheridan has but sounded the
signal note at Baton Rouge which will
soon be echoed throughout the whole
State, from Caddo to the Florida parishes.
The Republican party is undoubtedly
strong; it is able to stand great pressure;
but nothing of human invention can stand
such men as leaders.
Their power Of patronage will soon pass
away from them forever. They are now
simply hanging by the rather slender
thread of Grants obstinate adherence to
to his nepotism. And unless he awakens
to the dangers of his own position before
the election of 1872, another man will be
sent to the White House, who is more at
tached to the laws of his country, the in
terests of the people and the good of the
party than he is to his incompetent re!a-
lions. Even a fool ought to have the
sense to observe the signs of the times,
md if the President is wise he will read
Sheridan's speech and be assured that in
his State alone seventy-fve thousand
voters will back up all that is said in this
tervid speech. These sentiments are not
Sheridan's alone. In the little town of
Baton Rouge, seven hundred voters turned
out on cold, wet, stormy night, and
into cheerless, badly lighted
:oom to hear and applaud sentiments uni
7ersally entertained by the people of this
State. There are twenty-five thousand in
his city who will read his speech this
and respond amen to every utter
nee. And not only here, but throughout
he North and West, we shall receive SYM
,athy from the men who have already
hown their capability and determination
o do SO much. Those who have abol-
shed slavery, set aside one faithless Presi-
lent and clothed the negro with the fran
hise, are not likely to hesitate to set
side any President who assumes the right
0 control the deliberations of political
in his own interests, to per-
'etuate his power and the official exis-
ence of his unworthy appointees.
We specially commend to the readers
ttention general criticism of the Presi-
ent in connection with his military con-
ention of August 8. These are the SEN
iments of the people of Louisiana, with
ut regard to party divisions. Democrats
nd Republicans may differ with each
ther, and they do SO, on many questions;
ut Sheridan proclaims truth not to be
ost sight Of when he intimates to the |
that neither party will tolerate
be CLEAN Of the bayonet in the conven-
ions of the other. And if Lieutenant |
Governor Dunn can not be reelected to |
is position; if Carter can not be made |
Governor, nor Casey continued in the
osition he now fills so awkwardly, with |
privilege left for Packard to contend