New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-06

Our ancient friend of the Bee, who has
lived o moderate life without being of
much use either as an advocate of pro-
| gress or as an agent Of evil, reads Horace
Greeley a motherly sort of lecture about
the proper way in which the South should
| be represented to the Northern ear. This
is done in the shape of advice to the
| people of New Orleans as to the fashion
| Of the treatment they should extend to
the distinguished editor of the New York
Tribune. We are invited to be courteous
and civil to the white-coated philosopher
who has the ear of the Northern people in
order that he may testify in our favor be-
fore our fellow-citizens Of the more hyper
borean ATTITUDES. We are invited to lay
before him our griefs and our misfortunes
to the end that he may assist US in drying
up the sorrow and curing the evils of our
condition. We are advised to solicit a
speech from the Nestor of the press for
the purpose of ascertaining his views upon
the condition of the country and the
prospects of a better time hereafter. And
more suggestions of the same sort with a
like object in view.
In these ideas we fully concur with our
contemporary, but they are defective in
one thing, that they do not go far enough.
1t is the misfortune, perhaps, of a radical
paper, such as the REPUBLICAN is consid-
cred, that it goes further into cause and
effect than the organs Of the Democracy.
We are perfectly willing to harrow Mr..
Greeley with a record of our misfortunes
for the benefit of the opposition, but we
are much more anxious to impress him
with our growing prosperity. 1t would
serve far more useful purpose if he
could be sent back home with pleasant
memories than with sad and bitter sug-
gestions. AS he can not make US bet
ter by denouncing our situation
to the world in exaggerated colo1s
as q people miserable, oppressed and
misgoverned, why not invite him to
see us as we are, working slowly and
surely up to the standard of great pros
perity? 1t would not be amiss to tell him
what he already knows-that owing to
the great misfostunes of the most stupen-
dous war Of modern times, and the ire
mendous revolution that occurred in the
South, we encountered terrible difficulties
in adjusting the new and changed rela-
tons of society, but that by being COM
PEELED little, by being coaxed little,
and by being reasonable good deal, we
have almost overcome our difficulties, and
we are now in a fair way to be better,
wiser, richer and more powerful in the
future. How would this representation
do?
On the contrary, if we approach Mr..
Greeley with complaints that he can not
cure, and which he knows are of our own
combination, the philosopher will accept
our attentions as bore, just as any man
does when he enters family and is bored
by both the husband and wife with the
record of their domestic squabbles. He
will condole with us, as matter Of course,
and say that better times are in store; but
he will think that our best relief is to be
found in cultivating better sense and
greater harmony at home. And as a last
resort he will probably inform us that any
interference on his part would meet with
the common fate that befalls all meddling
between man and wife.
When Mr.. Greeley comes to New Or
leans, we hope to see him treated as a
sensible man expects to be, with all civil
ty and good-fellowship. Officious atten-
ton and manifested scandal should be
suppressed in every instance. He reads
the newspapers with care, is in regular
communication with good men of all
shades of politics, and has his mind made |
up as to the specialties of public men,
He needs no particular information, but is
in want of general good news, with which |
to please his thousands of friends. Let |
us give him plenty of it.