Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-06-01
DEMOCRACY MISLED.

are waxing confident OF sue
less in the next presidential cam
paign. There are three sources from
which it draws the solace of an ex-
pected republican defeat. The nat
ural reactionary policy Of the Dem
itselfis the first. Deeply vers-
ed in the arts of political manage
ment, on one side, and utterly un-
scrupulous in dealing with an oppo-
nent on the other, the democratic
party haskept up an appearance of
which is both delusive and
transitory.
From time immemorial the demo-
or is of the nation have drawn their
inspirations from the South. In
those days when there were giants
in the party, they had the sagacity
and influence, by an admixture of
assimilation and bravado, to mis-
lead the Southerners and to coerce
the northern members OF the party.
But when at last, in the days of the
little giants" one wing of the par
ty resisted bullying, and the other
detected the hypocrisy of its leaders,
the native tendency to reaction in
the party, split it into three factions,
each of which was implacable in its
hate of the other, while all were
confident of democratic success.
They were mistaken: and political
decentralization was soon followed by
open rebellion against the author
ity OF the nation.
Now it seems to us that the action
Of the democracy in the new era is
but a poor copy of its conduct in
the old. Again the national party
turns its ear in southern direction
for the keynote of the next cam
paign. The sin of party mutiny,
made by southern secess ionists, the
folly of a ciuseless rebellion by the
rebels, the powerless, and therefore
ridiculous opposition to recon-
struction legislation, State and Ma
tional, seem all to be lost sight OF in
the eagerness for Office, or in the
absence of a policy, save such as
may be dictated by political mani
acs, who think they can reenslave a
Peep who have once tasted the
sweets of freedom, or who in pre-
tending to believe they can lift an
insuperable barrier between item
selves and those without whose
votes it is impossible for the party
ever to come into power again.
Confidence built on such data as
this may well be called self-confi-
dence; and men who shape theil
policy or plan their campaign upon
such model not only invite inev'
liable defeat they hunt for it. L
the ghosts offathers, sons and broth
ers do Aot rise to warn the north
orn people tin by aiding the sue
cess of democracy, they are organi
ling another and bloodier rebel
lion, the ivinSnegroes in the south
with the scarSlbf an inhuman bond
age upon every limb will be theil
substitutes, and with the balance o
power in their hands, they vii
make themselves heard even b.
, those who refuse to listen to voice
: from the dead.
> The democratic party has ais
founded great hopes of success up
: on division in the ranks of it's grea
} rival. 1t is calculated that some O
, the southern Governors will sacri
fee the negro to the necessity o
? consolidating the white men into
S party possessed of more wealth, in
telhgence and enterprise than tn
+ present republican party. Th
e short-sightedness Of the estimate j
e only equallcd by its shallowness.
r man is politically blind who cannc
S understand that any so-called re
e publican who could be seduced b
a the democracy to betray his ow
S party, would not be trusted b
those who had bought him, an
; that therefore his very bargai
b would drive him from power, Will
n the democracy would take up Ii
}, very colored people he had betra.
s ed and employ their votes to kee
s every carpet-bagger and natl,
t whit republican out Of Office. II
n negroes finding themselves betra,