The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-09-24
The New Departure.

The New Departure.
MIR. Groesbeck is distinguished states
man of the Northwest, and a rather promi-
nent candidate for the Democratic nomina-
tion to the next Presidency. His recent
speech upon the So called new departure
policy was q very able effort, and published
as it Is throughout the country. will doubt
less have a widespread nfloence. This
new departure appears to be an effort on
the part Of the Democracy to propitiate
the more moderate members of the Repub-
lican party, by recognizing the issues COW
cred by the latest amendments of the Con-
stitution az being dead issues, and by going
forward to new ones wherein there will be
much less cha nee Of discord among honest
men.
These three amendments embrace the
subjects of slave emancipation and politi-
cal equality irrespective Of race. tits ex-
pected that the Democratic party shall con-
cede their defeat on these questions to be
irrevocable, and by abandoning them bind
themselves in honor never to laise the same
issues again, even under more favorable
auspices. Democrats North and South are
unanimously in favor of the freedom Of
slaves as it now exists. Notwithstanding
the lawless, unjust and unconstitutional
manner with which it was effected, they
would not consent, under any circum-
stances, to see slavery re-establisled. But
as to the equality of races, there is no
white man of good sense, Republican or
Democrat, in the whole country sincerely
and in his heart favorable to so absurd and
disgusting doctrine. Neither Mr.. Groes-
beck nor any other of his Western Demo-
cratic brethren, any more than a Southern
Democrat, can for a moment concede that
a policy based on that idea is wise or ought
to be tolerated. How strange, then, to ask
US to abandon the issue as dead, and viz
tually to pledge our honor never to revive
it, when it exists IN the very nature of
things, and can never he depressed perma-
nently.
So far as the Southern Democracy is con-
cerned, it can have no objection to the fact
of negro suffrage. Against the principle it
must protest, but if our enemies in their
blindness force a benefit upon US. we shall
limit our opposition to a mere protest, and
as faint a one as honesty will permit. 1t
is evident to any one who can look little
beyond his nose, that negro suffrage is, or
soon will be, of imm ense advantage to this
section. 1t gives us nearly double the re-
presentation in Congress that we would
otherwise have, and according to the natu-
raj laws of human influence, it cannot be
long before the bona fde white population
will control the negro vote almost in toto.
This may be enough to turn the tide on the
tariff question or some other sectional ini-
quities. We shall then see the anomaly of
Yankee congressman protesting against
negro suffrage and the equality of races.
The West may protect US, however, and
enable US to hold on to the advantage for
awhile.
We see no practical harm whatever in
the new departure, aside from the theoreti-
cal wrong of formally abandoning princi-
pie which we have no right to abandon.
Without insisting on that principle, how
ever, the expurgation of the offensive
amendments can be made on totally differ
ent grounds. The question of equality of
races might never be agitated for moment
and yet the shameful fourteenth and if
teenth amendments might be stricken off
on the much higher ground that all such
questions belong to the State and not to
the General Government. The South can,
therefore, safely pledge itself to maintain
negro political equality, so long as it is a
national question.
COLLEGE OF TIE IMMACULATE CoNcEPn on
This favorte institution will commence its