New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-12


little respect for a Journal that PAYS more
attention to foreign affairs than it does to
the domestic concerns Of the country in
which it is veritable carpet-bagger
We pretend, in behalf of the white peo-
pie of Louisiana, that they are in favor Of
inviting emigration to the State from the
North, and that they are wiling to accord
to these emigrants all the liberty Of
thought, speech and action that they en-
joy themselves This proposition of ours
contradicts the assumption of the Bee, for
Northern men and Europeans will only
consent to locate in Louisiana upon the
understanding that they are to be the
equals of the Oldest residents in every po-
litical respect. Which being conceded,
their interference is that Of principals, and
not umpires. Every citizen, whether he
lived here twenty years ago or only came
here last year, is exactly equal in his po-
litical interests in the State, for he is to
be the subject Of the law, and it is his
business to see that the law is made as
good as possible.
We still further protest on behalf of the
colored people that they do require assist
ance from these newly arrived emigrants,
for the old residents are not willing to do
justice by them. Northern men are more
liberal to the colored people than the
Southern men are, because they have none
of that soreness and prejudice which pre-
walls among the latter against the negroes.
The colored people know that they are too
ignorant to take care of their political
rights, SO they accept of the support and
assistance Of the newcomers, because the
newcomers brought to them the blessings
which they enjoy. If the Southern whites
had acted toward the negroes as the
Northern whites have done, there would
have been no distinctions or divisions in
society to-day; and if they would with
draw their injustice even now there would
soon result a healing up Of the old quarrel
that would be Of immense benefit to the peo-s
pie generally. But while the Bee continues
to ignore one-haf of the population as be-
ing no part Of the people, the negroes are
forced to depend upon the strangers in
our midst, because the strangers treat
them fairer than the old residents do. It
is easy to see that the white people of
Louisiana are themselves to blame for the
very condition of affairs which they COM
plain against, and that until they get rid
Of their preiudices they must consent to be /
defeated in their efforts to obtain control
Of their own affairs. When they refuse
the assistance of a man merely because he
has been the friend of the majority, they
condemn themselves to continue in the
minority, because they insult a power
greater than theirown, and they commit
such folly and injustice that they weaken
their own cause.
We protest that the newcomers, being
citizens by adoption, are fully as much en-
titled to decide for themselves what their
action shall be as the editor of the carpet
bagging Bee is. First, their rights and i
liberties are concerned; secondly, their
properties and interests are as much at
stake as those of the older settler in the
State. And a man who comes here to-day
may be better able to decide what is best
to be done than the old fogy who has lived
here with his eyes shut and his hands
folded for fifty years. And he has just as
much right to declare his judgment as any
other man, whether he declares it in the
American language or employs foreign
lingo to express his ideas.
We protest further that the men who
are afraid to submit to an umpire the diff
culties that divide and Cypress them are
open to the suspicion of having some OBJ
ject to accomplish, which they dare not
avow. The Bourbon oracle declares that
the whites are intelligent, and that the
negroes are ignorant, and yet it refuses to
submit the questions in dispute between
these two classes to the arbitration Of men
who are interested in making fair de-
cision Of the matter. The very statement
of this case demonstrates the necessity of
an umpire, for there are evidences Of in
tended bad faith ON the part of the intel
ligent men who refuse to discuss their
quarrel, that necGssitate constant watch
fulness on the part Of the ignorant parties
to the dispute.
We protest, in conclusion, that the Bee
itself has demanded outside umpirage,
and that, too, Of the most selfish and IN
democratic character. So it is neither
honest nor intelligent in its conceited as
sumption.