New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-06
rHE RAsIs Or FusIoN.

connection with the administration party
in this State, and when the REPUBL1cAs
supported him in his departure, there waf
no other understanding between the two
than such as arises from a mutual and,
we may say, spontaneous disposition tc
effect better understanding between the
hitherto opposing races in the State and
to bring about reform in the political gov
eminent of the community. That is to
say, speaking for ourselves, and to the
best Of our knowledge for the Governor,
we believed that the colorel people Of
Louisiana, in whose interests we had Ia
bored for years, were ready and willing to
enter into an agreement with the white
people in favor Of better men and purer
laws, and We felt that the nnisfortUnes and
Inischances Of the white people had been
such as to teach them that it was their in
terest and their duty to meet this advance
from our friends in the same spirit that
prompted the offer of compromise on the
part Of the colored people. 1t never was
our design, nor was it that Of Governor
Warmoth's, if we understand his views,
to become anything but better Repub-
licans than we had been, and this we pro-
posed to accomplish by separating cur
solver from the men who had abused the
Republican party i'll the-interest of speeu-
latiye legislation and federal domination.
With these wholesome purposes in view,
the REPUBLICAN urged the formation Of
the Liberal Republican party and in
dorsed its action 50 long as it beld faith
with the original design Of its founders,
which was a perfect oblivion Of all past
party distinctions and fair and honor
able fusion of all the men who felt dis
posed to reprobate and hold in check the
invasion Of the State by federal officers
and the abuse Of the State treasury by the
Legislature. We did not propose to inquire
in the party if a man came from the Demo-
cratic camp nor did we propose to be
questioned as to our former political reIa-
tons. What we did propose was to enlist
all men in common cause and to treat
them squareIy according to the results they
might achieve in promoting the reforms
which we all admitted to be necessary.
And in order to consolidate and enrich
this new party with power to accomplish
its high purpose, we proposed to make it
free to all men, without regard to race,
color or previous condition, according to
the Cincinnati platform.
This being the design, and these being
the incentives that actuated the movers in
the Liberal Republican effort, as we are
sure they were ours, it can not honestly
be said Of Us that we have acted incon-
sistently in refusing to follow the attempt |
since 1t has departed from the ideas with !
which it was originally endowed. Our |
purpose was to reconcile all men, but
since the fusion organization aban1ons
this purpose, there can be. no expectancy
on the part Of the fusionists that the Re-
PUBLICAN will go with them when they 60
counter to our ideas Of right and good
policy.
We find that the party which We helped
to create inquiries not as to our future ac-
ion, but as to our past entecedents. It
says Of US all the ugly things our bitterest
said three years ago. This gives
IS the right to retort all the ill-natured
,harges that we formerly used, but which
We promised to forget The quarrel that
5 made with US we mast answer, and
herefore the men who were invited by US
0 assist in saving the State mast bear the
Dlame for having hindered the work by
topping to talk Of the past, instead Of
vorking sensibly and constantly for the
utnre ...-.
These suggestions explain our position,
nd they will suffice to excuse Governor
if at any time he should con-
lude that the party with which he has
roposed to actis not treating him as he
eats it, Amnesty can not be one-siied,
nd the fruits Of fusion can not be pIreked
y those who persisten1y refuse to fuse.
ither the opponents Of General Grant |
ldst meet on an equal footing, OF they
lust separate to take care Of themselves.