New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-29
LET Us HAVE PEACE.

with universal favor at the tlme Vi ltS ut-
terance. 1t is capable of two applications:
the one general as to all the world, and
especially as to the entire American people;
the other local, asappled toseparate COM
munities. While the republic may be
peaceful and prosperous as whole, there
may exist disturbances and disorders in
some of its members that will need con-
sderate attention and carefulness in order
to reduce them to that healthy and tran
gull condition which the President in
voked when he asked for peace as the
great end and object of his administra-
ton.
President Grant can have no object in
dividing and distracting the Republican
party in Louisiana, since he can neither
serve himself, his friends, nor the cause Of
popular liberty by any such action. We
lay this down as a proposition that no rea-
sonable man will or can dispute, for the
disorganization of the party in Louisiana
will not only lose to the Republicans the
control of the State, but it will surrender
that control into the hands of men who de-
test the President, who reject his friends,
and who oppose the measures that every
sincere Republican regards as necessary to
the successful development of popular lib
erty in Louisiana Messrs. Casey and Pack
ard may be maintained in their federal
offices while General Grant is President,
but will that be sufficient compensation
for the loss of the State to the party? Or
will Messrs Casey and Packard feel just
as comfortable surrounded by political OPP
ponents and personal enemies as they
would if they were backed up by political
friends and personal associates in the vari-
Gus local offices of the community?
The animosities that exist in the Repub-
lican party of Louisiana result from the
reversal of well understood political
rule, that every community is the best
Judge Of its own necessities. The Re-
publicans in every State can do the best
work, both for themselves and for the
party, if they are left free from interfer-
ence by their friends in Washington or
elsewhere, for the reason that, being in
terested and on the ground, they know
the precise work that is to be done. There
was no dissatisfaction toward the Presi-
dent in Louisiana until his appointees in
this State attempted to subvert the Repub-
lican party to their own selfish purposes,
instead of leaving it to preserve and protect
itself. The President might have calcu-
lated with certainty upon our favor, and
upon the favor of every other Republican,
if his friends had not striven to use his
to advance themselves. 1t was
not whether President Grant should be
that distracted the RepubG-
cans Of this State, but it was the question
whether that nomination should be made
to carry others with it that wrought the
trouble. When Republicans were told
that they must not only support Grant for
but that they must also demon
strate their fidelity to the party by nomi-
mating Mr.. Ray for Governor, and Mr..
Casey for Senator, and Mr.. Lowell for
Congress, and Mr.. Pitkin for something
else, then the party fell into a factious
trouble, and even discussed the propriety
Of supporting the President himself, since
be was suggestively responsible for this
attempt of his subordinates to dictate to
what they could not reconcile
to their notions of propriety.
General Grant will perceive in this
abuse of his popularity the real and pri-
mary cause of the distraction which pre-
walls to certain extent in this State. His
friends have sought to use his popularity
to secure their own advancement, and they
nave done this in such way that it has
even forced him into position of present |
with his own party. Repub-
leans who are perfectly willing to support
lim can not conscientiously agree to sup
port those who are striving to ride into
ocal offices on his popularity and friend
ship. The party has not determined as
% who ought to be selected as its candi- |
lates for the various State offices next |
all, as there are many prominent gentle
men before the people for support whose
merits are about of an equality, and whose
riends are tolerably evenly divided. 1t is
not the place of the federal officers, who |
hold their commissions from a distant po-
itical centre, to be debating to this COM
nunity who shall be its choice in |
he matter of selecting its own |
gents. As Republicans, we pretend to |
understand just as well who ought to be
lected in Louisiana as in the United |
states, and if we give our support to Presi |
lent Grant for a reelection, that should |
uffice to make his friends tolerate us i'll |
lecting the men of our choice in Louis
ana. 1t is the duty, as it is the interest |
If the President to see that his appointees
work in accord with the party here, and
lot as if they were its masters. And if
hey will not do this, sound political rea-
son ought to suggest that they be retired
Is men who not only put their own adj
above that of their pratron, but
lbove the interests Of the party that upholds
both the President and themselves. They !
ire alike enemies OF their friends and of |
he great cause of popular liberty Their
Interference threatens to work evil, and
Evil only for it suggests division and de-