New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-10

I brief Communications Published-Long
| ones Invariably Rejected-Ihe Editor no,
| Responsible for the Sentiments Expressed
| in the Comm, unications.
| The ''Trade of Patriot"
EnIToR REPUBLICAN,:
When, on the first of February, 1872, the
| old Picayune underwent the TRANSFORMED
| ton of new birth, and appeared amid a
| flourish of yardsticks and the rustfing of
| silks as the offspring of two hundred and
| odd merchants of New Orleans" conf
de4tly impaired my belief to professional
haaer Of tyrants that the public would be
inundated with streams of patriotism OF the
cheapest. but not the less virulent, sort.
Naturally enough, my hater of tyrants,
who swore by the terrible infant, waxed
wrbth at what he was pleased to term my
uni generous levity, aud asked if l meant to
mbugn the motives of the honest traders
Who had conspcuOusly illustrated their dis
int restedness by embarking in so perilous
an enterprise as that of journalism.
my dear fellow" said l. in a soothing
tone, "lend me your ear that may reach
YOUR understanding. You refer to motives.
My good sir if we set about analyzing mo-
tives, the idols whom you worship would be
quickly uOppled from their pedestals, and
be revealed mere potter's clay Civilized
political human nature is possessed OF a
routine policy and routine phraseology
power or out. OF the former, the
resonant language of conservatism
(mld English for holding on to
| place. is characteristic To the latter there
appertains a tongueseloquent with epithets,
| with fiery appeals, with indignant
| remonstrance, with mournful plati-
tudes, with energetic proclamation,
of purity of intention and with solemn
| promises. This is called patriotism--a
| formation as to motive. I'll e public accepts
all this sound and fury as representing a
| disinterested desire to foster its welfare.
| Look you, my enthusiastic friend. it a gen
| eral benefit results from the incoming OF
| the outs, it seldom occurs before individual
| ends are gained. Since the day of George
| Washington no man serves his country fo1
nothing; and, to say truth, expect some
| prosaic antiquary will one day shatter my
| faith in that historic tradition, as others OF
my cherished beliefs have, been destroyed
| ITO return to our two hundred and odd
| muttons. Think you there is no selfish mo
tive curtained by all this Ostentatious be
| laboring of Governor WarmOth, in which
| the newborn organ of the merchants Of
| New Orleans INDUCES! All men are selfish
and none are more SO than those who take d
baud in the game of politics, for the purpose
| of sharing in those schemes of profit which
incumbents of Office may have set atOot OF
| brought to conSummatiOn, Or inauguratlns
attacks, and which it is the fashion OF patri
OTIS out of office to denounce as among thu
| grave reasons for change of administra
4 tors. Is it to be supposed that the dozen o.
SO of prime movers in the precious cOntrlv
ance were without axes to grind! TAX
the head and front of the concern-th
| chief clerk or favorite of eX provost-marsha
Jonas French and General Il. +. Butler
is he innocent of an Interior pur
pose in assuming the direction o
The Peoples. Paper!' Are there Il,
executive chairs, State and city, visible tt
the naked eye Go to. The high reach
| ing president dictator Of THE Peoples
Paper" is-not without hope in that dlrec
| ton. Then come paving contracts anC
other remunerative jobs, which no vel
! regulated stakeholder will refuse: nay
which he does not expect i'll the event .
the success of the reform" candidate atore
said. | am persuaded, my credulous friend
that saints are not so good as they appear
nor are devils altogether as black as the.
are painted. Therefore. be not too rash IL
bowIng down implicitly to worship tn
| golden calf which aspiring merchants hay
set up
Ii haze offended you by expressing
these opinions. my noble youth. let it he
| consolation TO YOU to know that your idol
| Mr.. Pitt, according to Lord Macauiay
stuck to his old trade OF patriot when
on the dissolution of the Walpole minstr.
in i74l. Newcastle declined to offer him
| place in the new administration