New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-25

entitled to be credited with the emancipa-
ton that he announced ats later and more
suitable period in the conflict. In other
words, it is. not in accordance with reason
and common sense to condemn an engine
that Will not start off with a heavy train
at the rate Of forty miles an hour from the
moment the steam is turned on. Mr..
Lincoln was directing a ponderous ma
chine which could only move at g given
rate, and which had to be brought up to
this rate by slow and careful handling. He
lived as the friend Of the colored people;
he was elected as such; he has been &C
ceptad as such, and he died as such. The
party that he acted with was always con-
sidered the abolition partya and while
slavery created necessity for its exist
ence, the Southern politicians denounced
it as suclo It is, therefore, too late in the
! day 20 make capital by attempting to.reo
peat d theory and a practice grated on
the American mind as this is that the Re-
publican party freed the colored people
and has been their great upho!der.
The war altered the relation Of the
| coiore1 people in the South to the
! Whites and It is the duty OF every
citizen to admit this fact and accomo
modate himself 70 the new situation.
This was the true logic that should have
controlled the people and directed the
pubic mind. Instead Of admitting this
clear and inevitable necessity, the Demo-
Gratis denied that the negroes were citizens.
and affirmed that they could not be made
citizens by any process Of lave Being de-
feated in this position, they next declared
theic intention 20 eepeai the law that did
make the negroes citizens. And now. see.
ing the folly Of their pas! policy. they seek
to create the belief that they are entitled
to as much credit for freeing and enfran-
cilising the people they held in slavery
and refused to acknowledge as worthy Of
citizenship as the men who did tree and
enfranchise themo
This is stupid, ana. withaf. IL is not
new The same argument has been made
in che South thousand eimes. and has
been laughed at even oStenes than that
Tie negroes know who their friends are
They know who pioneered the work Of lib.
erations and they know who have OBJ
structed it. Their eyes are open TO the
fact that even now che Democracy is their
enemy, for the Democracy furnishes the
evidence 70 that fact daily and with appa.
rent satisfaction It sends out orators
to speak in the campaign, who protest
that the ''niggeEs have ruined the State.
and must be subjected" Itparades with
Illuminated banners announcing its will to
be il favoy Of "'white supremacy" 1t
sends Iarks and Fen1eg on to stools Of re.
pentance for even suggesting a liberal pol
icy toward the blacks. 1t gives the ne.
groes no chance but the chance to work
and vote for Democratic nominees. And
in the face o: all these real signs Of ami
mostly i: seeks to cajoie the men it de.
spises by telling them tia: those who
helped them were not their friends. Gov.
erpos on says differently, and is % sensible
man. He Acknowledges that the Republi.
cans wrought gu: the liberation Of the ne
groes, and made them citizens. and that
now, if the Southern people desire to make
friends with these people. they must admit
these truths. and GO forward with the
work. The South must treat the negro as
a friend It 1t wants to make friend of
him.