The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-09-07
The Situation,
From the New Orleans Republican,

From the New orleans Republican,
The politicaIcOnditiOn of affairs in this
State is Perhaps 0 anomalous than
vel before in its history. There are
nowhere that we can perceive concert OF
action and harmony of opinion: Both
Republicans and Democrats, like the
mythical adVcnturrr, who went to sea
upon Il shattered plank, are trusting to
miracles for safety. The principles and
precepts of the respective organizations
are put aside, and political eXpediency
is making vain but abOrtivc efforts to
usurp the long recognized policy of par
ties. Men whose sympathies are averSe
to fusion, of antagOnistic views and
widely sundered principles, are attempt
ing the dangerous eXpedient of acting
in concert to pay Oft old revenges, Orac-
COmplish some personal or questionable
are broken down, and Republican and
Democrat, Liberal and RefOrmer are
Whirling together i'll the boiling political
canldIOn in indiscriminate confusion.
To d stranger viewing the singular
spectacle it would appear inexplicable.
1t is no less astonishing to those who
have watched the developments that
have brought it about from the begin
ming. Heretofore the most virulent of
partisan contests have been distinguish
ed by clearly defined opinions. In Lou
isiana, to-day, no nan can define his
principles, since all are advocating those
which have most recently been the sub
iect of his ~~tierceSt objurgatiOns. This
truth is illustrated in the recent fusion.
Who were more antagOniStic aWeekagO
than the Times and the Picayune-than
McEnery and Penn-tlan Sheridan and
F LN,1,@1, t1,n,N SIND1 -,I V,.l.:. j
But the wand of eXpediency waves over
out the sweetest harmOniesOf life. Non
is the other side less illustrative of that
strange political cnchantmcnt that is
sweeping over the land. The Custom
house and the Regular Republicans were
at dagger's points. Pinchback became
the Harry Percy" Of Il new revolution,
and like Henry of Navarro, his white
plume carried diSmay to the bosom OF
his WhilOm friends, but recent enemies
Even AntOinc'Ssable crest turned ashade
paler at his fierce, impctuOus charges
and KellOgg'S anxious eyes appealed il
vain to the St0lid Packard for assistance
But just when the war clouds hung
thickest and the chilling floods Of dis,
may rose highest, a bow of promise
beamed in thesky. Peace settled on the
Cf0uDleO waters, ana the clouds broke
and fled away. Doubt was disDelle(
and the bonds of brotherly love agai1
united separated factions.
Such is now the situatiOn-the strange
inexplicable spectacle of those agrcein!
who were most bitterly opposed. OlC
enemies are now friends, and the sun.
dered s~plinters of various fragments O
partiesa are collectedan knitted togethel
by that magical glue called political ex,
pediency. 1t is more wondr0us than thu
"Chinese grip" or Spaulding's celebra
ted cohesive plaster.
But, in the face of all these politica
reconciliations, the question NATURAL,
arises, what will it do for the State
The policy We arc Ostinneed of is tina
defined by well understood principles
Nothing, sentient or efficient can be ex
tracted from those conflicting and abor
tive elements. They bringnO assurance
of good, and apply no salvc to the nu
merOus evils that besct the State gov
eminent. There is neither policy no
principle in this strange whirlpool o
discOrdant political elements.