New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-20
THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE on SOUTHERN
AFFAIRS


residents who have either accepted wha
is rather gingerly called the situation viii
conditions or refused to accept it on any
terms. This class is composed Of the ole
shareholders and their descendants; th(
merchants who formerly depended upor
them for patronage; the ofice-seekers who
fattered the two last named subdivi
sions Of the great class for theil
votes and Influence at election, and
the gentlemen who are opposed tc
work themselves, but are constantly
exercised with alarm for the labor quas-
ton, and the negro as connected there
with. This class ostentatously calls itself
the South and the Tribune re-echoes the
unfounded claim, or even puts it forth
authoritatively as an original discovery Of
its own. Having thus assumed to name
the component elements of the South, it is
a matter Of 10 great difficulty to prove by
specious deductions that the "South, as
thus constituted. are in an unsatisfed con
dition. They have not been able, in most
cases from lack of votes, to take posses
sion Of the State Offices. They have failed
to secure the enactment Of convenient
yagrant laws and other oppressive regula-
tons, by means Of which they hoped to be
able to keep the ''nigger" down.
The other great class, resident in the
Southern States, and which is politically
opposed to the South by reason of their
firm adherence to Republican principles
and the federal government are the ne
groes, the old free State, Union white
men. and such people from the North as
were bold and independent enough to
stick to the filth they brought here with
them, and such accessions as the Republi-
can party has from time to time been
able to secure from the class denominated
'the South. In a political sense, one
man with a vote is equal to any other man
who has no more; and none are allowed
to vote twice. So that the only way to
arrive at conclusion as to the dominant
party is to take fair count Of noses. It
is entirely unnecessary, for the pur-
poses Of such an inquiry, to intro
duce evidence as to the wealth, re-
speciality, intelligence, or even hon
es'y Of any of the several opposing
parties, for in this State, as in New York
city, it is the number Of votes, that decide |
contests, not the personal character Of the |
voters. There is no force in the assertion,
then, that the Republican party IS com
posed in some degree Of Northern adven-
,urers. for these so-called adventures"
are American citizens and voters under
our laws and their right to suffrage is as
as that Of the voters Of the
South" 1t should be remembered that
his question Of suffrage is no longer an
open one. That has been decided by the
people of the North, and in the argument
N the great trial the Tribune appeared as
lie champion of the negro, and demanded
hat they be armed with weapon to de.
end themselves from the aggressions of
lie South. No sooner was all this arrange.
pent perfected than the Tribune arraigns
he negroes for preferring their political
riends before their enemies. and even CEN
ures the national government for uphold
1g Tie reconstruction laws. For the {
ght to vote caI1ies with it the right to {
ote for ones friends, and if the South |
as repeatedly been defeated in the popU. ]
r contests, it only proves that the party, {
hatever it may call itself, is in a minority, 4
nd has no just claim TO be considered a
the South" in the sense employed BY it |
id by the Tribune. c
But this assumed title is defective in Q
lother sense In the Democratic party 0
ere are actually many more so-called
Northern adventures" than the Repub. !
ans have, while the latter have ten
natives Of Che soil where their oppo-
,nts have one. But here we are dis ,
,sed TO rate all men alike. or nearly SO. Il
respect fox man generally increases L
you come nearer to him. The Repub. "
ans can set UP claim to quite as much h
spectability IS their opponents can. SO u
as we can observe. and we are rather &c
ilnatey acquainted with both parties. 81
exc is no great advantage IL the posses. II
"a o: the Christian virtues on either y
,c. But the Republicans are supegiogin al
IS. that they do mot seeis by means Of 81
zee OF threats OF violence. or loss OF OF
tronageo 70 dragon the voters OF the OF
tie to support their ticket, nor are they ju
the constant habis Of Boosting Of the Gu
tues which they do not possess, nor in. %
tuting comparisons SO grossly fattering tn
themselves as the other side does. But 20
long as the enemies Of the Republicans m
sct to look down upon our voters DC. ca
Use they are SLACK. and ,iespise them W
.ause they are ignorant. or apply con. oe
lPtuous epithets 10 their friends. SO ~
: will such conduct be resented. The In
gablicans Of the South desire 70 live in u
ity with theiv neighbogs, but they DO Ga
wish to have Is said they live ~ SUI. 81
-"o----aaA--oo---o ty
STATE BOARD 0F BEGITBs lie
M, Mr. Era,vy4a, ip+roJr,aaf q, e:S- L.