New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-06
NOT A MENACE, BUT THE TRUTH.


to inform himself, not only as to the hon
esty and capacity Of those who are urged
upon him as worthy of support, but
whether such aspirants are faithful to the
party whose representatives they seek to
become. 1t is true that an officer who full
fills the Jefferson requirement as to ipteg-
rity and intelligence may make as good an
agent as the State requires; but there is no
Inconsistency in asking that party nomi-
nee shall not only be honest and capable,
but that he shall be faithful to the princi-
pies and to the organization upon and by
which he was elected. The mere execution
Of the law, and the faithful disbursement
Of public moneys are the easiest duties
that an officer has to perform, and these
are the functions that thousands OF intelll-
gent citizens accept as the sole RESPONSE
bilities of their political representatives,
when in truth the great labor OF the
statesman is in aevising and enactlng the
proper statutes to secure these results
not only from faithful officers, but from
those who are neither willing nor able to
fulfill their duties properly. This is what
gives rise to parties, that men OF intelll-
gence differ as to what should be the law,
and not as to how the law should be en-
forced. And the strength OF party,
which is but another name for the strength
of certain well understood principles of
government, can only be maintained by a
faithful adherence of its partisans IN up
holding each other in their different
spheres of action. 1t is that principles
are made to succeed, that all men who
support them rely upon and uphold each
other.
From general reflections, it is easy to
descend to specific suggestions. The Re-
publican party is the exponent of certain
principles which have been accepted by
the American people as Necessary for the
welfare and perpetuation of our repub-
ican institutions 1t has opposed the dis
ruption of the Union, and it has main
tanned the rights of every man to be equal
ill the government. 1t rejects disunlon by
whomsoever that suggestion may be made;
it rejects all discrimination on account OF
color, whatever interest may propose to
the contrary. These two principles are
the groundwork of the party, and whoever
accepts of them and acts with the party is
a Republican in spirit, and is entitled to
be considered as such. The strength Of
these propositions can only be maintained
by maintaining the party that supports
them, and TIE party can only be main
tanned by faithful cooperation of all its
members in the pursuit OF these common
ends. Division and distraction among
Republicans weakens the strength OF the
Union and undermines the strength Of that
principle which declares in favor Of the
politicical equality Of the negro with the
Caucasian or the Mexican. The party
must be true to itself, or its platform will
be defeated.
The political system Of the United
States is so extensive that it can not be
directed from any one political centre, and
therefore the different parties that have
sought to impress their principles upon the
government have wisely allowed each COM
munity to regulate its own local AFFAIRS
in order to achieve success in the general
result. The Democrats, when they were
in power, deferred to the judgment Of
their friends in Maine, California, Oregon
or Texas as the means of succeeding in
their home elections, because they said that
if the Democrats could carry the State
Legislature, they might be safely trusted
to elect the presidential ticket at the same
time. Upon this suggestion the federal
authorities were always instructed to sub
ordinate their strength to the direction OF
the State Central Committee, or to that OF
the State authorities. And this gave them
their victories because there was harmony
and concert in all that was done. When
ever this principle was departed from, the
effect was disastrous, as every old-tlme
Democrat well remembers. Mr.. Buchanan
tried the plan of directing the political
campaigns of his party from Washington,
and he made such a dismal failure Of it
that his friends have never held Office
since.
General Grant is falling into the same
error that overthrew Mr.. Buchanan. In
stead of pursuing the same policy which
he insisted upon being allowed to pursue
in his military operations, that Of directing
his movements according to that better
knowledge which his presence on the
ground made him master of, he IS now at
tempting to control the political campaign
in Louisiana and other States from point
so distant that he can not comprehend the
relation which the opposing parties holc
| toward each other. He is distractlng his
own friends. or those who would be his
friends, by refusing to let them select the
hour and the ground upon which they Will
engage the acknowledged enemy OF RepQo
licanism, Especially is this the case II
Louisiana, and the attempt has been carried
to such length that men who were bis
friends, and constituencies that were
pledged to his support, have been reduced
to the necessity Of doubling his ability as
leader in the future. We can not sue
coed under his system Of interference, ant
as the success of the party is the first OBJ
ject with every Republican, We can 10
| lo,lctal Wi lhold the eyNraSSiOn Of tie nlain