New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-29

D"'' ~ iar aS tnelr reform platform I'M
pines transfer of the fruits Of the past
Republican successes, from those who
have borne the heat and burden of the
day to the eleventh hour applicants, it is
not likely to be accepted by the Re-
publican party. We have voters enough
for all practical purposes, but have no OBJ
lection to more. A nearer approach to
unanimity in the State elections would be
all the better. But it will be difficult
matter to reconcile the average Republican
mind to the proposition that the first Re-
publican vote cast by a new convert should
be given for himself. Such rule would
make politics an easy trade for the re-
formers, but it would not be satisfactory
to those who have risked no little Of for
tune and reputation to build up the Re-
publican party as it exists to-day-well Or
ganized and powerful, and more than a
match for all its enemies, whether they
come sirgly or in battalions, as Democrats,
reformers, Customhouse factionists or
what not.
Gentlemen can not expect to commit
the error Of opposing great party until
they are hopelessly defeated and then Sc
cure a compromise which includes sur
render of all the offices to them. This
would be to divert the benefits Of victory
from the conquerors to the vanquished.
But while we are not much in want Of
leaders or Office holders in the Repub-
ican party, the ranks are open for voters.
The reformers may come in and take
part, and they will be permitted a choice
between candidates for nomination in our
party. That is quite as much as they can
expect in the coming campaign. Four
years faithful service will naturally give
them better standing and entitle them
to further consideration. They will come
to us, if at all, with loud professions of
honesty, wealth, intelligence and re-
speciality. But We know most of
them too well to take them at their
own estimate We know them to be
but poor, weak mortals, afflicted with
the usual vices of man, such as selfishness,
a greedy disposition and longing to get
up in the scale without too much hard
work. Some Of these gentlemen wish to
set up as capitalists without money, but
with an unbounded credit founded upon
their own good report of themselves. This
necessarily leaves the colored
man to pursue the humber. harder and
less lucrative vocation of laborer, field
hand and servant, with very vague and
indefinite promise that he shall be taken
care of when he is old and feeble.
But how will it be in case the Republi-
can party refuses to surrender to the Re-
form party? Suppose we decide upon
housekeeping for another term Of four
years? Suppose the colored people con-
tinue in their present policy of getting
homes for themselves and working for
their own account? For some reason,
unknown to these wordy re-
formers, there has been change in the
relative positions of the two races. The
colored people think, whether correctly or
not, that they are capable of doing their
own voting, and also that they can work
out the labor problem in their own way.
And as they see marked improvement
every day in themselves and each other,
they are not likely to hearken to the voices
of those who have no sympathy with them;
who are really strangers to them, and who
regard them in the light of political chat
tells. Therefore, We commend the reform
ers to read over the card of Messrs. Dunn
and others, and satisfy themselves that
if there is to be any going over at all, it
will be their own surrender to Republican,
ism.