New Orleans Republican., 1873-08-24


- 5-,,l. ~ LOSSES BIZ THE WAR. -
Now-a-days politicians have their tao
tics as well as men Injured to the scienc'
of war-and the cunning of the opposi
ton is wonderfully exercised to shift tn
cause and responsibility of the war TO
slavery, together with the losses tn
country has sustained by rebellion, from
Democratic to Republican shoulders
Now all that is said to the contrary not
withstanding, we hold that the Demo
cratic politicians and party are responsible
for the war and the peculiar condition o
the South when the war broke out; tn,
losses sustained by the war up to its close
and the losses that have since been sus
tanned by the determined opposition O
Southern Democrats to the work of 're
construction" resulting in much damage
to the agricultural, mechanical aud othel
material interests Of the South. And VI
hold further that Whatever really is LOST
to the South is also q loss to the whole
country. s. +.
The peculiar condition Of the South be-
fore the war was slavery and its results, and
under the patronage Of the Democratic
party that institution had undoubtedly
grown to be power in the land. We
will, therefore, give the opposition the
credit for whatever good slavery may
have conferred upon the South and ma
ton at large in the way Of agricultural
products; holding it responsible, at the
same time for the evils the institution in
flicted on the South, and through it on the
whole country. Among these evils are to
be enumerated the comparatively slow
progress the Southern States made in OBJ
tanning the most essential ingredients Of
great and flourishing States population,
backed up by wealth and intelligence. It
is true the South is accredited with
an increase in the value of Southern
farms from 1850 to 1860 of one thousand
millions of dollars. But this increase in
the value Of improved lands for agricul-
tural purposes in the slave States was
chiefly owing to the slave labor and was
dependent on that peculiar condition Of
society wherein the slaves were made to
occupy the place Of freemen. Without
this peculiar condition Of Southern So
ciety it is highly probable, from the show.
ing made by the free States Of the Union,
that . much greater and fat more stable
incyease in the value Of Southern
farm lands might have been at
attained during the torty-eight years
Of Democratic rule il is claimed this
country has had, than ever before shown.
With free labor the geniel climate and pro.
ductive soil of the Southern States, would
have early secured population that
would have long since placed them among
the most fourishing and powerful States
of the American Union. Free labor would
have given permanent: value 20
the lands Of the South and de.
veloped civilization worthy Of the
great American republic. But it
is not ous intention to speculate about
what might have been the condition Of the
Southern States had they early enjoyed
the advantages Of free labor. Our pur-
pose is TO show that slavery, though
claimed by its advocates to have been Of
great value. has been ths. chief curse Of
the South and the country at large. The
fostering care Of the Democratic party
encouraged its growth-thereby excluding
free men from Southern soil. And when
slavery, through slave wealth, had
become political power in the land; had
become not only strong but aggressive
when freedom and free States stood in its
way; it did not hesitate under a Demo-
cratic administration and Interpretation
of the constitution to denounce the Union
and defy the government, when placed in
the hands Ct MI. Lincoln and men who
were true TO the Union and free gov.
ernmert. II slavery. as we verify be.
ieye, had up to this time been q
curse to the South, it now be-
came q greater evil than ever, and is
responsible not only for loss Of popula-
ton to the Southern States, but for all
the losses that have fallen upon them and
the country by the war inaugurated in
defense Of slavery and its progressive no.
tons.
This war Of slave owners and Dem.
ocratic politicians, against the federal
government and the great majority Of the
people Of the United States-snd not
carpet-bag .ule-is what has caused the
great decrease in the value Of lands
in the Southern States. Slave labor
created the increase in the value Of these
lands, and when slave owners deeming
themselves strong enough 10 dictate terms
to the majority Of freemen who were enti-
lied to rule. made war upon the Union, il
proved, contrary to their apticipations,
most destructive TO slavery and slave in.
terest. The war soon brought about the
abolishment Of slavery. and with the fall
Of slavery necessarily followed the de.
crease in the value that slave labor had
given 70 Southern lands. These losses
alone amount to billions Of dollars, but
they comprise nothing like the bulk Of
the loss sustained by the country in its ef-
forts to put down the Shareholders rebel.
lion. And the rebel spirit has been
active in the country since the surrende,
of tie Confederate armies. It's displays