New Orleans Republican., 1873-06-18
THg FINAL SURRENDER.


the old and prominent citizens, and the
names OF the si9ners thereto, we can no'
ha:, tina. band of converts to the most
radical principles OF the Republican party
70. can Congratulate our State and people
O.. the happy event. without feelings OF
pa.donable seIf-gra.ulation. Tha: these
en:oe.tlv respectable personages have
been driven to adopt this course, so con-
,ra-v to all their pas: actions and pr!ncl'
PIES. slowly and reluctantly. after having
tough, backward step by step I'll! tie adj
| vancing hosts Of progress had gained the
very hear. Of their citadel. seized
their banner, emb.azoned with the legend
This is white mans government,
| dashed it to the ground and torn it to rib
bons. that they should have waited, We
| repeat. until ali hope Of some turn OF
luck. some providential interposition IN
their favor. was utterly destroyed before
Yielding to the irresistible, only serves as
another instance of the immense power OF
| prejudice and Leightens the triumph af-
forded by their tardy acquiescence. And
Low complete that triumph is. how en-
phatic that acquiescence! They dedicate
themselves to the uniicat;on Of our people,
and by 'our people they mean ''all men
Of whatever race. color or religion who
are citizens of Louisiana" This admis-
sion alone. coming from those who have
heretofore arrogated to themselves and
those who upheld them in their sectional
prejudices the exclusive right to be re-
aarded as the ''people" Of the State. is an
advance SO great tina: all the subsequent
ones even the admission Of the negro to
the privileges Of drinking at the same bar.
acting as director in the same corpora
tons. and sending their children TO the
same schools. follow as logical sequences.
That this radical change is as sincere as
it is radical there can be no doubt; that
when practically carried out it will result
in the redemption Of Louisiana. is
equally certain. AL our recent troubles
have arisen from the struggles OF the par.
ty and classes opposed to the principles OF
RepubIicanism, to practically nuliify the
laws investing the colored people with
civi! and political rights, and the counter
struggles Of the colored people and their
friends-that is the Republican party--to
enforce those laws. This ''unification of
our people," however. desirable as it is.
and likely as it is to be brought about by
efforts like this. can not take place sudden
ly. If it could, the mission of the Repub-
lican party might be regarded as accom-
p,;shed for this, the unifcation of the
people by means of equal laws, brother
hood and fair dealing toward all citizens.
irrespective of color. race or religion, has
been its special mission. One swallow does
not make summer: and until these clear
minded and candid leaders, who from their
height Of mental cultivation and patriot
ism have seen what is best for our people,
shall have brought these people to the
point of following them, there is much
work to do. which the Republican party
and it alone can accomplish. At present
j: is fair to presume that the rank and file
Of what was the Democratic party are not
prepared to follow these self-appointed
leaders. It is almost certain that the
negroes, as class, are not prepared to
tsus. them. They will demand. and not
urreas onably. practical evidences Of their
sincerity. They can not forget. these ne
groes. their long years of slavery. the re-
luctance witL which their emancipation
was recognized, the stubborness with
which every right implied in that emanci-
patton was struggled against. They can
not forget that 70: simply being suspected
0. an intention to confer upon them
privileges far inferior to those now so
glibly promised, men. their friends were
threatened, cursed, insulted, murdered.
They can no. forget the thirtieth OF July,
1866. Nor can they forget that these deeds
were melted and justified by the very
class-we vii! not say by some OF the very
men---who are how willing to acknowledge
them as feliow-citizens.
We do not allude to these things to pre-
judicc the mind of the colored man against
his new frieais. They are thoughts
which rise spontaneously upon contemplat-
ing the stupendou, political change which
these few years have produced; reflections
which suggest the need of caution in
adapting ones SELF to such changes lie:
the colored people welcome. Is we do, this
noble ban! Of recruits to the army of pro.
gress. testing we'll their sincerity, how.
ever. before placing them in positions Of
power and responsibility. and ever renem-
bering the means by which it was made
possible to establish the principles whose
justice now receives such distinguished
recognition.