New Orleans Republican., 1873-04-10
OUR SIXTH ANNIVERSARY.


This day six years ago the New Orleans
RyprR1IcAs first saw the light; unwel-
coined by its contemporaries, nay worse.
greeted with scorn and hostility. unno-
ticed by large and influential class
among our citizens, but charged with
message which many a humble heart
ached to hear, inspired with prophecy
which many patriotic one longed 10 see
fulfilled. At that time there was no '"iiS
Republican paper published in THIS Guy
or State The press was coh'foile' 0
tireIv in the interest of those opposed 10
the principles which had trlpmpheo 'n
tba war. opposed to the government, op-
posed to the extension OF the franchise 10
the colored people. opposed. IL Short
to progressive and republican meas
ures of every description; and hos
tile, bitterly hostile. to every person
who favored such measures. The
administration of the national government
Was in the hands of Andrew Johnson,
who was inspired by the spirit of reaction.
The State government had been suffered
to fall into the keeping Of man who
used all its power to defeat Republican
measures and to disappoint their sup
porters. 1t was time when to proclaim
oneself Republican was to invite oppro-
blum, and to establish Republican
newspaper seemed the height Of temerity
Who would subscribe for it, who would
buy it, who would even read it? 'Its
patrons" it was sneeringly said, ''are
more familiar with other implements than
the pen r The very newsboys were afraid
to lose caste by crying it out; and when
they took it at all, concealed it under the
other papers, and waited till it was asked
for. Such cititizens, not Republicans.
as had q curiosity to See it. and
were brave by nature. sent for it at
night and read it secretly, as girl
reads Don Juan The other dailies, proud
in their established standing and il the
favor they enjoyed. twitted the new conner
with its insignifcance and prophesied for
it short life and sad one. Now. OF
those naughty sheets not one survives. at
least not in the same hands and on the
same basis as at that time. One has ceased
to speak in the language of the country
and airs its antiquated notions in foreign
tongue; two have passed into other man.
agement and are no longer the same: two
have died outright We, however, still
live, and live to see the principles we
were the first to advocate practically es-
tablished as the law of the land; to see
the paper whose small beginnings were so
discouraging at the head Of the Repub-
lican press of the South; to see it openly
read in public places, and habitually in
the hands of "our most respectable citl-
zens," sometimes even before they unfold
the prehensible Picay,,ne. the belliger-
ent Bee or the thermoscopic Times. This
willingness on the part OF ''our oldest and
best to glance at the other side Of the
question speaks well for their awakening
good sense, and for the welfare Of the
community which looks to them for an
example. Political intolerance, politely
called conservatism. has always been the
ruling passion Of this community. and
therefore the least opening OF TIE door.
however unweicomely. to the admission
of ideas and theories opposed to the old
doctrines, should be hailed as an advance
toward that spirit Of tolerance apon which
all progress is founded.
Upon looking back. then. to the state
Of feeling which existed il this State and
city six years ago. and comparing it with
that which now exists, upon calling TO
mind the many accessions to the ranks OF
the Republican party from nearly every
class in the community. we are glad to
record decided decline in the power of
prejudice and encouraged to look for still
greater victories in the cause Of justice.
liberty and true republicanism.