New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-07-12
w11I. THEY HOLD FAST TO THE PATH :


We are most favorably disposed TOWARD
the new unifcation society. Werecognizt
among the thousand or more signers tt
the admirable platform recommended.bJ
the committee for adoption at mass
meeting to be held on the fifteenth thf
names of men of undoubted wealth, intel
ligence and worth. We give them due
credit for sincerity in their conversion tt
a faith that is new to them, to principles
many of them have for years combateo
with more or less violence and bitterness
To as many of these as have enlisted II
this new movement solely and purely from
love of justice and truth, we offer thu
hand of fellowship and welcome them into
the Republican ranks. For no man can pos
sibly stand squarely and fully upon thf
published platform without being a thor
ough-going Republican. a radical OF tht
most ultra kind. We have never read
genuine Republican platform that ven
further in professions of good will to the
colored people than this manifesto OF ou'
new converts. We can only hope they dc
not s'protest too much" Those who have
Joined the unifcation society az prelude
to their own political preferment will be
sure to show their hands at subsequent
period, when it will be in order to remind
them of the position they occupy. Al
this time we have no feeling but one o.
thankfulness that such a, large and in1u'
entail number of men have indicated by
their signatures the correctness of the
views for which we have contended for the
past six years.
Some exception might be taken to the
manner of expression adopted by the
committee. In nearly every resolution we
see the formula employed, 1--WE shall re-
commend" As more appropriate, they
should have used the words 1--WE shall
cease our opposition to-, etc.. thereby adj
hitting frankly their own responsibility.
or a good share of it at least, for the
abuses they are now SO anxious to reform
for the sublime principles SO freely recon-
mended are by no means new utterances.
They have been actually adopted by a
majority of the people Of this State; they
they are incorporated in our consti'
tuition, and may be found in every VOL
ume of acts of the General Assembly
since 1868. The patriarch Of old used
the proper form Of expression: Il know
not what others may do, but as for me and
my house, we will serve the Lord" He
did not recommend in so many words
that his neighbors, who were idolators,
should destroy their images and worship
the true God, but boldly proclaimed his
determination to do right, let others do
as they may. He gave them his example.
not his advice. We are willing, however,
at this time to suppose that the signers to
the platform of the uniication society in
tended to pledge themselves to the prin-
ciples which they recommend to others,
whether anybody else shall accept them or
not. We can not believe that the sjgners
intended that the disregard of their recon-
mendations by any considerable number
of their late political associates would be
made a pretext for "backing out" For
instance, suppose the objects sought to
be secured by the following proposition
should fail, what then?
Fifth-That we pledge our honor and
good faith to exercise our moral influence.
both through personal advice and personal
example, to bring about the rapid removal
of all preiudices heretofore existing against
the colored citizens of Louisiana, in order
that they may hereafter enjoy all the
rights belonging to citizens OF the United
States.
Suppose the "moral influence" thus
pledged upon honor, should not prove
sufficiently persuasive to secure recruits
enough to popularize the movement, is it
to permit retrograde move
ment? Having put their hands to the
pillow, is it expected there will be any look
ing back under any circumstances? As
the case is presented to tie public by the
manifesto in the papers, thousand or
,wo political neophytes discover sublime
principles already established by law and
by majority of the people of
he State and nation. They suddenly
conceive an ardent affection for
hem, and earnestly recommend their
riends to embrace them, leaving
he inference that these new views which
hey set forth in detail, are faultless in all
aspects except net being quite popular.
The Republican party is composed of
arrest men, and naturally desire SINGER
ty in their associates. That the gentle
zen at present engaged in the uniication
recess are earnest and sincere, so far as
hey desire success, we have no doubt.
tut, from the peculiar language employed,
re are constrained to ask will they adj
ere to their new-found principles regard
,ss of what other people may say OR
aink about them? Is each man whose |
anne is appended to the call prepared to
eclare that he and his house will hence
nth support the good cause through
ood as well e5 through evil report? We
ope SO.
UNIFICATION ASSOCIATION.