New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-02-20
THE FINGER OI sCORN DEFIEp.

III w SOOhN OhI
II the merchants aud real estate owners
Of New Orleans had adopted five years age
the suggestion Of the merchants who re-
fused to become the partners in McEnery
turbulence this year, we can not estimate
what the difference in the condition Of tie
city would have been. The partis:ns Q:
the fusion pretender, as usual. demanded
money Of the merchants to carry on liz
farce at Odd Fellows Hall, and the pe;i-
atty OF a refusal was 70 be THAT the finger
discern should be pointed at them Inns
has been the standing threat for five years
and the finger OF scOrn has been KEPT coz
yenient 20 all the rum mills and loahh8
,,ac.s IN town to be used in this way
Il was not clean one. nor a STEADY one
bu: it served its purpose, the merchants
paving up whenever it came TO point
When the leaders proposed TO tax them
too heavily. however. and besides inTl.et
them to a breaking Of heads and a cutting
of Threats and 2 burning o. houses and /"
ruination Of trade. they mustered courage
to do what we advised III regard to the Ter
rorisn OF the finger CT scorn. They put
il on one side and asserted their ipde-
pendence by refusing to help McEnery
and his desperate crew il any such enter
prise. They professed to be faithful! :.-
sion;sts, but they declined 70 become
rebels If they had declined 20 be coz
sidered as fusionists :nylonger, seeing the
disposition {. the party, they would have
deserved better :har they have; bu: men
who have been subjected 10 the slavery
that the white people Of this city have
lived under to tie Democracy during the
last five years are not prepared TO .e-
ject their old masters entirely at the first
blush Of emancipation.
The impudence Of the fusion demand
demonstrates the stupidity Of the leaders
and the se!fshness Of the followers. They
asked of one class that they furnish the
money to destroy itself in a common en-
terprise where all ought to be ready 70
give their all. Why should one fusionist,
standing for his rights in Odd Fellows
Hall, demand from another fusionist,
straining to preserve his business from de-
struction, on Canal street, a salary better
than any he could earn in private life:
What use had NcEnery for the money OF
the people that lie demanded thousands OF
dollars to be squandered among lis favor
ties? The game did not win. The mer-
chants, long waiting for an opportunity 20
break from the bonds CT prejudice and the
:hraldom Of selfish and ignorant party.
made the stand tits week tina: they should
have made five years ago. They defed
the insoience Of that faction which levied
black mail upon them regularly in the
name of white mans government while
it was engaged in running negroes for
Office, and is promising al sorts Of black
men all sorts Of promotion hereafter.
The meaning OF this refusal amounts to
this, tina. the finger Of scoln will be point
ed the MERCHANTS IACIu ~ NibZSl
places, bu. j. Will no. be recognized as a
power in the State any longer. The men
who owned and run the finger Will attempt
to see about it and they will make matters
worse, for their appearance is not in their
favor. The breach will widen, and the
men who trembled .. the threat OF tie
finger" finding themselves unhur: By
resisting i: once, will come TO regard il IS
a nuisance. We shall then have al indie
penden. city. We may talk about the
West India trade and The SpanishAmsr!-
can trade. because We will be able 20 bid
for it without saying 20 the coiored ile--
chants. who control q large portion Of i.
you must stay away The el.ancina-
ton of the business men Of New Orleans
from the domination Of the Democratic
faction has been established, CT L IS he
gun, so ;ha. it viii DE established. And
we may. therefore. mari. the present week
with a white stone IN TIE calendar.