New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-18
The White League.

We have received several communica-
tions from New Orleans in reference to the
objects of the White League; the injustice
of charging it with being body of i'll
Judging men; and the probability tn at it will
be successful in reforming the affairs of
Louisiana. One correspondent informs us
that the writers WHO drew up the Leaguers'
address or platform are gentlemen filling in
New Orleans the position Of Mr.. O'Conor
and Mr.. Evarts in this city; and that with
these are associated business men who
represent the enterprise, wealth, and in
tegrity of the community, professional men
of the highest character-in short. the best
citizens, and all Of them. He defends the
platform as not being the work of inpatient
and headlOng men, apparently ready for
another 1866 riot, and by implication pro-
nounces the document judicious. We are still
of contrary opinion as regards some OF its
language, having been recently confirmed in
our own view by the comments of the
Southern press upon the Southern elec-
tions. The civil rights bill is their chief
topic, and that this is so suggests some re-
fectlons which we believe our friends of
the White League will do well to keep still
in mind. AS generally looked at from the
exclusively Southern side, and again as
sively Northern side, civil rights legisla.
ton seems a simple enough affair; the
Southerner declares it willfully imposed
sign of subjugation and determined at
tempt to make the negro his equal, and de-
grade him in the eyes of his former scr
wants. The Northerner denies this, thinks
the Southerner unreasonable, and asserts
that civil rights bills are legitimate results
of the war, which it is only duty to se-
cure. He can not sympathize with the
SOutherner in his social difficulty, nor can
fho Sonfhopuor holiavo q in hin
humanitarianism.
1t has been because of the difficulty of
recognizing these two views of the facts
that so many thousands of good men at the
North have reluctantly, but without real
hesitation ranged themselves at all neces-
sary junctures behind the Mortons and
Chambers. The Southern people would
not reassure them; and there was never
even 80 much as a watering place congeries
will to try. The Leaguers may have better
information than we of a decay in the
North of a feeling that, as regards the ne
gro, the South will bear to be watched.
Some decay there has been; how much no
body knows; but how much there was of the
feeling to be removed the Leaguers can part
ly guess by rejecting on the equanimity with
which the North has now for years regard
ed the condition of Louisiana herself and
South Carolina. Do the White Leaguers
think this apathy had no meaning and no
deep root! We nope better days are in
store for them and are coming soon; but we
still suggest that if only out of abundant
and superabundant caution, and to leave
the foe no chance, Southern political lead
ers should stop such utterances as this. 1t
is from the Leaguer's platform
"But it is worse than idle to reason with
those people [the Louisiana colored voters]
They have become maddened by the hatred
and conceit of race, and it has become our
duty to save them and to save ourselves
from the fatal probabilities of their stupid
extravaganza and reckless vanity"
How! As reasoning is given up, and the
blacks are in majority, what must this
threat mean!-Ihe Nation.