The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-10-21
THE BATTLE-GROUND.

The evidences accumulate hourly that tn
great battle for States rights is to fought upoi
Louisiana soil, and that the conspirator
against the sovereignty of the States are deter
mined to test their strength now and here by
such acts of gross outrage, and by such al
overwhelming display of power as they believe
will not only strike terror to the hearts OF the
people of the South but efectually prevent
the Northern and Western States from imper.
tinent interference or from entertaining any
ridiculous ideas about the rights Of the people
of the various States as opposed to the will Of
the Central Government
The Enforcement Acts are to be carried out
vigorously wherever they can be made to ap-
ply, and the servile and wretched tools of the
bold, bad man who controls Grant and his
Cabinet are ready to stretch them SO as to
embrace cases which they we're never intend
ed to touch. The daring designs Of the con-
spirators, Williams, Morton, Packard, Beck
with and host of others of that ilk, are
clearly divulged by the movements Of United
States troops in this State, by the indiscrimi-
nate arrest Of citizens throughout the parishes
and by the fierce threats made by such of
those in the secrets of the ring whose tongues
are united by liquor.
We appreciate the situation fully, and we
believe it means ,car. War against the people
of Louisiana by the Government; war against
freedom OF thought and speech war against
the few remaining rights left to the States
war against the most cherished traditions OF
the past ; war against the Republic itself.
Louisiana is a small State as to population,
md while her people cannot be frightened,
while they cannot be bullied into doing that
which they believe to be wrong, they may be
crushed utterly by the strong arm of the
Federal power, and it is seemingly the pur-
pose Of the Government, or at least of the
,onspirators who control the Government, SO
% crush them
If we were as strong as Spain, as strong even
8 Cuba alone, the Government would not dare |
o send its army here to arrest our citizens for
fenses against the State, and ride roughshod |
ver the rights and liberties of the people.
We are weak, and must submit to oppression,
INSULT, and humiiations, until the God of
ations shall raise up friends to release us
rom this worse than bondage. We desire
ow, however, to enter our solemn protest
gainst all this proceeding, and to declare that
, in its insolence of power, the Govern
lent shall consummate the infamous designs
the men who control the President,
popular revolution will be inaugurated
hich will surely sweep from power the cor
lpt and ambitious demagogues who tempo
'rily sway the destinies Of the nation, and
i'll not unlikely change the very nature of
lie Government ITSELF
We are not strong enough to effect this
one, neither will the change be accomplished
7 arms The wrongs Of Louisiana will appeal
resistibly to the thinking men OF the whole
untry, and the revolution in popular senti-
ent will be SO terrible that it will brush
7ay the rotten fabric of the dominant party l
suddenly as strong northerly gale brushes
ray the mists and fogs that accumulate over
r Louisiana lowlands.
The immediate cause Of the movements here
Of course to influence the election, ind the
pc entertained by Williams and company is
at the people will attack the United States
oops; but in this they will be disappointed Q
II citizens cannot be goaded into any such =
ly, however great the provocation may be- q
t they nevertheless loathe and spit upon the -
e instruments of Federal tyranny, the de-
cable wretches who do the bidding of their
ster in Washington ~ Bech,ciM and Il
ckdrd.