The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-15
The Elections.

: 1t is quite apparent from the late cleo
, ton in New Hampshire that the reaction
which was clearly manifested in the Yves
} at recent elections, has made it's appearance.
in New England also. The struggle is
hard ono, and victory is almost nominal
but it is enough to show that the ebb of &
great tide has set in. 1t is not for us tc
decide between the principles of the two
great parties-the Democratic and the Re.
publican; we speak of facts only; we note
events as they come, and the shadows
which they cast before them. In this spirit
we refer to tho victory just achieved in
New Hampshire and mark it as another
indication that the current of popular feel
ing sets against the Republican party.
And there is no reason to doubt that this
is universal. The East answers to the
great West. Local elections everywhere
give similar tokens of popular sentiment
and the newspaper press, that accurate
indicator of the popular pulse, begins to
abound in ominous misgivings of the Re-
publican fortunes. 1t is not probable that
SO powerful an organization as that party
could be signally defeated at once. Its
resources are immense, its prestige is over
whelming, it's discipline perfect, it's paid
partizans compose large army of active
office holders. 1t has still, as it's head, the
General who lead the Federal forces in vic
tory to Richmond and, at it's back, the
remnants of that bitter war spirit which
has 30 long survived the declaration of
peace and kept alive passions that ought to
have passed away with the noise of battle.
Yet powerful as was that party at the
North, completely as it controlled public
sentiment, its power is on the wane at last
Manifestly it has reached the flood tide of
prosperity and its strength now begins to
recede. People can hardly believe this as
yet, but once satisfy them that the old
lion has lost his teeth and they will kick
him without fear or conjunction. Let the
Republican party once lose its reputation
of being invulnerable and its hackers will |
desert by tens of thousands. To a close
observer it is evident that that day is not
far off. The giant has met his master.
To every true Southern man of any party
and any creed, this prospect can not be
otherwise than most consoling. Whatever
may be the abstract excellence of Repub-
lican principles, whatever success that
party may justly claim in the management
OF national affairs, its rule has certainly
been desoating curse to the South. 1t
has, through folly or malignity, insisted on
pacing the powers of government in the
hands of corn field negroes, equally ignor- ,,
ant, stupid and dishonest. 1t is Justly re-
'ponsible for their acts, and it is therefore g.,
he Republican party which has overwhelm-
"a the Southern States with debt, eaten them |
lp with taxes and reduced their people to t
imost universal bankruptcy. i
1t IS unnecessary to know much about d
ohtlcs or to take sides on questions of i
atlonal policy, in order to wish the down
Ill Of such supremacy as that. AS citi-
'ns of section out of which all life has .
cen nearly crushed by oppression, we re- +
ice in the approaching overthrow of the 1
ppressor; as journalists among a people
no have been specially made the victims
merciless party policy, we sincerely
are in the general joy which must follow y
70 fall of the prosecutor as advocate or q
'ponent of the great principles of national a
'licy adopted by either party, we take D
position and have nothing to say. ir