New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-03

N3W O6lA6ANS
repeat it correctly. Spain goes through
the same preparatory course, and the free
State of Cuba viii one day ind itself in
line with the regenerated rulers Of repub-
ican Spain.
Perhaps the most remarkable departure
of the United States from the usages Of
nations has been in the treatment of the
conquered States. We do not care to 60
back to those days when cities were RACED
and populations driven like herds to wear
the collar of the conqueror. But we take
the example of civilized nations. Eng
land for the rebellion of Monmouth pun
ished the defeated by execution, imprison-
ment, by selling them to contractors; nay,
even by giving them to court favorites, to
be sold as servants on the plantations! 1t
was in like manner that for the offense Of
claiming separate nationality the Scotch
were, in two successive wars of secession,
punished in precisely the same manner.
1t was, we believe, Temple Bar
that was garnished with the heads of
what England called TRAITORS" and
many-many-of the best men in America
are the descendants of ancestors ''trans-
ported" like felons for this crime Of at
tempting to be free. It is no small COM
pensation to reflect that these descendants
did main part in throwing off here the
government which had expelled their an
cestors in so cruel manner. We have
said nothing about confiscation of prop
erty, and especially of the wholesale
seizure and sale of all the lands in Ireland
belonging to the disafected, and to gen.
eral sense of injustice which has made
Ireland the shackled and sullen slave of
England. We mean no historical review
of the relations between the conqueror
and the conquered, as inforced by Julian
over the Assyrians, or by the Mahomedan
over the Persian; we merely glance at the
cruelties of Alva, and remind Americans
that there was a decree of confscation
and decapitation against George Washing
ton for daring to lift up the flag of free
dom which now waves above us.
Our attention has been repeatedly called
to the hostility to Republican govern
ment, as manifested in certain discon-
tented quarters and by certain organs of
this continent. We note the Picayuae as
active in sowing among the
people of the South this hatred of their
own government and love of those others
from which our ancestors have in great
part escaped. In an article headed ''The
Shame Of the Republic, F" the Picayune
says:
The wrongs and sufterings of Poland and
Hungary, Of Cuba, and even of Greece
when vassal of Turkey, did not equal
those of the people of this State under the
rule which has been imposed on them by
the Radical party Of this nation.
This Radical" party is paraphrase
for the governing majority of the Ameri-
can people. 1t is added:
1t is sickening indeed to contrast the
course of our national government toward
this State with that of Germany toward the
newly conquered and restored provinces OF
the Rhine.
We have only to mention the general
the repeal Of con6scation, and
the removal of personal disabilities
from nearly all who have asked it, with
the restored right of each State to govern
itself according to its own choice of rep
This short and unexampled
which preceded the alleged
iberality of the German emperor, is full
reply to all imputations upon the conduct
of the American people. But the effect,
if not the object of teaching ''the shame
of the republic" is to nurture hatred
for free, and a comparative affection for
and monarchical governments.
1t is indeed to be apprehended that there
will be counter current of emigration
of those who prefer foreign
governments to our own. The constitu-
ton of the United States secures them
this right Of expatriation, and we appre-
bend it might be exercised without any
other objection than the extradition laws
would enforce.
But this "shame of the republic is an
against representative govern
ment. Does any one dispute that the
American government has been chosen
by the American people? And if these
acts of injustice have been committed, is
it not the act of the American people?
1.-THE shame of the republic" is, then, the
disgrace of the whole American people.
If the people are capable of committing
such crime and shame as are alleged,
then it must follow that the people are
incapable of Just government, and the
sooner will the Picayalne realize its theory
of remuneration of Louisiana to France,
or of becoming again colonial appendage
of Great Britain. For in further and
even more insidious demonstration of
s'the shame of the republic, we have this
open expression of preference for foreign
domination.
Had Louisiana, after fierce and bitter
resistance, yielded at last to the superior
power Of o great nation like England,
France, Germany or Russia, the condition
of the people could not possibly be as bad
as it is now, since the full weight of sub
lection by the great Republic has fallen
upon her.
That is. The little finger of the "great
republic" is heavier than the sceptre, the
church. the army and the nobility Of