The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-12
THE REPUBLICANS LAST DITCH.

l Lie OIBdu VI Tue pluu0eIeIS VI AOuASAdus
has an article this morning, which winds NJ
with the following stupendous paragraph:
But the question may be asked, ''Ought mol
State be strong enough to enforce its own
laws ?" Undoubtedly; yet it may happen that
| State may not be strong enough to enforce
| Federal law enacted to restrain a FESTIVE
people. This is the duty that requires the
presence here Of United States troops. 1t
| may yet result in having Louisiana and seve-
raj other Southern States RENTED to the con-
dition Of Territories, or martial law, and gov
erned by Federal officers. We notice that
several Republican Senators have expressed
doubts as to the sufficiency Of several Of the
Governments of the Southern States. If this
opinion should gain much ground in Congress,
the abolition of half dozen badly recon-
structed States may yet give the Republicans a
majority in the next House.
As the Republican claims to be representa-
tive journal, we take it for granted that the
above is an authoritative statement of
the position to be assumed by its party
friends in Washington. 1t is "the last
ditch"-the desperate remedy suggested to
defeat the will of the people of the United
States, SO emphatically expressed in Novem-
Der. And, indeed, why should the game
which has proved SO eminently successful
here, thanks to Federal bayonets, not be tried
on grander scale, and as dernter resort ?
Drowning men catch at straws, and the pros
pect OF Democratic ascendancy in the next
Congress is something too hard for Radical
human nature to bear. The paramount duty
of Radical politician is to procure an Office,
and under no circumstances to "step down
and out, - until he is literally kicked out of it.
This is what we have seen here for the last
decade, and this is the programme mapped
out by the Louisiana conspirators for their
abettors and accomplices in Washington.
To be sure, this notable expedient looks
well on paper, but like many similar we'll laid
plots, it is likely to encounter serious obsta-
cles, should the attempt be made to give it
practical form. When the Persian despot's
feet was scattered by storm, he ordered the
Egean Sea to be scourged with whips-but
this burst Of indignant valor did not prevent
his mighty host from being driven ignomini-
ously from Greece. The Pope's Bull against
IAAC SOHASt AtAAOA " SuopCAu ClitG StuIIy WILL
lerer's cratic course, and even the victorious
armies Of the French Republic absolutely re-
fused to disband when ordered to do so by the |
Generalissimo Of the allied Sovereigns in 1893
We are under the impression that the sug-
,estion of the Republican will not create that |
legree of enthusiasm among its crestfallen |
Washington friends which it was evidently |
Intended to kindle in their patriotic bosoms.
Like Kellogg and his gang, that noble band
# placemen and Credit Mobilier thieves feel |
'ery ''shaky" just now, and the crown of
is about the last thing they are
ighing for. There is no telling what Grant
S not equal to, however, in the pursuit of
hat ig,ais tatuus the third term, and
he will only dismiss his present Cabi-
let-with the shining exception of Laun-
laulet Williams-put the Republican man
q the State Department, appoint his friend
De Rudio Secretary Of War, and send
or Kellogss Metropolitan Brigade and
Iajor General Barbers sable militia, we
on't see why history should not repeat
tself, and Cromwell's summary mode of dis
losing Of refractory Parliament become an
american precedent. 1t would, perhaps, be
ndelicate for us to press our advice upon
he leaders Of the Republican party, but it
aust be evident to those far-seeing statesmen
hat3they are irretrievably lost unless some
hing very ''biS' snd startling is done IN
!N7ater
To that extent we think the Republicans
lea good one, and we hope Grant will fight
out in that last ditch even if it costs
i'm his official head ''Dem the expense !! as
[r. Mantalini used to say. What is good
'uce for Louisiana ought to be equally palat-
Die for the country at large.
But then, this is ga FESTIVE people, as the
epubltcan hath it. But Grant is good
dge Of horses, and knows how to deal
18th refractory animals. s.Let us have
eacei"