The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-29
CONGRESS AND THE SOUTH.
(St Iouis Republican, Goth inst.


Some of the Republican papers that have
not arrived at full realization OF the down.
fall Of their party, are calling on Congress
take hold of this dangerous Southern question,
and extract the sting. They declare that the
condition of the South is alarming they even
admit that Republicans have made 1t so they
acknowledge that it will be terrible mistake
to leave things down there in their present
condition, with no alternative but robbery or
revolution and they therefore appeal 10 a
Congress that has less than two months to SIT
to take the matter in hand and devise some
measures to arrest the threatened trouble.
We fear that these appeals come too late.
II is like asking dying man to go to work
and undo the mischief OF a lifetime. What
We see in the South to-day is what the Repub-
lican party has labored for nine years with
unwearying diligence, and with fair and foul
means. to bring about; and is it reasonable to
expect it to change it all in sixty days! II the
Republican journals had done their duty at an
earlier day-if they had denounced recon-
struction five years ago, or even three years
ago, as they denounce it now; it they had dis
owned the carpet-bag governments, instead OF
applauding and commencing them-we would
not be confronted with this peril that IS SO
ranidly assuming shape in the South.
The Republican party once had power to
settle the Southern question; but we fear that
it has passed out of its hands The very be-
ginning of settlement would have to be a
confession by Congress that its Southern
policy was and is wrong and ought to be I'M
done: and this confession is more than we
have reason to expect. 1t is probable the
President and Congress will attempt to give
us q new chapter OF the disastrous policy,
instead of changing it. President Grant de-
clares that he will uphold the Kellogg Gov
eminent till instructed by Congress to
abandon it-and there is no reason whatever
to believe that. Congress will instruct him to
do anything of the kind.
We hear Of preparations for more vigorous
measures at New Orleans-the recall OF Gen.
Emory and the sending Of sterner comlnan-
der to take his place. This indicates that the
Administration is getting ready to suppress q
revolution instead of attempting to avert it,
and that there is no reason to hope for q
change of its reprehensible policy. Its policy
is one that calls for shot and shell, aud these
agencies it is preparing to use. The lawless
and void order OF corrupt and Improbable
Judge must be enforced ii it requires all the
force of the United States army and navy to
do it.
If the afflicted whites of the South could
resolve to bear with their expressions little
while longer-if they could bow t'eir necks,
in mute patience, and accept thu aggravations
of their condition which their enemies are pre-
pairing to impose, the ELOQUENT spectacle of
their fortitude would bring its reward at last
We would wish that they might decide on this
course; lit would secure the peace OF the country
and extort the admiration and gratitude Of
their countryc,ea. l. is cer:ain that this
stubborn partisan administration will do
nothing for them until forced to by the
terrible power of an angry public opinion
but that opinion is now being formed aid
compacted. Il grows with every fraud per-
petrated by the Louisiana Returning Board,
and with every exposure of the carpet-bag
felonies. Sooner or later it will confront the
President as the responsible author Of crimes
whit h he permits his partisan appointees to
commit, and express its demands in way
that he will not dare to disregard: and when
that time shall come, the plundered whites
of the South will find in it their full deliy-
erance.