The weekly Louisianian., 1874-09-05
PLAIN TALK.

The crueltics and folly Of the
White League have occasioned a
revulsion of sentiment in the ma
tional mind as to the situation here
which it would be wise for all our
people to consider. Reconstruc-
ton, though accomplishing a great
good, resulting in benefits probably
as incalculable and far reaching as
it is possible for human foresight to
determine has yet in the very nature
Of things, had mixed with it such
base alloy Of selfshness that for a
while the contemplation Of the bad
caused q disregard to the positive
good derived; and therefore, a
sentiment abroad Of sympathy with
the very class who are mainly re-
sponsible for the evils which ;ac-
crued.
We write responsible, for nobody
will deny the power that social forces,
tho possession Of lands and wealth
contribute in shaping political
thought in Republican governments
like ours. The leniency Of the
government gave to those who had
sought to destroy it, through rebel
lion and crime the same social status
they had before enjoyed; which was
we'll known to have controlled the
sentiment Of tho country for over
a half century before the war. If
therefore, evils occurred in the pro-
cess Of reconstruction the ex-slaye-
holder, both through participation
and notably in this State the
oldest and best engaged and were
leaders in all the plundering
schemes--and design is blamable.
Present diatribes and denials to the
contrary. :.
But it is needless for us now to
dilate upon these causes. Sufficient
to state that in the existence Of such
a public feeling in the North grave
dangers threatened, affecting the lives
and liberties of loyal citizens here,
in no wise responsible for what
ever OF wrong may have been per-
petrated under the system Of
struction, which gave just reasons
for alarm at the direful consequcn-
ces sure to ensue from the. encour-
agement acquired by the revolution
aryand disafected classes among us.
MiEtakng both tho tenn per and tic spirit
of the Northern public in this mat
ter, and regarding the entire subject
as ono simply political in character
to be safely used for the miserable
purpose Of partisan warfare, our
malconte1itg, known as Southern
Democrats, decided on speedily
pushing their designs. And as
they had never accepted, nor could
be made to consider, the great
change in the condition Of a large
class formerly bondmen but now
freemen and citizens: they sought
ut once violent remedies for their
plans. Hence the White League
and its organizations. A political
order constituting the lawless and
turbulent clements in the commu-
nifty, based on race hatred and dis
loyalty TO the national government,
and seeking its objects of supremacy
and disorder by violence and crime.
How we'll they have accomplished
this malignant purpose tho record
of the past three months Of sitter
law1essness, Of murder and outrage
in tho interior parishes of Louisiana,
as in our sister and neighboring
Southern States, will attest.
Reckless of consequences, turn
ing a deaf car even to those who
from political association in the
North might be presumed to offer
advice calculated to subserye any
honest purpose Of their colleagues,
these White League adherents in
Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Texas, and Louisiana. pursued their
desperate course, untilnowt the coun-
try appalled, at the fiendish conduct
and desperately wicked objects of
the Leagues las become aroused;
p~erceiving as it has never done be-
fovo e;roa %ba NOR Tho &r,,a: oon.