New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-06

lana could, single-handed, successfully fight
the United States, and no one expected that
other States would at once pr0ffer assist
ance, If they would ever do so. But the
revolution had been begun and had been
partially executed. The true government
had been installed Was it right or brave
in that government to succumb before q
paper pellet, and within the days Of grace
The bravest army may surrender on the
field Of battle in the actual presence of
an overwhelming force, when every chance
OF escape is cut off. without striking
blow and retain it's honor. An army may
surrender . fortress which is besieged on
every side without firing q shot, and still
march out feeling that they have the cour-
age Of soldiers. If the Penn government
had continued to exercise it's authority
the war vessels threatened the whole city
front and every street was invested with
troops, and all that was needed was the
command to fire to destroy New Orleans
and annihilate the peoples government, .
surrender would have been honorable and
would have commanded the respect of the
world. 1t would have been inevitable in
the actual presence of such force But to
surrender at the first cry of ''Disperse, ye
rebels, disperse!'--tO retro without com.
pulslon-to voluntarily abdicate and give
place to the usurper. was . email ending Of
glorious beginning.
OfcOurse. the whole thing was unwise. II
would have been better probably to have
submitted quietly than to have undertaken
to throw of the yoke, and then have been
placed in position where the only apology
for defeat is found in the extraordinary
statement that q people could in the same
election and invite their interference. 1t
has been strongly suggested in various
quarters that, as absurd as the result has
been, the effort will not be without effect in
showing to the people of the North the en-
Ormities of an oppression that will drive
men to such madness. There is still another
lesson, and tor the people Of the South. 1t
is that neither the wisdom nor the pluck of
every man who styles himself leader in
opposition to Radicalism can be trusted with
out examination. The charlatans are not all
on one side in the South. The fire eaters.
who will accept nothing, and forget nothing,
and learn nothing, are not all extinct. They
loudly talk war in times of peace: they hum.
bly, talk peace in times of war.
Other papers and many other persons
express themselves in the same way. The
Journal condemns the uprising as Grim.
inal. against law and order. useless. That
has been and is our doctrine, with all
other papers against US in New Orleans.
But we do not taunt our foes. lately in
arms. with being towards. simply because
such = statement would be wanting in
fact. and if it were not its iteration could
avail nothing now. There were brave.
though misguided men among the insur.
gents. The more SO the more the pity.
for such heroism should have been en-
listed in better cause. And there is
another thing for the Kentucky Bourbon
to remembers city is very disagreeable
to live in wien it is being shelled by gun.
boats. We have known men at the North
who in other days said the Southern sols
der was all brag and no fight. Those
men were not numbered with the vet
Grams who for five long years advanced
and reiterated before the rebel lines. There
were Southern men who said the Yankees
wouldn't fight. Those who shouldered a
rebel gun and went out to see about it
changed their opinion. A young man
said but yesterday. "Longstreet is COW.
ard and dare not fight" The speaker was
Of great words and small deeds: youth
who was indisposed in the times that tried
mems souls and remained with his
mother. He had not followed the Gen.
eral through al! the long and weary years
Of the war. enduring its privations for no
reward. pitching into the enemy at all
points. suffering from cold and hunger.
making forced marches through the val
|eys and over the mountains Of Virginia.
with bleeding feet. with heart well.nigh
hopeless. into the very face of federal
guns, into the federal lines and out at
Soldiers do not talk in that
way. Nor do soldiers have any but words
If praise for Badger and Lawlor.
Then let all taunts cease. If the Off
'ers Of the law find the insurgents guilty
# crime let them be punished according
% the degree and nature of their offense.
# there is no law covering the attempt to
overthrow State government by force of
rms. why then let the actors go free
With our sympathy until the next e,ne,ae.
Jowardice is out of this question, for in
hese days men with wrong ideas are most
90 brave for peace.