New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-20

THE POLITICAL ufoIEIAHUs OF TIL
s0UTH-ITS BAAE.
Theoretically. this is . country o.
perfect tolerance Of opinion on all poht!-
cal and religious subjects; and. in thu
North and West, this tolerance is practi
cally recognized. There, men get to
eether and discuss views Numerically
opposite, not only without exhibiting i'll
temper, but, apparently, without expe
riencing ill-wiil. There, no odium u
attached to the holding of certain politi
cal views. or the belonging to any polits
cal party; nor does that which happens
| to DO vanquished at the polls feel called
upon to heap opprobrium upon the vic
| tors, 70 asperse their character. impug1
their motives, misrepresent their actions
! take every MEANS honorable or other
wise, TO bring them into public disrespect
! MobbipA. hanging and assassination, ar
I not the{8 regarded as regular politica
tactics; nor is it Q received dogma that
the actions and opinions Of one por ton
Of the community shall be governed BY
| the prejudices Of another portion, os, IN
fortunately for us, has always been the
case. Go . greater or tess extent in Che
South. 4 spirit of bitter and active ani-
mostly against all who entertain views
opposed to the prejudices Of its dominant
social class, has always prevailed here to
such an extent that no man, branded as
entertaining such views, or hazardous
enough to publicly express them, has
ever been able to command an Impair
tial estimate of his character, or to
escape the doom of an intruder. or the
social ostracism of q renegade. Before
the was there was practical reason for
this intolerance of opinion, inasmuch as
self.interest, one of the strongest of mo-
tives, and fear, one quite as strong, were
both called into play by any public ex'
preston of opinion calculated to unsettle
the institution upon which the class al.
luded to deemed their worldly prosperity
based, or to diminish the servile subor-
dination upon which their safety depend.
ed. That men should stiae the express
sion of sentiments whose general accept
ance deprive them of what they consid-
cred and used as property, or might
arouse that property" to an armed asser-
ton of its manhood, was simply natural
That the intolerance of adverse opinion
thus acquired should continue after the
circumstances which had caused it had
ceased to exist, is perhaps equally natural.
Such spirit, practically carried out. is
nevertheless injurious to the prosperity
of the community in which it prevails.
even if :practiced only to the extent
of social or business ostracism and
exclusion from political advantages
in the way of Office holdings
privilege dear to the heart of average hu-
mainly. When, however, this spirit goes
to the extent of practicing and justifying
homicide as an element of political man
agement, it is simply fatal.
1t is in vain, therefore, that our beauti-
full State has been endowed by the bounty
of Providence with q fruitful soil and
delicious climate; in vain that the great
est river in the world flows past our doors,
giving us access to every commercial mart
in the civilized world; in vain that rich
minerals lie hidden beneath our feet. that
gorgeous skies canopy our heads, that an
atmosphere of paradisiacaI softness woos
to our cline. Perfect liberty,
the unquestioned and unobstructed right
to express and act out ones opinion
and to adopt without danger to life, limit,
goods or reputation any chosen plan of
life, not detrimental to others, whether it be
rope dancing, ham-selling, paper-shaving
Office holding. or teaching neg 70 children,
this is privilege of more worth than ex-
istence in soft cline and under sunny
skies, even with the additional advantage
that money may be made therein by
base subserviency to puffed-up prejudice.
Upright out-spoken. hard-worked. pow
erty, in land truly free, is naturally pre-
ferred by every manly nature, to opportu-
mites of pleasure and profit purchased at
such price.
Our first and create st want, then, before
we take the initial step on that long talked
Of road to material prosperity, is new
spirit among that arrogant class of our
who claim to be our Oldest |
md best; spirit Of submission to law, of
tolerance toward opposite political views,
IF condemnation toward all violent means
If redressing wrongs whether real or
imaginary. Such spirit, once acquired,
md its existence recognized abroad, we
night look for that influx of talent,
;apital aud labor which our material adj
rantages naturally invite, but which the
POLITICAL intolerance of our ruling classes
powerfully rcpels.
HOME RULE.
The Democratic party processes to want
y aIVv