New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-07
Conservative Journals on tho White
League.

dangerous abyss it was approaching. TO
call journal which published SO sensible
an article, conservative" seemed no mis-
application of terms. Yet, the Picayune is
horror-struck. and declares, with much
feeling, that in using the word the REPUB'
LICAN came every near" committing an un-
pardonable sin. What an escape! Suppose
the adjective had been stable, or undevia-
ting, would the Picayune have ever for
given it!
The suggestion that ignorance prevents
quotations from other great Northern jour
nails is received with becoming humility,
condemnation from the Picayune being al
ways hattering to the vanity Of its op-
ponenrs, and the following morsel from the
Boston Adrertiser presented for the con-
sideration of the Picayune. It can not say
it is misnomer to style this paper ICON.
servative." for it has applied the term TO it
in it's own columns.
1t will be seen that the article presents
the same conclusions as the IaterO Ocean,
and with equal force in language as temper
ate:
THE WHITE LEAGUE.
The white people of Louisiana, being it
NAV be acknowledged, under some just
provocation in view of the way things have
been managed in their State, have rushed
madly into the wolat scheme to remedy the
difficulty. Something they call the White
League has suddenly become popular, and
chapters or councils Of it are being estab-
lished everywhe here. Know Nothing lodges
did not multiply faster in the time when
sensible people got wild about the perils OF
trusting the ballot to men not horn in the
country The object of this White League
is of course, to combine and organize the
white citizens in an effort to keep
the citizens who are not white out
of office. They attribute all their woes to
the colored vote. and the scheme is, so far
as it is inteIliglbIe, to diminish the strength
of that vote. Precisely how this is to be
legifimately done does not appear. The
colored men are there, and the right to vote
is so secured that it can not safely be de-
MED The only way in which the colo d
vote can be palpably diminished is by XIII,
ing the voters or instituting such panic OF
fright that they will not dare exercise their
right. Things have occurred in Louisiana
within the past ten years that tend to dis
courage any confidence that the worst out
RACES would not be resorted to if they were
thought to be expedient. But it would
seem that the State had already had sutii-
cient experience of the policy of alternating
the sympathy of people most competent to
assist them in the effort to establish justice.
We have made no secret of the opinion
that Louisiana has been since 1872 the vic
tim of violent and unjustitiable usurpa-
ton. 1t is great misfortune, both as
fact and precedent. Congress has been
negligent of its duty in treating the subject
with indifference. There is throughout the
Northern States strong feeling OF sympa-
thy with the people subjected to a govern
nent not Of their choice. No person in any
degree responsible for the success of the
coup d etat has won additional honor on &C.
count OF it in the estimation OF his own
party in riis section. But it is also true
that the Republicans of tAe North could
have no great respect for party which for
the chance of success made an alliance with
Warmoth and his set. For four years the
white people OF Louisiana. or at least as
MANY of them as were Democrats, have de-
nOuncea Warmoth as the incarnation of
everything III politics which was dishonest,
fraudulent and ignoble. When. therefore,
they consented to an alliance with him for
mutual advantage, he resign'ng the gov
ernorshp to their nomination, they to ele-
vate him to the United States Senate, the
sincerity OF their professions OF repugnance
to corruption was clOuded. 1t appeared
that the cause of their complaining was not
that corrupt men were in power, but that
they did not share in the profits Of corrup-
ton. Notwithstanding this exposure of
gross inconsistency. by which the Louisi-
anians lost more respect than they can re-
cover in long term of decency, there was
among the Republicans Of the North no
disposition to connive in a scheme Of cheat
ing them of their choice. Considered
solely as a question of party policy, there is
no question in any sagacious mans mind
that the Republican party would stand
stronger and fairer before the nation to day
with Warmoth in the Senate by Democratic
votes. and Democrat in the Governors
seat at New Orleans. than it is with the
Louisiana load on its shoulders.
The peaceable submission to the situa-
tion- after firm but Intellectual protest, did
something to restore more favorable opin-
ion toward the Louisiana people. But it's
force will be quickly dissipated If they per-
sist in this folly Of White League, the
meaning of which is perpetuation of the
antagonism Of races, out of which their
woes have sprung. Of course it will be op-
posed by Black League, and the North
may prepare itself to hear of more horrible
affairs like those of former years, where
upon some pretext or other, the whites have
the negroes, without fairness or
pity. The sequel Of the White League will
be series of KuKlux outrages.
Does it not yet appear that no good to the
South results from such exhibitions of
bitterness! Perhaps the South does
not believe it. but it is nevertheless
true, that nothing will do more to destroy
the growing disposition to consider war
issues settled and reverse the tendency of
all parties to concentrate attention and
energy upon the work OF redressing abuses
and instituting reforms, than revival in
any part of the South of the old ferocity OF |
hatred of the freedmen. To this the White |
League of Louisiana directly leads. Let the |
fires of negro persecution be relighted and |
the North will care precious little about the |
means that are used to keep those who are |
for it out of power. Perhaps the !
of negroes is considered in Louisi- !
ana a less fault than squandering public |
money: but the Northern mind will not |
agree to such discrimination.
There is another view of this subject. |
While the Southern whites are constant in |
their professions that they deprecate war
Of races and mean the freedmen no harm, |
their conduct is not such as to disarm sus- |
pieiOn. Their cue. if they want to return |
10 power, is to convince the negroes that
hey intend justice, and so to win their con-
idenee and their votes. But the negroes |
will never be won to support q White
League or those who c0untenance White !
Leagues. And this is the trouble that |
he whites are so inpatient to obtain power |
hat they are constantly contriving plots
ri,;ch Tefaat ,heiy aims Confidence is OF !