New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-25
RHPu1LI0AN RER0RH.

The refusal of the Fusionists to partici-
pate in, or to acknowledge, the authority
of legislation in Louisiana, has afforded
the Republican party an opportunity to
show the world its sincere purpose OF
reforming the accumulated evils of mis-
government It has furnished the world
with evidence that the colored citizen is
not only competent to perform Legislative
duties, but that, simple in his wants,
moderate in his expectations he is
better prepared to enact economies than
persons accustomed to more expen-
sive system of subsistence. Your poor
man of integrity is the best econ
omist. The colored citizen has been
readily and rapidly convinced that
at last all debt and all taxation rests
upon labor. AS there is majority OF
| colored members in the lower House,
| where all bills of revenue must originate,
| it is OBJ vious that to the colored members
| is entitled the merit of sincerity in having
introdu ced and passed this great measure
of the period.
The Republican party has been greatly
favored by Providence in this opportunity
| of demonstration. Not only have the
Fusionists declined to accept any share of
| this reform movement, but they have &C.
lively opposed it. Those State rights
| champions have also lowered their BAN
ner and resorted to the federal footstooi.
There daily they offer their prisons. and
impetrate the oldest and most inveter-
ate federalists and abolitionists to inter-
vene in the affairs of this State, and if they
can not consent that the obnoxious ma
iority of voters shall be CLEANED out in
twenty -four hours" to vouchsafe at least
such mild military government as they
have in the happy republics of France
and Spain. Providence has thus exposed
the political hypocrisy of our opponents
at the same time that it has enabled the
Republican party to demonstrate its entire
capa city to administer the affairs OF this
State and its sincere determination to ex-
ecute those reforms which apparently
have been mere professions on the part OF
their Fusion opponents
The first great measure of the Repub-
lican Go vernon and Legislature has been
the reduction of the bonded obligations
of the State by eight or ten millions Of
dollars with limitation of the power to
create additional Indebtedness This
will, of course, reduce the rate of taxa
ton. One would suppose this would have
received some acknowledgment at the
hands of the tax-resisters. So far from
there having been one plaudit from the
press, or one card of congratulation from
the committees OF reform, the Fusion
press m maintained the most hermetical
silence. 1t was only broken by the crack
of the whip in ominous intimation to the
represen tatives of the city that they
should politically perish if they dared to
share the glories of reform with the Re-
publican Legislature. We invoked the
aid of the Fusion press at moment when
the fate of reform might have been doubt
full. 1t replied by citing the non-enact-
ment of reforms not yet reached in the
Republican programme, as justifying Flu
sion Indifference to those now pending.
We can not see how the Fcsion press
could have given more substantial aid to
the brokers and bondholders than by with
holding their members and their edi-
torial sanction from the great Re-
publican measure which has just
been enacted. Indeed, the Bee seemed
to be somewhat struck with this
indifference, and twitted the Picayune
with appearing to be an organ of the
State creditors The Picayune denied
this impeachment. but denounces ''the
funding iniquity" as 'utterly impractical
BILE and illegal" We shall file all this as
quit claim on the part of the Fusionists to
any share of the merit arising from the
reforms instituted and enacted by the
Republican, MS, and we call on the people of
the United States to note we'll the Fusion
protest against reduced debt and taxation,
and we shall ask at proper time the
acknowledgment Of the taxpayers that the
Republican party has reduced their bur
dens, and restored them prosperity.