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

EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:
The Bu!letin of Saturday and Sunday
publishes letter from one f. NJ. l.. Swey-
zer addressed to the editor of the Chicago
Inter Ocean. The object of said letter
ern men in this city in no way suffer for
their political opinions, and that all reports
to the contrary are false.
Nr. Sweyzer is treated with as much
politeness and respect al if he was one OF
themselves Ia Southerner), and mentions
one or two military men who are also treat.
ed with respect. Remarkable, that officers
of the regular army, who do not engage IN
politics, and who are we'll known to be PEP
feet gentlemen, should be treated as such.
Mr.. Sweyzer fought under Mcclellan IN
the late unpleasantness, and came South IN
July, 1865, hence has mad nine years to
study Southern character. And l, too,
fought under Mcclellan, and furthermore,
came South the same year that Mr.. Sweyzer
names, four months later. He has given
his testimony, and l now give mine.
One class of Northern men can live South
in perfect harmony with Southern people.
viz: those who have no very pronounced
ideas regarding the colored man and civil
rights.
In direct proportion to Northern mans
ability to hold his tongue on such subjects
will he fare we'll at the hands of Southern.
ers. If, perchance, from business relations
or otherwise, he has grown Indifferent re-
garding the primary principles Of repub-
ican government, viz: equal rights to all,
and would as willingly talk White League
logic as eat his dinner, why. then, that is
splendid. Forthwith Mr.. A, b or c is in
troduced something after this fashion: "My
friend C, Northerner by birth, sir, q South
erner at heart; commend him to you as
one of as" Now, if c happens to be q
downright good fellow socially. he is all
right. He has got his certificate of charac-
ter and is safe. 1t is soon forgotten where
he came from. He is, to all intents and
purposes, . Southerne1, except whom he
suddenly discovers that he can serve his
friends by telling the world that he, q North
erner, is all right with the Washington Ar
tillery.
Now I know some Of those Washington
Artillery boys, and they are right good
fellows; but l never gave them any Of my
decided views regarding the negro and
equal rights but that they were much dis
gusted. Hence I endeavoYed to avoid the
subject where knew there was NO harmony
in opinion.
There are. however. many who were
never members Of the Washington Artil
lery-non combatants, who never snelt
gunpowder during the entire war. Such
men have far less civility than those brave
foemen whom We Northerners found
worthy of our steel" Tie men who cared
not enough for the Confederacy to take the
field are often very insulting and irritating
TO Northern men. suppose We ought to
pity them that they can not behave better
But il sometimes goes beyond words.
know Of one ex- soldier Of the federal army
who from wounds received in battle had
the use Of but one arm, who was violently
assaulted oy one Of the stay homes. The
only provocation given was defense Of the
equal rights. He was told that ''sny Ont
who would express such sentimeats was .
dog"
But tho ex Confederate soldiers, who. ae
. rule, are civil. and could scarcely commit
a eowardly assault like the sbeve. have nc
love for and little if any social relations
with Northern men of Outspoken Republican
sentiments.
Let us look che matter s4uarely in the face
The Southern whites don't like Repu blicau
principles, and hence tho people can not be
expected 70 like those who indOrse. work
for and vote for those principles It was
those principles that recruited the largest
army in the late war, and caused the defeat
of the Southern army. Those principles
liberated the slave and gave him the right
| to vote. The Kellogg government enforces
! those principles to day, and hence is most
I cordially hated for it. ANY other Repub
I lican State government, without even the
I shadow of u charge against its legality
| would have met with equal hostility and
J abuse.
The South dom. believe in the primary
! principles OF republican government. They
never did accept them at heart. Give them
| the opportunity and they will rid them
/ selves Of what. to them. is fundamental
! error in government itself. Believing this.
| is it anything strange that they should DC
! bitterly opposed to those Northern families
! who espouse the Republican causes 1t is
| all nonsense TO write about Northern men
| Of known Northern sentiments, or Repab
! lcan sentiments. being treated ''as one OF
! themselves" tSoutherners). Under peculia,
! circumstances, such as relatives. tho case
| may vary. But then, by mutual courtesy
| and consent. politics are ignored. Men mag
! deal together in business, but seldom &c
| they meet in each others home circle.
| The Governor Of Georgia comes ouf
I squarely against the civil rghtS bill. and
! says in substance "ti.at's what's the mat
! ter" So would Louisiana, if she had not
! the "usurpation" handle to use in it's place
What gOdsend that was to the Louisiana
! Democracy. The South is TO-DAY squarey III
! rebellion against evil rights. They say that
| i. il practically social equality. As o body
! servant cOiored man could accompany the
! Southern man in all his travels. but az
! freeman he must not contaminafe Nrs'
I class cabin on a river boat, or enter Pull
! man palace car. nurse with white baby
! in her arms can enter . nrs.ciaes apart
! ment, bu, alone and the smoking car Is he'
! portion.
The masses OF tho white people in the
interior of the State have no more idea c
the basis principles of republic than Cal
! has. The city whites understand those
| principles well, and hence hate the very
| name Of a republic.
{would no, have il inferred from any
! thing have said that there are no S"uibe:r
men Of Republican sentiments. know a
few such-men who. at the time. regarded
! the ac. of secession As fatal error. These
! are men of no influence with the Southern