New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-04
PREMATURE REJOICING.

We have 40 possible objection 10 the
inordinate rejoicing which is now INDUCED
in BY the Bulletin and Picayune over the
figures which they have presented as the
r0ult Of the election. In the first place,
it is by no means certain they will be able
10 show q very satisfactory balance sheet
when all the footings are made, and the
material reductions which they fondly
hope they have made in the Republican
majorities in both houses of the General
Assembly may be accepted by our party
as blessing in disguise. The figures,
however, which are paraded as the cause
of all this bantam cock Growing are neither
official nor accurate. They ate not com.
plete. They do not include the vote Of
the back parishes. Fos, be it known, that
whatever Paris may be 20 France, New
Orleans vas not all Of Louisiana on last
election day.
We have the satisfaction. moreover, Of
knowing that many of the successful DEM
ocratic candidates in the city will accept
their Offices as che gift Of the co!ored
people. The two races were seen to go TO
the polls arm in arm together. with green
backed tickets in their hands Having
thus broken the ice and publicly admitted
the right Of che colored people to an
equality with themselves at the ballot
box. having accepted valued favors from,
the negro, We may reasonably expect
disbanding of the White League organiza-
ton and free commingling of the two
colors in al the walks of life. As this is
the great point Of variance between the
two parties, We greatly rejoice TO see it
swept away Or removed. It is alleged,
and probably with truth, that many ne
groes were hired TO vote the Democratic
ticket at so much head. But while the
corruption is reprehensible. the principle
admitted that the negro may vote and
be bought and sold at the polls,
in accordance with the long es-
tablished usage of the Democracy, is
Of some value. Hereafter the negro will
be rated among the possible available as
sets Of Democracy, as the Germans and
Irish have been for years. II he sells him.
self cheaper than his European fellow
citizens, he will ia turally be in greater
demand. If, however, being the more
numerous and consequently powerful, the
colored people raise the price, the Dem
Ocracy will be forced to limit the number
of suffraggans Of that complexion. the OBJ
ject being Of course to achieve sue
cess at the least possible cost. Those
negroes who voted the Democratic ticket
on Monday from principle have a good
claim upon that party for future favors.
Those who deserted their own ranks to
spite Governor Kellogg for not having
fat Office to give them have probably been
amply compensated in the defeat Of the
city and parochial ticket, while those who
sold themselves for money have only to
wait till next election day for another job,
and another chance to make dollar. In
the meantime, the market for mental labor
is open to them.
Doubtless great good will finally come
to the colored race out Of the apparent
evil of detection. They will learn at last
that every voter is an integer of that great
mass Of humanity called the people, and
that his vote should always be consid-
cred under his own control, since it is
evident that whoever does control it
whether his party, his ward club, the
man who employs him to fill subordin-
ate Office with the tacit understanding
that his vote goes with the patronage,
or the Democrat who buys him out
right for a dollar reaps the final
benefit There is very little independent
manhood in being thus corraled in clubs
and squads, and voting at the word of
command. 1t destroys the voters iden-
tity, and degrades his manhood. We
believe the innovation will have the
effect to break up the clubs, Or at least
impair their influence. Astute and un-
worthy leaders will thus lose their occu-
patton, and sectional differences, founded
upon color, disappear altogether. With
the destruction of prejudice, men will