The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-12-30
Z. l. P.

Yesterday morning the Republic loaded
itself to the muZzle with Outrages from
Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tenues.
see, Alabama, the Court of Oyer and Ter
miner, and the Eighteenth Ward. dscbar-
ged them all with one tremendous report,
and simultaneously disappeared from view.
Whether it had blown itself ont of exis-
tence or only died of exhaustion it would
perhaps be impertinent to inquire. 1t is
the explosion lifted, the New York organ
of the Administration was discovered to,
be shattered into hopeless fragments. 1t
will never roar for us again.
In some respects it was good paper
Its facilities for obtaining news were not
extensive, but it made the best Use OF snch
as it had, and it was able to command the
services of several clever and experienced
journalists who understood their trade
Its appearance was attractive, and if it
was never brilliant it was certainly better
written and better edited than many jour-
mails that have achieved fair measure OF
success. Representing the temper and pol
icy of the Administration wing of the Re-
publican party, it naturally looked for
support from the Presidents friends in
this city, and had strong claim upon
that government patronage which is sup
posed to be valuable to every newspaper
in the first hard months Of its existence.
And yet it is gone, after a brief but not ull-
eventtul life of precisely ten weeks and
one day. Even Officc-holders seemed to
! take but a languid interest in it, and much
as strict party Republicans might praise
the politics Of the new organ, they pre-
ferred the heresies of the Tribune for their
daily reading. 1t is a poor life that de-
ponds upon the sympathies of politicians,
or the generosity of those who happen to
be united only in selfish struggle for
place and money. There are indeed two
or three achievements in the record of the
Republic which will be remembered. It
discovered more murdered negroes in the
South than all the other journals put to-
gether, and it was the only newspaper in
the world which published intelligence Of
the death of Qncen Victoria and the conse-
quent turmoil in the streets of LONDON
But it was upon its party sympathies at
ter all that it founded it's chief if not its
ouly title to consideration, and its failure
/ therefore conveys a lesson which pOliti.
clans with more money than brains will dc
well to learn.
The trade of politics and the profession
of journalism are too homogeneous ever tt
be proftably combined. OF course upor
all public affairs good newspaper will
have decided opinions, and so long as pol
itics depend upon principles it will gener
ally hold more or less friendly relations
with some political party. But when il
, consents to become the mo'thpiece of &
partisan organization it DESTROYS its owr
future it throws away its influence anC
puts distinctions in the way of its proper
work. In these days of advanced and adj
: vancing journalism there is no place fol
party organs. Bnt the Republic was ever
worse than a party organ, for it was per
: sonal organ. 1t was founded by the
friends and associates of the President, te
promote his personal fortunes; to tel
whatever stories would favor his plans; tt
keen back whatever would interfere with
them. A little curiosity, of very milo
type, was therefore felt for awhile in it,
ntterances; but when it astonnded the
world with it's Misrepresentation of the
Presidents financial views; and was Off
cially repndiated in consequence, all this
ceased. The Republic ought to have Civ
en- up the ghost the next morning; it hat
no longer the faintest excuse for living
One of the persons connected with it ii
said to have remarked to reporter yes
tcrday that this catastrophe was "the
drath-knell of Republicanism in New
York" We cannot vouch for the story
but it ia so characteristic of the spirit il
which the paper was established and con
Quoted that it ought to he true. In the
, theory of it's founders there were no Re
publicans, no patriotic citizens, no safe
honest, and good men except those who
took care of the Custom-houses and ap
plauded the Administration all day long
Criticism was treason; advice was imper
Thence; objection was all outrage, and ;
decent protest was a Campaign lie" The
kind of Republicanism which such tall
represents had it's death-hlow on the Sd o
November, and we are rather surprised
that its organ fingered SO long behind it
IN Y. Tribune.