New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-05
The SHADOW OF ARMS.

If we had correspondent and sub
scribe- who should should become so ter
ribly frightened at the report of ship
ment of five hundred gus into the Red
river country as one writing for the BNl!e-
tn affects to be, We should refuse our
testimonial. to his value. Yet 'Cane
River uses language which leads one to
believe he is unnecessarily alarmed and
frightfully indignant. He has heard that
about five hundred guns have been re-
ceived at Loggy Bayou and Twenty four
Mile Ferry on Cane river, and at once
charges Governor Kellogg and Lieutenant
Governor Antoine with having flooded the
Red river country with arms. Five hun
dred guns have greater expansive capacity
than the twice five hundred thousand
rations sent by q generous nation along
the track of the merciless destroyer which
lately did food some Of the fairest regions
Of the State, carrying want and desolation
into the cabin as we'll as the more preten-
tious plantation house. It does not ap-
pear very clearly what use is intended to
be made of these guns, and there is no
case cited wherein any one has been in
jured or even menaced by anybody having
one III his possession. We suspect, more
over that the numbers greatly oyerrated.
Coupled with the alarm about the pur-
chase and shipment Of arms, is the assur-
ance that the ''vhite man is not, nor has
he been, nor will he be, aggressive, which
we hope and believe to be true. We believe
the planters and men of influence of the
Red river country have such an interest in
the well being of the men from the fruits
of whose patient labor they draw support
for themselves and families, aside from any
promptings of humanity, as will invoke
their assistance to defend them against
unprovoked attacks, and even render them
proper assistance. They know, too, by the
history and tradition Of long years Of inter-
course between the two races that the negro
is by no means aggressive, but, on the con-
trary, long suffering under wrong, forgiv-
ing, faithful and sincerely attached to
those who treat him with any show of
kindness. Weprotest against the attempt
to make such splendid character the VIC
tim of political ambition and sordid self
ishness He interferes with nobody, mo-
Tests nobody, and only asks the privilege
granted to every American citizen, of pur-
suing his way in peace, earning the hire OF
which the laborer is worthy, bestowing his
suffrage upon his friends, and defending
himself when unjustly and wantonly at
tackled.
The planters understand and appreciate
their laborers. Their credit with their
| merchants depends upon good under
standing with their colored auxiliaries in
the field, and the credit of the merchant
in return depends upon the ability of the
planter to make his crop. Any politician,
therefore, who would interrupt the cordial
relations which exist between capital and
labor, and wage a war OF determination
upon the people that furnish US the best
system of labor in the world, for the
sordid purpose of securing to themselves
the public offices, are the deadly enemies
| of both races, and as such would be guilty
of all the consequences of bloodshed in
cited by their conduct. If the colored
people are threatened, they viii naturally
prepare to defend themselves. If they
are trodden upon, they will turn and in
fict such injury upon the oppressor as
may lie in their power. But they will
never be found in an organized crusade
against those who mean well toward them.