New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-06
A SPEECH AID A RECORD.


," We are very happy to have an opportu
& nifty to speak of guest in terms OF PEI
sonal repect and to comment on the poll
}. ical sentiments which he has chosen
volunteer upon occasion of a social ente'
y tainment rendered him. We never feel
necessary to resort to scurrlllty TO con
ceal want of wit, nor to excite the pas
sions of men to. obscure their sense {
Justice. This is disparagement of GU
( own intellect which we never permit our
selves to practice.
y Hon. William Walter Phelps was visito
on his way to Mexico. From this excur
sion we trust he may derive benefit, boil
for himself and for his country, and TO
this he has our good wishes. But h
seems to have been the only one of tn
excursionists who received the honors o
, the commercial body which regulates thu
cotton market, although some representa-
tives of the cotton spinning interest were
among our visitors. Mr.. Phelps was hon
ored, according to an Introductory notice,
as
A gentleman whose Independent and
honest course as member OF the first con-
gressiOnal sub committee endeared him to
all respectable Louisianians.
He was honored with very exclusive
reception in New Orleans.
During his brief stay in the city he
| received the attentions of all our best
citizens. and on Saturday evening members
OF the Cotton Exchange entertained him at
dinner at M0reau's.
| Ex-Congressman Phelps seems pros
trated by q sense of Republican iniquity
and lifted up by sense of Democratic
integrity. Yet be says he lisa Republican.
Ex-Congressman Phelps is Northern
man, and yet he finds the majority of his
countrymen wicked prosecutors of
downtrodden people. 1t is the role Of
jeremiah which the ex-Congressman has
chosen for going around the republic. cry
ing ''WO unto Jerusalem !! and denoun-
cling the Democratic captivity upon the
''backsliding Israel" and the "treacherous
Judah" Of the Republican party. Really,
according to the prophet Phelps, there
can be no possible salvation for the Re-
publicans because of the iniquity which
they have wrought in the South, and we
rather apprehend from the philippe of
Phelps, pronounced against his own peo-
pie, that some political Nebuchadnezzar
like Thurman may lead them into captiv-
ity, and the prophet may appear in due |
time on the staff of the conqueror to see
to that figurative sowing Of salt and car
rying into captivity which he foresees and
deplores.
We can not see much in the discoveries
Of MIR. Phelps beyond his testimony that
he introduced truth into louisiana
reported the truth. Unhappy common
wealth ! where truth ls a luxury.
This assumption was not, we observe,
applauded. Vanity is inexorable, and
Mr.. Phelps would not even admit Demo-
Gratis to participation in the honors of
He seems, however, uncon-
'cious that his sole claim to fame results
orm his censure of his own friends. and
he relaxation of his own political princi-
lies.
Mr.. Phelps, it seems, held an mad
'ertent interview with General Ogden,
vhom he found, like Cincinnatus, hard
t work. OF him he says:
The great hero of the White League, ,
those solitary word was to give anarchy
nd massacre to the South, sat busted with !
he honest industry of peace.
There is slight inaccuracy in this T
ulogium. 1t is not probable that the :
solitary word" of any man could have
wen anarchy and massacre to the South.
here is much the largest portion of the
outh that has preferred to rest under
hat it may deem I'M ustice to resort,ng =
} organized violence to redress their !,
rievances.
Did the sight Of a jacket and coat
angling on nail, and his owner hard 1,
i'd honestly at work, alone justify him :,
certifying y
Because the White League had buried all 6,
at was i'll, and retained only that which ~
as good OF the past. The White League
i'll loves the South and its own heroes, O;
it it now loves and honors the Union, Of %
Ose national heroes, whether of Kentucky n,
Massachusetts, whose teachings ever
ire the preservation of that Union by 40
,ich alone national existence is made sure. in
This is unnecessary injustice to the us
nth. There is great deal Of love for tn
. Union in the South, but there are a re
eat many people in Louisiana who are Al
t White Leaguers nor Republicans. OF
:. Phelps is mistaken in supposing that
, White League is the South. pr
But is it proper for MIR. Phelps to speak &c
such encouraging terms of mistaken
assure of redress? Why should he not tic
ZACH this doctrine in his own New ra
sey? With such doctrines we should tai
re expected Mr.. Phelps to have taken pc
side of the South during the war-if, ag
Iced, he seems to have taken any-for tn
people could, according to his own 70,
ndard, have been more sincere than 70,
-e those who laid down their lives for pr
ir faith.
The doctrines of Mr.. Phelps encourage be-
antary, unnecessary and destructive op- eff
ition to law, and were these doctrines of
ried out, no people would submit to be rig
ned or kept out of Office without an ia,
led struggle. We did not, with this vii
d approval OF private war, expect that thf