New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-05
NEW ORLEANS SUNDAY

Speaker would undoubtedly affect certain
presidential plans as theirs. The presiden-
tial question has also borne pretty heavily
on Mr.. Cox and Mr.. Fernando Wood; so
heavily indeed as to extin guish these gentle
men entirely. When Tammany Hall fell they
fell. Even Mr.. Morrissey's appearance in
Washington can not restore them to the
position of "leaders" they occupied before the
uprising OF the anti-slavery tidal wave which
swept over New YORK in the late election.
Mr. Kerr is also as much representative
izstion OF the new House as is Mr. Cox, Mr..
Wood or Mr.. Randall.
BY the time this letter reaches your
readers tie questions ''who shall be
Speaker" and now does the selection of
Speaker affect national politics." will have
been answered. The answer will be found
in the prompt organization of the House
under the caucus whip" or in such a
"break up" of the now united forces of the
coalition as will promise prolonged
struggle over the Speakership. II once the
question of Speaker is drawn into the
whirlpool where independent and ICON
tending" factions hold sway, then we shall
witness most lively time at the capital
for TWO weeks, or possibly a month. in
cline to the opinion that prompt organiza-
iion of the House will be effected, more
especially as straight.out Republicans de-
sire such a result, and would Just as leave
see Ben ITill of Georgia. elected Speaker as
po+ will ka ;rta ~.
ence, consequently, in this matter, in order
to save the enemy from the political suicide
which be is more than willing to commit,
And in this the Republicans are wise, for
nothing would so completely open the eyes
Of the North as the character OF the thor
oughly Confederate Democratic o,ganiza-
ton of the House of Representatives as we
are likely to have,
The duty as well as the policy Of the Re-
publican Senate in this crisis is plain. 1t is
to antagonize the Confederate House of
Representatives upon the real and only
issue which divides the coalition from the
national party. The Senate should select
the most cultured and representative negro
in the land as its secretary. and at the same
time admit Mr.. Pinchback to his seat. This
'step forward by the Republican Senate
will not only sharpen the issue on which
| the next presidential election i. to turn and
ought to turn, but 1t will be sure to draw
the fre' of the party of negro hate. As an
nfuriated bull will ever rush blndly upon
a red flag if waved suddenly before his
eyes. so will the ConfedersteDe democracy
| rush headlong upon the issue which the
| Senate would raise by thus suddenly au
| tagonzing Confederate power and Confed-
| crate representation in the American Con
gress by a renewed and public pledge Of
! fidelity to the sacred cause of humanity and
| the civil equality of all men before the law
for which the negro stands as the .repre-
sentative" man on this continent and this
nation. Be the action Of the Confederate
| party il Congre what it may, let the Re-
| publican leaders in the Senate take what
course they may, there is but one issue be-
fore the country, and it separates the two
parties as by an impossible gulf. This issue
| will affect the organization of the House,
| and it will affect the Republican integrity
| of the Senate, and it will affect the next
| Presidential election. There is no more
| chance for either party or for the country to
| escape from this issue in all Of its conse-
| quences, and in all of its ramifca.!ons
than there is for a man TO escape from the
controlling power of gravitatio1. B.