The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-09
What Should tho Louisiana Meeting
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We have no doubt that the meeting at the
Cooper Institute on Monday evening will be
imposing in numbers and highly respectable
in character; but its leaders should not be
unmindful of tho danger which besets all
excited popular assemblies of running into
passionate and self-defeating extravaganza
Unless the meeting maintains tone OF dig
nifty, sobriety, fairness and moderation it
would be better not to hold it, and fraudulent
to hold it under the pretence that it is nom
partisan expression of public sentiment II
it were professedly democratic meeting we
should have no advice to give it In that
case we should naturally expect exaggerated
overstatements of facts and infammatory
appeals to party passions The effect of
such meeting would be to consolidate
and intensity democratic feeling; but on
the other hand, it would arouse the
party spirit of republicans and blind
them to the rsal issue The success Of the
meeting, as q patriotic protest against the
Late high-handed proceedings in Louisiana,
depends upon its being Invested of partisan
character and made to express the attachment
Of all true Americans to the imperilled princi-
Piles on which their institutions are founded.
The meeting will have no moral weight if it
should degenerate into an extravagant, un-
scrupulous arraignment of President Grant,
unrestrained by respect for his official station
and denouncing him as if he were Cromwell
or Catilina If this meeting is to influence
the Judgment of republicans it must dis
creetly forbear to say things offensive to
their party pride or which they cannot indorse
without compromising their party Standing;
but if it is not conducted in such spirit that
fair-minded republicans can approve of its
proceedings it can do no possible good, be-
cause democrats can be relied on to oppose
the action OF the President in any event, and
republicans could counteract the effect of the
meeting by exposing its want Of candor.
If this meeting is managed as similar public
meetings have been of late years the chief
impression it produces will be made by the
speeches. It is incumbent on the gentlemen
who are responsible for the call to see that no
speakers of the spasmodic, screechy type are
permitted to address the meeting. Such froth-
ing demagogues would do it irreparable dam
age They would make statements broader
than the facts; they would indulge in tone
of infuriate defamation Inconsistent with that
weighty sobriety of judgment which alone
can have any influence on the public mind in
great crisis. If the ostrum should provea scene
for the exhibition of incontinent. spread-eagle
denunciation, the thick-and-thin supporters OF
President Grant will be furnished with ready
answer to the best arguments Of the wisest
speakers. Instead of meeting and refuting the
solid reasoning Of the best speakers they will
easily parry its effect by pointing out and ex-
ploding the INSCRIPTIONS assertions Of foolish,
passionate orators who go off at half cock. We
sincerely nope that the eminent, influential
gentlemen who have the meeting in charge
will not allow any speakers to address it whose
character is not q guarantee for the exact truth
of their statements and the moderation and
wisdom of their advice. The impressiveness
of the meeting would be fatally impaired by
indiscreet speeches from impulsive democrats
or impulsive republicans who think this a
good opportunity for constructing bridge on
which they may 60 over to the democratic
party. This cautionary advice is not IN
called for in view Of the use which demo-
cratic politicians will try to make of this
conjuncture.
Having thus frankly expressed our views as
to the proper spirit and temper Of the meet
ing, we will venture to make q sug-
gestion as to its practical action. We
fear this is a subject to which the
gentlemen who signed the call have not given
much reflection. They have, as yet, thought
of nothing but rousing public feeling We
have no reason to suppose that they con-
template anything beyond succession of
vigorous speeches and the passage of resolu-
tons strongly denouncing the action of the
President They might adopt wiser course.
A mere appeal to the people could bear no
fruit except in distant elections. But the
wrongs of Louisiana ought to be redressed at
once, and there is no possibility of early re-
dress except through the action of Congress.
1t will be two years before the people can
apply o remedy. 1t is q mistake to suppose
that strong expressions of public sentiment
will influence the President after he has so
unequivocally committed himself to his I'M
fortunate policy. But he has repeatedly
recognized the authority of Congress to over
rule him, and has again and again submitted
the Louisiana question to its considera-
ton. Unless Congress takes the sub
ject in hand the President has bound
himself, by reiterated declarations in various
messages, to support the Kellogg government
against all opposition. It is vain and futile
to expect that public meetings will change his
policy, unless the Representatives of the
people are influenced by them to accept their
proper responsibility. The President has all
alono sirnified his readi asa 70 "a rrx ont Tho