New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-11-06
DEMOCRATIC "RADICALIsM."

UhMOOhallU hhDlOdhlpmt
Radicalism can not, of course, be pre-
dicated of any act of legislation, however
extreme, for people have the right to
alter, amend or repeal any institution
which exists among them, according to
the terms which they have prescribed to
themselves.
The term radicalism has then come to
mean, in the Democratic glossary, the APP
pointment of bad men to office, the en-.
actment of laws or the rendering of de.
cisions through corrupt motives of those
who perpetrate either of these wrongs.
An attempt has been recently made by
some volunteer reformers to correct oul
school administration of radicalism or
certain imputations of incompetency and
wrong. 1t has failed. The thirst fol
public reformation is unslaked, and the
reformers are no doubt to-day armed fol
the next case of "Radicalism."
The Republicans on the School Board
have not evaded the issue. They have
been requested to furnish the evidence Of
their own incapacity, but have contented
themselves with indicating their own In
nocence.
We now demand if the Democratic Puri-
tans are content with this demonstration:
Are these Quixotes satisfied with being
battered by the sturdy arms of this Repub-
lican windmill? There are great many
other Radical monopolies" which are
held by Democratic administrations. Will
the reformers cease their labors with the
signal failure of their charges in the first
case that they attempt? We are little
tired of seeing the county placarded with
imputations of Republican corruption
while within our view are Democrats en-
joying the exclusive benefit of those mo-
nopolies which the Republican Legisla-
ture, with the aid OF Democratic votes, has
granted. We. are not afraid to meet the
Shreveport doctrine that the gambler who
swindles an unwary or unskilllul victim
has committed no wrong, That the ring
that has cheated the ignorant Indian of
his lands are excellent persons. That he
who entices confidential clerk to sign the
name of his principal is clever fellow,
but that the whole crime rests upon the
dupes, the tools, and the penny partici-
pants in these several iniquities.
We claim that the Democratic fence
and receiver is as much responsible for
the thousand dollar diamond it has bought
for twentieth part of the money as is the
miserable fool who has committed Grim
inal theft for commission upon his own
risk and rascality. We give practical
evidence that the Republican party puts
both the receiver and the thief upon the
same footing. In 1872 it arrested the in
crease Of the State debt, and punished by
dismissal from its confidence and con-
nection those who had been guilty of dis
gracing the Republican name. The proofs
of this reformation and continued pursuit
of Republican wrong doors is before the
public.
We now challenge the Democratic re-
formers to investigate the origin and
present attitude of every immoral or i'm
proper grant of power by the Legislature
or by or to the municipal administration
of this city. Investigate all these abuses
in all their ramifcations. Trace them
into the hands of their present holders
and publish the politics of these holders.
Do not spare the Republicans who may
have been bought or bribed to carry out
any Radical" scheme of any Democratic
corporation. Such men should be pun
ished for their folly as we'll as for their
crime. We intend that each party or
both parties shall carry their own respon-
sibilities. The Republican party has
been held in checF by supposed obliga-
ton to defend its own picayune particle
pants in the several mammoth monopo-
lies. We will assist at the exposure and
guarantee the punishment of our fools
and knaves, and of any who may have
aided in these great wrongs. Will the
Democracy do the same with its princely
robbers? Many of our poor Republicans,
ignorant of the value of the very sights
they may have unconsciously aided to
barter away are in obscurity and privity.
The Democratic magnates roll in wealth,
spend their days in foreign countries and
draw from public taxation in some shape
the revenues which exempt them from
labor. They may even substitute orators
and writer's to abuse the Republican party
for the taxation which these monopolies
have signally aided to impose upon the
people and property of Louisiana.
Gentlemen reformers, you can ego on
with your rat killing, in the classic Ian
guage of the pit. Punish all the ''Radi-
cal" rascalities which the Democrats en-
joy, and we will spare no Republican Of
fender. All such will have forfeited Re-
publican protection by such infamous as
sociations. We call for indiscriminate re-
form, without respect to persons or par
ties. The Republican party has suffered
too long and too patiently to hesitate or
halt. 1t has been charged with frauds for
which its antagonists have been honored
and enriched. 1t is determined to de-
mand from its Democratic accusers q