The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-20
SHERIDAN'S ISLANDER.

> In late letter of Charles Nordhoff to the
, New York Herald he speaks of peace as the
leading want in the Southern coantry and
{ describes the condition of the poorer classes
{ These poor people he characterizes as igno
rant and prejudiced, and imputes to them 8
prevailing dread Of being forced into a condi.
ton of social equality with the negroes,
whom they consequently hate. The writer
must have had very limited opportunity OF
becoming acquainted with the poor white peo-
pie OF Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and
Alabama The war increased this class very
much, but between those who inherited pow
erty and those who became suddenly poor by
misfortune there is no such difference in spirit
as the writer appears to believe. There is a
difference in learning and cultivation, but in
no other respect. There is no such jealousy
or hatred of negroes among any class as he
alleges. He next gives an exaggerated de-
scription of another class as follows:
more mischievous class than these poor
white farmers is found in large number of
young men in the remoter parts of these
States, who follow no regular occupation, but
prey upon the community white as well as
black they are gamblers and political bum
mers they drink whisky and sNagger in bar
rooms, armed with revolvers and knives, and
it was for some years their habit, when they
needed excitement, to ''shoot niger"
They are mainly the descendants of the
overseef and negro trader class in the South,
and naturally despise honest labor and take
readily to brute force. They have often suf-
fcient education to make political harangue,
and they are curse to the community. Ii
the Republican leaders in such State as
Louisiana had done their duty they would
have exterminated this not numerous class,
which is disliked and feared by the decent
white people, upon which it has often i'm
posed itself 1t was these wretches that Sher-
idan called "banditti"
To have hung them by the dozen would have
been the first duty of good ruler in Louisi-
ana, and he would have won the gratitude
and support of the decent people who form
the mass of the community. In Arkansas
this scum was crushed out. In Louisiana 1t
was tolerated by the Republican rulers, and
has been kept down mainly by the respecta-
bic people themselves. In Mississippi it
forms still the most vocferous part of the
Democratic party, though by far the least
numerous.
Phil Sheridan did not refer to "these |
wretches " in his dispatch to the Secretary of |
war in January, but deliberately applied the |
odious and insulting epithet to the members
OF the White League of this city, body COM
posed of the flower and chivalry of New
Orleans. 1t is useless to attempt, as Mr..
Nordhoff does, to modify or mitigate the
abominable and malignant falsehood of the |
great slanderer in uniform, the spurred and |
booted traducer, the champion of all falsfers.
The White League of New Orleans num-
bored in its ranks many hundreds who are
more than the equals OF Sheridan in learning,
hundreds more who surpass him in native
capacity, thousands who are more cult
waited. Not a score of men could be picked
from the entire League below the rank Of
Sheridan in qualities which constitute true
and even they would surpass him
IN some essential moral qualities. The Gen
oral himself was nearer approach in spirit
md character to bandit than any single
member Of the League composed of the gen
lemen whom he called "banditti.
Some blunders are SO stupendous in their
oily that they adhere inseparably to the per-
,etrator for life, and to his name and record
8 long afterwards as he may be remembered.
IF this class was the infinitely absurd propo-
ition of Sheridan to treat as highway robbers
he White League of New Orleans. 1t is ,
ew proof added to those Of history, that t
title man in high position can yet manifest s
imsef as great fool.