New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-18
AN ADDRESS TO THE WIGS.

| VIC nave EeColftu lrOm 1lI. y. L. W
Pitkin, corresponding secretary of the
Republican State Central Committee, a
copy of an address ITO the Wings, of
which we understand he is the author.
The object of the writer seems to be to
institute parallel between the declara-
ton of principles, as set forth by the Re-
publican Central Committee, and the well
known and oft asserted policy of the old
Wing party
1t Is now more than twenty years since
the old Wing party rallied its hosts against
the Democratic in a contest for the Presi-
dency. General Scott was their last can
didate, and he was defeated by man
much inferior to him in ability. Since
then the Wings have voted for Willard Fill
more, who was nominated by the Native
Americans and beaten, and for Bell and
Everett, in 1,6O, who were put up on the
issue of the constitution, the Union, and
the enforcement of the laws" They car
ried one OF two States, but the majority
were for Lincoln and Hamlin, both of
whom We're Wings running on the Repub-
lican ticket. There were two distinct
Wing parties. One favored the system of
banks and a high protective tarie-the
other free trade. Both agreed upon oppo-
sition to the encroachments of executive
power, as exhibited by President jackson.
The Wing party was unit in favor Of in
ternal improvements, but somewhat d.
vided on the policy of distributing the
proceeds of the sales of public lands to
the several States.
The great apple of discord which
divided the old Wing party was the slavery
question. AS early as 1s4S, there appeared
in the political nomenclature Of the North
the phrase Free Soil Wings" This was
soon followed in the same section by
Free Soil Democrats, and the contest
over slavery became at last so fierce as to
dwarf all other questions and make them
secondary in Importance, In the mean
time most of the principles for which the
Wings had commended were quoted by
being embodied i'll laws which remain un-
repealed to this day. But the Southern
wing followed or led the Democracy into
secession, where they, being in minority,
were soon ignored by tie leaders of the
Contederacy, who were nearly all Demo-
Gratis. Until the Republican party gained
a foothold in the South, there was none to
whom the Wings could look for affilia-
ton. They went so far with the Demo-
Gratis on the slavery question and kindred
issues that they have never been able to
get back.
In the North, on the contrary. they
went into the ranks of the Republican
party and carried their principles with
them. In 1860 and the years of the war
thousands of Northern Democrats also
voted with the Wings and for Republican
candidates. They were called War Dem
ocrats. Since the issues presented by the
war have been settled by the force of arms,
there has been recast of parties at the
North upon some of the old questions
Slavery, States rights, the equality of all
men before the law and the right of suf-
trage are considered in the North to be
defnitively settled. 1t is not so in the
South. Here they continue 20 enter into
politics, and by some re deemed of para
mount Importance, A Wing who was
secessionist during the war is as liable to
remain so as a Democrat is, ard if he
makes it the leading idea OF his political
faith is as fully disqualified for being
Republican.
Mr.. Pitkin shows very clearly that
nearly all the subordinate principles OF
the Republican party are identical with
those of the Northern Wings. The South
ern wing of that once powerful party is,
however, pinned to the tail of the Democ-
racy by single tack, that of opposition
to the leading idea of the Republican
party. A Southern Wing is as decidedly
on the wrong side of the color line as
oOuehCiA CGlloSlutt 81 lOLG db Ne
subordinates other questions to this sim
gle one he can not be good Republican.
The defamation with which the Repub-
lican party has been pursued for the past
ten years has had tendency to impress
the Wings with an unfavorable opinion of
its moral character. This has not been
qualified or corrected by the reform and
economy which the Republicans, left in
exclusive possession of the government
for the past three legislative sessions,
have effected.
The real question now presented to the
Southern Wings is, will they continue
longer to help form the tail of the Demo-
cratic kite where they bury their talents,
or will they dismiss their prejudices and
come squarely into the Republican party
where their ability, their virtue and re-
spectability eminently fit them for leaders?