New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-21

everything, than the ruin that would
betall our country from the ascend
ency of that party which sympathized
| with the rebels in the late rebellion
and with their malignant purpose to per.
petuate slavery and which still cherishes
its traditional hatred OF the black man.
The slaughter of the innocent still gong
on at the South is due to this hatred, as
was all ku-Kluxism. as was the negro mur-
dering mob of 1863 in New York, and as
was every one of the prc-slavery mObs that
! disgraced the North. Whether the out
| break against our cOlored brethren be at
the North or at the South, the Democratic
party is it's inspiration, its soul and its sus-
| tenance."
| But, while neither truth nor fair dealing
| toward President Grant ia to be looked for
from such quarters, it is amazing to see
what Bull Run panic has seized upon the
Republican party in consequence Of such
| arttul clamors, and Co find In leading Re-
publican journals tho worst possible con.
structlOn placed upon the action of the
President. as though he were plotting for
military dictatorship, and, consequently,
the overthrow of our free institutions! No
worse impeachment of his motives and pur-
poses has been made by any Southern rebel
sheet. The man who conducted the nation
to victory is in the interest of liberty and
Union, wearing his laurels with the utmost
lnodestys whose magnanimity toward
the conquered has no parallel in warfare;
whose fidelity to his official trust was SO
conspicuous during his first term as to in
sure his denomination for the Presidency by
acclamation of the National Republican
Convention. and his election by the Ameri
can people by an overwhelming vote; who
has assiduously sought the repose and Sc
curity of all classes at the South using only
the semblance of military power, and even
then with great reluctance and extreme Cir
cumspection: who to avoid the heavy re-
spOnsibility resting upon him, has in vain
invoked the action of Congress, session
after session, and therefore been compelled
to act according to his best Judgment by
the oath exacted Of him; who may or may
not have erred in that judgment. as
shall hereafter appear when all tb,s tac;s
gre obtained: whose position has
been one OF the most trying conceivable,
fairly emitting him, if not to commiseration,
at least to decent regard for his office,
generous consideration and honorable treat
ment; this man is now sweepingly de-
nounced by Republican journals, in hot
response to the allegations of White Leag-
uers and their Northern Democratic sup
porters, as guilty Of the most high handed
usurpation, and as acting despotically in
the organization of State Legislature to
the fartherance Of his own ambitious ends.
He has been hastily and impetuously con-
demned, without waiting to know the real
stateOf the case or giving him chance to be
heard in self defence. The version of the
affair at New Orleans by the White
Leaguers and their accomplices is accepted
as truthful, and their malignant assault
upon the President Endorsed as truly pa
triotic. This is a strange mingling Of inius-
tice and intatuation. No fair minded man,
who has not for the time being lost his
head. believes that either President Grant
Or General Sheridan has Intentionally
usurped powers with which he he is not
intrusted, Or that he has acted otherwise
than as his official duty demanded for the
genera! welfare, according to his most pa
trlOtic convictions under the most trying |
tances.
Be it so that both nave seriously erred. |
''To err is human" but it is compatible |
with the nobIest intentions; and where
these dominate, fragrant designs against |
the rights of the few Or the many are not |
to be imputed. Whatever blame is to be |
cast, let it rest upon Congress for not legis- |
latng for the government OF Louisiana, as |
repeatedly urged by the President to do so. |
The dangers of the days but newly gone,
Whose memory is written On the earth
With yet appearing blood) and the examples
Ofevery minutes instance tpresent now,
Have put us IL these ill-beseeming arms;
Not to break peace, nor any branch of it:
But to establish here peace indeed,
CoDcurring both IN name and quality"
Yours against all I'M iustice, usurpation
Ind tyranny.
WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON.
Boston, January -, 1875.