New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-10-22
special Correspondence of the Republican
NORTHERN POLITICS.

ti0R-The Anti.~lavery Sentiment OF
the North the Backbone Of the Re.
publican Party-Party Tactics in This
state-Governor TiIden and the West.
ern Democracy.
New YORK, October ID, 1875.
The Confederate Democracy has deter
mined to recast the political issues upon
which the battle is to be fought in 1876.
The financial issue is to be abandoned, and
the Republican party is to be essailed for
declaring emancipation, for extending the
right of equal citizenship to the liberated
slave, and for making General Grant Presi-
dent. To this will be added the failure of
the crops, any disastl GUS fires which may
occur, any shipwrecks, labor strikes, COM
mercial failures or financial frauds, private
or public, which these days OF over-trading
and fast living produce. How will the Re-
publican party be able to Withstand all
this clamor9 Will the new departure
give the opposition any new advan-
tage? l think not. On the contrary,
think the new departure will "torce the
fighting" on the strongest issue we possess,
although many timid Republicans think
otherwise ! mean it will force the fighting
on the Issues and convictions which have
always divided the pro-slavery and anti
slavery party in this country. do not be-
lieve that the Republican party has any
thing to gain by allowing it's anti slavery
sentiment to drop out Of the organization.
That sentiment is not only the animating
spirit of the party, but the bond Of mutual
conviction which binds together so many
men and women of different 4nterests and
tastes and opinions.
The latest returns from Ohio show that
two things saved the State: one, the anti
slavery sentiment of the Northern counties,
the other, the return of the German vote Of
Cincinnati to the Republican banner. The
canvass proved that Democratic trickery
can not blind or hold men who are bound
by deep moral convictions. The anti
slavery sentiment wields q majority of
votes in every Northern State, and this SEN
timent must become uppermost under the
new departure which the Confederate Dem
ocracy purpose. The anti.slavery men and
women of the North will never allow the
cause of emancipation to 90 by default
This cause as it is being worked out in the
Southern States, has of late years suffered
from Northern indifference, it is true, but
this indifference did not arise from any
weakening Of conviction, or from loss of
interest in the cause of humanity as repre-
sented by the emancIpated Southern negro
People thought the struggle over, that South
ern reconstruction was finished work, and
therefore turned their attention to other
issues. The tactics of the Confederate
Democracy, and the excitement of the
presidential election, will change all this
We are likely to have the election next year
turn on Issues, therefore, which will give
us moral as well as political victory.
The central fire of the Republicans will,
in this State, be poured in upon the city of
New York, just as it was upon Cincinnati.
The enemy has opened the way to this by
throwing Mr.. Hackett overheard. The Re-
publicans have availed themselves of the
advantage thus offered, and enrolled Mr..
Hackett's name among their leading and
honored nominees. The business men of
New York begin to see that what the
South needs is not revolutionary reaction,
but political stability; not Southern sec
tionalism, but true nationalism. These
business men begin to understand, at
last, that the national Republican party
is the custodian of all the interests
which tend to stability and national
prosperity. while the Confederate -Democ
racy stands for reaction, change, expert
ment in finance and the re establish
ment of Southern sectionalism as a source
of chronic disorder and peril to the nation.
Of course Governor Tilden's personal in
terest in the State election depends very
much upon his chances for the Democratic
presidential nomination in 1876. The fate
of initiation in Ohio has set the Western
Democrats against him. They attribute
their defeat to the New York surrender"
on the finance issue and they will take their
revenge upon Governor Tilden accordingly,
as he is regarded as the man who forced the
New York Democracy to abandon their
Western friends on the money question.
While these elements of dlscord are work
ing out their natural results in the ranks of
the opposition, the Republicans are con-
centrating their forces on the weak points
of the enemy. The anti-slavery sentiment
of the middle and upper counties of the
State begins once more to show itself
actively. People are beginning to consider
the propriety of placing the future of the
negro and the power of the national gov
ernment in the hands of the Southern
Confederstes. So long as this was at
tempted to be accomplished by indirection,
as through the finance question, the Grange
movement at the West, the cry of reform
and any other blinds" the people at large
made no protest. The Confederate, Demo-
cratic approach to power advanced along
this line stealthily and surely. But the
exigencies of the political situation will not
admit Of the continuation of this policy of
stealthy political diplomacy. The Confed.
crate Democracy must come out into the
open field and fight under their true colors
or disband. They will fight, of course.
The fight will be fierce one, but the result
is certain victory for the Republicans. Can
not the Southern Wings understand that
the Northern Democratic party is in its
death throesa b.