New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-26
ON THE EUROPEAN PLAN,

We have never known a man reared I'M
der monarchy who has comprehended
the principle of republican government.
Not being parties to the government of
single person, the born subject has no
rights which he can not assert by evading
the DEGREES of power. This he has the
same right to do that any other slave has
to escape from bondage or to es
cape duties imposed upon him with
out his consent: In republic, however,
every man is party to the government,
and can only amend law or government
by those modes of reform which he has
sworn shall be adopted.
We have in the Unite States consti-
tutional grant of political rights to the
negro. The whole people have accepted
this grant in the most solemn form of
constitutional confirmation. The South
ern people once claimed to live up to the
letter of the constitution, and to oppose
any act which by indirect construction
could be employed to defeat the provisions
of the constitution. They contended
that slavery was recognized by the consti-
tuition, and while the Abolitionists con-
demned that usage with as much violence
as is now employed against negro suffrage,
the constituencies of the South denied
that there was any right to aid the slave
in his escape, and commended that Lloyd
Garrison should have shouldered his mus.
ket to enforce the fugitive slave law.
This sound principle has been aban-
doned, and here the Democracy have
adopted the European plan of overthrow
ing an administration by assassinating the
leaders and intimidating those who follow
them.
The South was once country of
chivalrous sentiment. 1t would have
scorned the E ,ropean plan of collecting
people in masses to denounce and destroy
those nominally weaker or less skilled in
arms than themselves. The South has
passed under other counsels, and neither
in Sicily, Ita'y or France could an in
furiated mob be more readily assembled
to assassinate few persons of unpopular
opinions, or to disable the expression of
their opinions either by speech or in print
There can be no doubt but that the De-
mocracy of Mississippi have, according to
the proclamation of the Governor of that
State
| Formed themselves into military organi-
| cations in various parts of the State, with.
out sanction Of law, and have overthrown
civil government in Yaz0o county, set it at
defiance in Kinds county, and created dis
trust and fear in Warren and other coun-
ties, causing the loss of many lives and
compelling many persons to flee from their
homes.
This is regarded by the Washington
Republican as
The avowed purpose of the Mississippi
Democrats to carry that State at the next
election through determination or forcible
intimidation of the negro voters.
The Colfax assassination of Republican
leaders shows the European process o.
disabling the negro vote.
| We nave AO uOuOt Tic u6u OI AmerlCaI
descent who have fallen into this mode Of
obtaining Office have been deluded by the
common sentiment of the large mass who
are indoctrinated with the remedial ideas
of Europe. These look upon the assassin
alton of an obnoxious opponent, or riot
GUS resistance to an odious law, as tn,
chief meanB of political reformation. w
know there is larger body of Americans
who disapprove Of this European plan
and would rather rely upon the slowe
but inevitable reforms of the ballot box
We appeal to these men to step forth from
an apathy which imperils all that is val
ued by them, and stand for the free insti
tutions Of their country. If there b.
abuses in the city or State government le
the people reform them legally. But le
true Conservatives beware how they per
nit the European practices 90 prevalent il
Spain, in the communists Of France, sni