The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-10
LET Us WAIT.

The announcement made by Washington
correspondent of the Times, dated December
8, u.s. we hope, erroneous or premature.
Really, it is not necessary for the Southern
representatives to answer all slanderous &C.
cusations by solemn resolutions Of denial. 1t
is extremely inopportune and sadly out Of
taste for Southern member to propose and
for Congress to adopt resolution declaring
that none of the Confederate war debt shall
be recognized by the United States as a part
of the debt for which the Federal govern
ment is liable. In some respects the
late great war to test the right and
ability Of aggrieved States tc withdraw from
the Federal system WAS in the nature of a lit
igstion, which was appealed to the awful and
bloody tribunal of war. Before that dread
court the decision was in favor Of the stronger
party to the suit, and adverse to the people
of the South. Usually the defeated party in
litigation pays the costs Of court. Following
this rule the South would have been called on
to pay the entire war expenses of
the Federal Government, which, how
ever barbarous the e1action might
have been, the lately confederated
States could have easily met in the course Of
thirty years, if only their labor system had
been left undisturbed. AS it is the victorious
North and the crippled and impoverished,
but no. Inundated, South are working to-
gether to pay the victo1's war expenses. Any
chance of getting the conqueror to pay the
war expenses of the conquered is so slender
as to make the attempt appear absurd-so alb
surd that we are not willing that any South
ern member of Congress should formally re-
nounce it.
The appropriate time for Congress to &C.
upon these matters will be when a case comes
up for their consideration. Should . St,te
through joint resolution Of its Legislature,
ask pay from Congress for the slave property
destroyed by the Federal Government, it
would then be time enough to. consider the
legal and equitable points involved in the
demand. IT. for example, Louisiana, by her
General Assembly, should ask from Congress
5000 each for the 100000 slaves of all
ages emancipated by the operation Of
the war, it would be time enough
for the Congress of the United States to de-
eide whether S2l6, 900, 600 was or was not due
and justly payable to the late owners of
slaves. Sufficient unto the
day are the days evils" When trouble is
borrowed, the borrower always pays most
usurious interest for the loan. Wait for 3
case in point, and then let it be debated and
disposed of as usual. No Confederate
belligerent has yet asked Congress to
paw him for his freed slaves or for
losses incurred as necessary consequence Of
a state of war. 1t will be time enough to de-
clare q principle or announce a purpose re-
specting this matter when case in point
shall arise.
Our Southern people will do we'll to avoid
all copious floods of sentimentslism. We
shall gain nothing by gushing protestations
Of submissiveness and implicit loyalty We
shall in the long run lose nothing by the igno-
rant or mendacious charges of our weak, un-
and pusillanimous enemies. Let as
wait in patience. One-fourth of those who
we're alive at the close of the war are gone,
md their enmities and prejudices are buried
With them. In thirty years more the entire
generation Of that era will have passed away,