New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-09
How to Build Up the Republican Party in
the south.

1AO" ~ Duhu y tuC AACpNU1CuU uEly III
the South.
Some writers, who gauge party principles
by success, are busy devislBg plans to seduce
the Democratic ex rebel portion of the
South into voting the Republican ticket.
The task undertaken is to bride the enemies
of the Republican party to desert to ito
SO change Republican policy as to remove
all objections to it on tbs part Of the people
who undertake to destroy the government
| OF the United States because of the success
of the Republican party. and who have
steadily fought against Republican policy.
even by violence, since their rebellion WAS
overthrown. To conciliate such people,
| what has the Republican party to offer
which will not BE- virtual abandonment of
Republicanisin! How can its enemies be
| conciliated except by Republican surrender!
This is the problem, and we confess the
prospect is not hattering.
The New York Times is somewhat of a
| moraliZer in this matter. With the abridged
| vision Of politician, it sees that Democ-
| racy rules most OF the Southern States, and
Jumps to the conclusion that the only way
to overthrow that rule is to attempt to
| divide the Democracy-rather than to
build up Republlcanism on solid principles.
1t says:
"Once remove from the politics of the
South the passion and prejudice aroused by
IuE uuhFEtl OScI luc DCSEo IISHtS anu LA6
Democratic party must lose many OF its
best mem bers, who have been in sympathy
with it only On that one question. TIE
Republican party can win what the DemCc-
racy loses, if it is rightly handled, and,
from all appearances, there is much more
chance of its being SO handled than the
Democrats like to admit"
This calling the war of the rebellion, and
the fight for equal rights which has agitated
4 10 = In al. Ssry,o
passion and prejudice aroused by the quar-
rel over the negro's right" is characteristic
OF the mere politician. The statesman, the
true Republican from heart aud principle,
on the contrary, regards the issue between
the Republican and Democratic parties as
something more than the "passion and pre-
judice aroused by the quarrel over the
negro's rights," If the aegrO has been the
central object in American politics for the
past twenty years it has not been because
be was essentially lovely object to be con
temp!ated, nor because be has more rights
than the white man: but because in him
the common rights Of American citizens
were trodden under foot; because in him
the Republican party and the Unite d
States government have espoused and de-
tended the rights of all humanity. The
sentiment of the Republican party is not
negro philanthropy, but human Justice. It
u IL
question. We ask not what"Is the color Of
the man whose rights are invaded; we only
ask, Is he an American citizen? IT lie is,
we assert that the American flag should
protect his rights wherever 1t waves. Ii, in
order to cOnciliate and divide the Demo-
Gratis Of the SOnth, it is necessary to aban-
don these principles, We for one say that
we would rather the Republican party
would remain eternally in the minority IN
the South.
What less than this abandonment of the
rights of American citizenship can be
offered to the Democrats of the South to
WOO them over to Repub!icanism! Would
we not have to offer them much more than
this! We say yes, because the question has
been tested. Under Andrew Johnson's
policy concession to exrrebels was the order
Of the day. The attempt to protect Repub-
licans in the South was not only aban-
doned. but the Southern whites were given
to understand that the administration re-
cognized their rights as Estate sOvereigns'
to regulate their domestic Institutions as
absolutely, and upon the same principles
that they did before the war. And
they did so regulate them with ven
geance. We all know what barbarous
codes of labor laws were enacted by
them in all Southern States. The quarrel
over the negroes rights was thus abandoned
Ocratic party lose many OF its "best E:em
bers?' Was there any stampede over TO
Ddn'G this concession
rather remittance their hatred of freedom
and equal rights and concentrate and
intensity the Democratic rebel sentiment?
If the experiment didn't work then when |
the men to be cOnciliateG were hunltl5G in |
the dust by defeat, how can we hope that |
it will succeed now when they are exalted |
!, &lo;, bny of n troll ~ tho |
very government they attempted to destroy! |
1t is not an auspiclous time to hold out |
inducements to Geserters when the opposing |
army is confident that it is about to march |
into your citadel. Why should |
any portion of the Democratic party IN the |
south abandon their organization at time
when they fondly hope the Republican
party is on the eve OF dissolution Why
should they sell what they regard % a ceI7.
Jain chance for an uncertain one! Even'
granting what these arguments imply, that
he Democrats OF the South have 10 real |
'egard for their party, no attachment TO any
in if, it would be tie height OF folly
u their estimation 10 now attach themselves
q what seems to be 70 them a falling cause
n fact. the very offer OF liberal terms by
uch pspers as the New York Times tends
. in pire them with new confidence. lhty
9 gs,rd these tenders as dictated by dire
.pteSSlLN. NGtN Aiat tbC Ait- " N1t'S~ A'~'N
uJ by a starving garrison.
We are treated to the strsnge assertion
hat many Of the .best members ct Inc
Democratic party .'haye been in sympathy !
With it only on the old question OF denying
he negros rights. That is. the ''best NEIL
,ers" Of the Dem cratic party are those VINO
re opposed to equal rights for all American
itizens. and who have attached themselves
heretofore to the Democratic party. because
hat party was. in their opinion. the best
xponert of that opposition. 1t is the Con
-derates who have had but lone polite
egropho bia-whom fearful souls would
ave the Republican party so shape lis
olicy as to concillate., In oroer TO
ave these "best members" tHeaven
ave the mark the Republican party
INST 90 farther than the Demo
ratio party has done Ia opposing
II the rights of the colored Republicans
We must out Herod Herod in siaughterlnS3
ne innocents in order to win these ''beeS
lembers.7 They certainly will not desert
ne Democratic party for one that Is but a
,eble imitation of it in regard to this one
uestion which has tied them to the Do
locracy. They will not give the greater
,r the less-a certainty for an uncertainty
he long and the short Of it is, the kepuo