The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-29
A SERIOUS MISTAKE.

A SERIOUS MISTAKE.
In the course of summary of the evil
which foreign war would entail the Wash
ington Capital says:
The unsettled condition Of the South, tina
we have reconstructed into q weakness. l
enough in itself to call halt when courtlnI
a foreign war. Gen. Sheridan can now dis
perse Legislature elected by the people witt
a corporal's guard and a telegram from tn
War Department. We are well aware thai
this does not originate in any respect Tor OF
love Of Government that has not only plum
dered but oppressed the Southern people
until life has become o burden. The suffer.
ing people Of the South prefer from policy
only, the ballot of the North to the bayonet
Of the South The policy, however. might
be different were we SO involved in a foreign
war as to render it impossible for us to en-
ploy troops in Louisiana This wild Irish
man, Phil Sheridan, would find occupation
enough elsewhere, and we might find the
Southern Confederacy suddenly reinstated be-
yond recall through our own folly and wick
edness.
In his effort to accumulate reasons against
a war with Spain, the writer falls into grave
error. To allege that the people of the South,
in the event of the employment of the army
and navy abroad, would take advantage of
their absence to " reinstate the Southern
Confederacy," or in any manner revolt
against the Federal Government is to the last
degree uni ust. Assuming that the writer has
no untriendly purpose, we yet regret that our
position III the South should be so Unknown
and the spirit which governs our people so
81, e
the Capital knows, or should know, that the
presence Of troops in this and other Southern
States has sometimes caused and always az
gravated public discomfort. He knows, or
ought to know, that public troubles in the
South since the war have been few and short
lived where the blue uniform of the United
States army has been most seldom seen.
He knows or ought to know that vagabonds,
aliens and adventurers are the cause Of South |
ern dissatisfaction, and the fruitful source of
Irregularities He remembers, too, or ought to
remembsr how promptly Gen. Forrest whose
service in the Confederate army was 50 bril-
liant and successful, offered to the President
brigade of volunteers to invade Cuba in pur-
probable early result Of the Virginius out
rage, and he should remember the compli
nent then paid to Forrest by the General of
he United States army. This silly outcry
about new rebellion ought no. to mis-
cad enlightened journalists like the editor of
he spicy CaptM.
II the Government 'has not only plundered
,ut oppressed the Southern people until life
las become a burden as alleged we have
10 desire to make it more preda cious and
more oppressive by the provocation of new
evolt. As the Government is wrong we
Tant it changed, either by change of senti-
nent within the body of the party which
hall lead to its publication, or by the transfer
the Government to the hands Of another 9
arty from whose agents better things may be v
oped for. No government at Washington 8
lat shall keep within constitutional lines 7
ad act fairly and honorably, can fail i
have the support and sympathy of :.
lie Southern people, but even if the
overnment of the Republic continues :
be corrupt plundering and oppressve; d
en- if it becomes much worse, and much u
ore in open defiance to equity and the funda- .,
entail law than now even if the outcropping
the imperial spirit should be followed BY =.
G adoption Of imperial forms, and a COM "
etc change should be consummated, not ei
en- then will the people of the South lead
attempting its overthrow. Let the patriots
the West and the North look well to the
lniments of their political rights. When
other fight is needed in support of consti- ma
ional rights, they must inaugurate it and co
intain it. Ne