The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-28
THE RADICAL APPEAL TO THE
WHIGS.

ignorance, corruption and vice, and of thai
ring rule which is q chief characteristic Of
the Radical party, particularly in the South,
where for eight years it has held wild reve
of debauchery and even crime. Following
these newspaper paragraphs, which were I'M
doubleday intended only as its precursors,
comes to us pamphlet of fourteen pages de-
voted to the same purpose, from the Central
Executive Committee of the Republican
party. 1t will not be expected that we should
undertake to review this document, which
neither for weight Of argument nor ingenuity
of statement merits such treatment.
There is scarcely q sentence in it which does
not contain some palpable falsehood, readily
recognizable by every man who has lived in
Louisiana a twelvemonth; its logical con-
nection is loose and disjointed, and its rhet-
oric is so entirely composed of an appeal to a
wholly irrelevant and senseless prejudice that,
with intelligent men, it must countermine its
own design.
1t seems to us, however, proper that we
should repel the insinuation thus cast upon q
party which, whatever may have been its er-
rors, was, in the South at least, ever actuated
by patriotic motives, and the memory Of
which is still cherished with respect and
esteem even by its ancient opponents.
These politicians seem to have forgotten
that the Wing party followed in few months
its illustrious leader to the grave; that it died
and was buried in 1852; that the most valu-
able portion of its estate-that which it had
inherited from the old Republican party,
founded by Thomas Jeffrrson-passed, by
right of reversion, to the Democratic party,
while the remainder went to the Know
Nothing and Abolition parties, who claimed
a boasted utilization with it. And now the
hideous and misshapen progeny of the old
Federal party and abolitionism, nurtured ty
fathlessness and hypocricy, has the audacity
to claim the allegiance of those who never
the right Of its progenitors.
And upon what pretense is this demand
made? Upon one which is as insulting to the
as it is to the sentiments of the
followers of Henry Clay. Be-
cause, forsooth, they have heretofore had
differences of opinion with the Democratic
party upon subjects, all of which MY be re-
garded as definitely settled, they should re-
fuse to coalesce with it in the defense Of
cause which has always been equally dear to
both. The great impending issue of the day
is the right of the States to self-government,
and on this great question, on which
Henry Clay stood side by side with John G.
Calhoun, when it was in no such peril as 1t is
o-oay, the followers Of the former are called
1pon to ally themselves with the advocates OF
/ consolidation and despotism, such as even
he Federalists of better days would have re-
,oiled from with horror.
The kind and peaceful measures of Ulysses
Grant are such as could never have entered
he imagination of John Adams, even when |
n his most despotic temper. man thor
,ughly veIsed in the history of the English |
Constitution, and really cherishipg profound
egard for its principles into whatever errors
10 may have been led by vain fears of the
Iangers then threatening Europe, could never
ave contemplated, for a moment, an assault
pom liberty such as the highest Of those
which an ignorant malignity made acceptable
o the mind of U. S. Grant. Yet even the
arty which supported Mr.. Adams in his
exaggerated views of the authority of the
FEDERAL government was overwhelmed by the
Id Republican party organized by Thomas
and having the Virginia and Ken
49, ~oool,k;ope nc ito Mo form
As member of this party Henry Clay made
is first appearance in public life,s and under
IS banner were the victories of his early days
chieved nor did he ever, in his long career
) a political leader, prove recreant to the
rinciples then imbibed. Differences Of opin-
IN as to the details of public policy arose be-
yeen him and his old associates, but never
id he swerve from the great original prin-
piles of Republicanism, the derivative, and,
conse quence, the limited nature of the
ederal power, and the complete autonomy of
le States. Had tiny such traitorous assault
yainst the latter as that committed by Gen.
rant in Louisiana in 1872 and again last JAN
airy been made during his life, is there
ian who doubts that his clarion voice would
ave been heard above the storm of public
ldignation summoning the people to arms?
nd do the perpetrators of these acts now
ave the audacity to claim from his followers
lnction and approval for their desperate
-imes? Was ever such an insult offered to an
onorable body of men? What true-hearted
lember of the cid Wing party will not resent
le imputation that his connection with that
rganization could possibly warrant the pre-
imption that he might be made the instru-
ent of set of vile wretches in plundering
lie property of his fellow-ci;izens and destroy
,g the liberties Of his country, and that he
ould be such an idiot as to be bribed to the
ommission of so base an act by the promises
S. B. Packard and w. p Kellogg, which
ave been so often dishonored that no man
IN be found on the street who would take
lem at ninety eight per cent discount?
The great question of the day is the right
local self-government, before which all