New Orleans Republican., 1875-01-24
An ex-SoIdier Speaks.

officer, and a ten years resident OF TINS
State, ] can not refrain from saying q word ol
two regarding your recent editorials
Grand Army of the Republic" and why
Not Sneak" and Furthermore, to notice al
article in last Sundays Picayune purportine
to come from an ''ex,U Union officer undel
Sheridan" and assuming to answer "why
they don't speak"
4 The writer of the Picay,tne article in
dulges in TRADE of abuse, now SO much il
vogue, of the general government. His
| sweeping denunciation of all brother officers
who differ from him in opinion, and the
selfish, degrading motives he assigns fol
that difference of opinion, stamps him al
an utter extremist, incapable of calm, relia
BILE testimony. AS an evidence of lack o.
| generosity or of kindly fraternal feeling
toward those with whom (if we are to be
lieve his signature) he once moved shoulder
to shoulder in the battles for the Union, his
article is to the point, and may well RAISE
the question whether he was ever in reel
| sympathy with them, on the principles fol
which they fought.
He is, most likely, among the unfortu.
nate few who struggled into the army with
out aim or purpose, and, perhaps, has been
| wondering ever since what he was fighting
for. Such men would be clearly incapable
of Judging of the merits of an issue like the
present, and probably would not care the
toss of copper which side they went over
| to.
We are informed by this ex.Union stlicer,
that the class of officers he represents ''are
no sufferers from the recently invented
bugbears, outrage and ostracism.'
And why should they suffer! They have
struck their colors, practically tby their
silence on such matters) renOunced the
principles of republican government, and
are at peace with the White League.
The author of the Picayune article knows
very vel, that any Outspoken sentiments on
bis part in defense of RepublicaDism, at the
present time-when the entire Southern
press proclaims the early dissolution of the
republic, and the scattering to the winds of
the principles of Republicanism-would
result in social and business "ostraoism."
And it is this last, the effect in business, he
fears.
With more charity than he showed for
his brother officers I will not brand his
motives and acts as utterly degraded. He
signs himself Merchant" as well as Eek
Union Officer" Doubtless a thorough
analysis of his business affairs would betray
what is not uncommon to many of our mer-
chants in good standing, namely-that he
has dangerous ground to cross, financial
snags to avoid, and hence can not afford TO
make even one enemy, Let not such man
hope for discounts IN banks if he has run
counter TO that intoleraRt spirit of the
minority which seems determined to rule
or ruin.
What Union man will forget the same
spirit of intolerance that, like pestilence,
sweep through the South in 1861; all the
more violent because upthinking and un
reasoning among the massesl
Ten years is far too short time for
defeated section to forget that defeat, OF to
forget their own fatal errors. Talk about
"clasping hands across the bloody chasm."
In heavens name was not that done freely
and fully on one side when amnesty was
again extended to the Southern whitesl
And how was that amnesty receivedl In
grim silence, yet with twinkle of the eye
which said, ''the cause is not lost yet; our
turn will come
Pledges and promises made to the color
ed man in convention are now hippantly
referred to as "a little cOquetting with the
negro" Prior to the election every pTin-
ciple of republican liberty was violated in
the threats of discharge, and "the refusal to
furnish supplies to planters" who did not
move Obediently to Democratic dictation.
As late as November 5, the White League
press declared as one of the secrets of
their success, /" the dismissal from employ
menu o. all political enemies" This was
never denied until the election was over
and the full benefit of the infamous threat
was realized. Then, in the face Of an in.
dignant North and West, q cool denial was
in order, and has been the order of the day
ever since. Has Merchant and ex. Union
Officer" ever denounced such gross viola
tiOns of republican principles No, and if
he did, social and business Ostracism would
be the penalty. A few designing men, de.
termined to get control of the labOring
classes, have manufactured public senti
ment, and backed by bishops who declare
they are not in favor of universal suffrage,
have brought that unmerciful whip OF igno-
rant, bitter intolerance again into the social
and business world, and are cracking it
about our ears right royalty.
Tell US, gentlemen Of the Democracy, if
you are to begin with limiting suffrage. will
you bring out your ignorant hordes that
make up the rank and file of organizations
like Tammany, and for every cOlOred man
you lop off the list of voters, will you take
some interesting high private of Tammany
who can neither read nor write, and cancel
his name as wells
"
appear to think that 10000 white ignoram-
uses, who can't speak word of English,
are, if only well fortified with rum and the
proper ticket, far safer voters than 10000
sober colOred men. From such unrighteous
discrimination good Lord, deliver u.s."
should be added 10 the Litany.
And here let me ask if it is natural to
suppose that those who, by fear of dis
charge from plantation work. bringing to
themselves and little ones utter poverty
and starvation unless they resOrted to
stealipgl Is it natural to suppose that those
who were driven by such fear to vote the
Democratic ticket would readily come tor
ward and testify to the fact before any in
vestigating committee They are not be-
yond discharge yet, and the same fear that
prompted them to the first act would also
prompt them TO silence regarding that Act
A few might stray in and give testimony,
but the masses of the blacks so bullied over
would hold their place, and very wisely, so
far as their bread and butter is in question.
A New York gentleman who owns a plan
tation not far from this city, met me at the
POstOffiee few days ago, and gave me q
long account of his experience the past few
years in planting. "ME negroes think the
world of me-" he said. 81 have paid them
promptly, fed them generously, settled
their disputes for them without their calling
in justice, and in every way treated them
kindly He added after pause, II thought
had enough influence over them to get
them to vote with me, and / told them
should vote against the Radical ticket,
that they were all thieves on that
ticket" ETC., (the usual stereotyped abuseJ
land what do you think they didi They
QUnrU Of hanb nm ma nd