The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-08-04
RADICAL REspEorABILIrY.

when he ran before, and he is at the remain
der Of the margin. He has been through thu
State pretty thoroughly, and the Republican,
are in good spirits. 1t is entirely respectable
now in Kentucky to be Republican, and, il
spite Of the prevailing impression in thu
country. two. thirds of the Kentucky Republi
cans are white men.
In 1870 the total white population of Ken
lucky was 1,098, 500; total colored 222, 30
In 1871 the vote of the State was 126, All
Democrat, against SO, 294 for Harlan, Repub
iican; total population 1920, 9O2, total vote
2l5, TAI; showing that the voters were about
one to every six inhabitants. This would
give about 81, 900 colored votes, all Rspubli.
can, and about 81, 900 white Republican votes.
Gov. Leslies majority over Harlan was 81, 1853.
Greeley . majority was 1929. his total vote
being $685. In fifteen out of the past six.
teon years Kentucky has given Democratic
majority ranging from about 1000 to $4,000
1t is not probable that Gen. Harlan, although
popular with his party and much respected
for ability, has increased much the Republi-
can vote of 1871.
Opinions will differ as to whether it is
"entirely respectable" for white Kentuck-
ian now to be Republican. We should be
unwilling to allege that all of the ffty-two
thousand white men in Kentucky, who voted
for John Harlan in 1871, were otherwise than
respectable. Kentucky has long been very
thoroughly Democratic State, but any time
before the war there was powerful and GER
tainly very respectable Wing or American
majority. When the secession of the South.
ern States occurred large majority of the
people preferred to 60 with the South, and in
spite Of obstacles their actions and sympa-
thies were with the Confederates; yet there
was strong minority Union party opposed
to the Confederate cause, all of whose men,
be rs adhered to the Federal Government, and
many of whom took up arms against the Con-
federates. In such q state of things party
feeling ran very high between the Confeder-
ates and the Unionis's in Kentucky, and dur
ing all the years from 1866 to 1873 the storm
of party passion ragged with much vehemence
retrospective view was taken of the votes |
an6 opinions of the people, and those who
side with the enfranchised negroes and ad-
hered to the Republican party, were, in vary
ing degrees, odious to those who had sympa-
thized with the cause represented by Lee,
Johnston, jackson, Polk and their own Breck-
nridge.
Kentucky Democrats, who were compelled
o go to the polls side by side with their
ormer slaves, could not be expected to look
With complacent liberation upon the men
Who voted with the negroes, being the same
men who had helped to make the negroes
'oters. Whatever the Republicans thought
4 themselves or of one another, the Democrats
lid not hold them as men highly respectable,
md did not hesitate to let them know the low
stimate in which they were held. In fact,
hey made little disguise in holding their
lack and white opponents in about the same
'atetogory. In politics as elsewhere men must
xpect to be judged by the company they /.
eep. Harlan's party will be sure to have the
enefit Of the negro strength, but it will be
qualIy certain to suffer in Democratic estima-
on from the odor of Africanism that attaches
, them.
It is well known that in all sections of the
outhern States there are many white voters
no have no especial love for the Democratic
arty, end who would operate with any oppo-
ton party that was really respectable; but
hstever Gen. Harlan and white Kentucky
epublican voters may think, there are but
w white Southern voters who consider the
adical party respectable, or who are willing I"
cooperate with any party whose main !,
rength consists of negroes. The white men r,
ho have acted heretofore with the Radical b
epublicans of the Southern States, and "
pecially such as have been prominent as =
ndidates and ofice-holders, have seldom
en- of the class which can with strict pro- ;,
iety be called respectable. The odium =,
,ich attaches to Southern Radicals will :,
ng to the white remnants of the party for oe
many years as our decent inhabitants can .,
member the frauds and abuses perpetrated a.
ainst them during the past ten years. ~
We wish 1t to be understood however, that :.
telligent Democrats of the South do not :,
]ge of the Republicans of the North by the 3,
sreputable specimens of the party who
We crowded into Southern offices. As re- -.
rds morality, intelligence, patriotism and :.
neral responsibility Northern Republicans =,
fce-holders not being included), average g.,
out on par with Northern Democrats. :.
70 vast numbers of them who last year D,
andoned their corrup. leaders and con. -,
mned the folly and wickedness of their !.
ers is very good evidence that they have =;
, sense to see what is wrong and the con-
ence to eschew it. But facts and circum
noes forbid any such favorable estimate of
1thern white Republicans, who can never
'ome respectable" as long as they are the ST
Mons and allies Of the power which gals, Or
l Expresses and persecutes us. in,
n distant future years, when the votes of ge
yroes become relatively less important, and tn
en- we shall no longer be obliged to contend ge
inst the outrageous misrule of a govern wi
mt perverted in its instincts, mad with ha