The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-18
SOUTHERN PARTIES OF THE FUTURE
OPINIONS AND PREDICTIONS.

writes from Montgomery. Ala, voluminou
letter to the New York Herald, which tina
journal prints and comments on at som
length, accepting the writer's statements a
truth.
Having had the curiosity to read the letter
we will present and analyse some of the state
ments made by the writer.
Tradition lives longer among the Southern
whites than with us. How else can you accoun
for the fact that you hear everywhere OF Wings
and that the real division OF political parties II
those States which nave seen is between wing
and Democrats? 10 Louisiana the Wing pref
dice and dislike against Democrats is 80 strong
that the party leaders found it necessary to adop
the name Conservative. In Arkansas the Whie
leaders are quietly seeking out their follower 8
In Alabama when you hear OF sn Independent
candidate just now, he is most likely to have beer
an old Wing. In Missis sippi, even, there are
Wings, but they have as yet no ground to stand
on Whenever Federal interference in the loca
affairs of these States the color line will be
broken and the popu alton will divide into Wings
and Democrats.
The distinction in Louisiana between
Wigs and Democrats, and the use Of the
name Whig" as party designation, ceased
in Louisiana twenty years ago. The Native
American party then succeeded the Whie
party, and absorbed the principal part of its
members. Many Wings who were Catholics,
and many others who were born in Europe,
declined adhesion to the new party, while
some of the more youthful Democrats espoused
it. Those who had been Wings were made
candidates and even leaders in the Demo
cratic party. The name of "Whig" was no
longer a designation, nor has there been
either Wing party or Wing candidates in
this State or adjoining States since 1854.
Those who were Wings before that date
have been elected to many important magis-
terial and legislative positions. In the last
canvass before the war an old line Wing of
forty years standing, an opponent of the
American party, was nominated and elected
to the second off in the State on the DEM
ocratic ticket, receiving not less than ten
thousand votes from those who had once been
members of the Wing party. At this time the
distinction is wholly unknown. There is no
such party as the Wing party. To call any
young man Wing is simply absurd; to call
any old man a Wing is to invoke designa-
ton which has no longer a meaning.
All party distinctions were merged in the para
mount issue of the war of secession, and not
even the name of the American party has been
claimed by any class from 1861 to this hour.
The people of the State were literally unani-
nous in carrying on the war of secession.
Party distinctions wholly ceased, and party
animosities along with them. The political
traditions of hate and hostility became not
dormant, but dead, in the presence of the
stupendous litigation of the war; They can
not be revived otherwise than in the vigorous
imagination of the Heralds correspondent.
At some future day, when Louisiana is
again free from Federal intermeddling and
usurpation, our people may divide on local
questions. In any event one party will be
Democrats; in no event will any opposition
party take the name of "Whigs," or in any
manner recognise the name as distinguish.
ing epithet. The distinction is a thing which
pertains to the past as much as the name Of
" Federalist," "Anti-Mason or know
Nothing" Neither will the white opposition
take the name of Republicans, which noun
tains of scoundrelism have made absolutely
and incurably odious to our people. 1t is
possible that in the distant future event con-
templated. the white opponents of the Demo-
cratic purity of that era in Louisiana will as |
sumo the convenient but indefinite name Of
Independents, but whatever nams they take,
neither they nor their opponents will ever ask
whether they are Wings or the sons of Wings. |
Mr. Nordhoff descants at length upon the
in which the vote of the negroes will
be cast when the influence of their Radical
drivers and organizers, "the petty Federal
shall have been withd drawn,
predicting that it will be greatly influenced
by the whites of both parties.
After suggesting the propriety of an educl-
tional qualification for voters of all colors he
discusses the causes of the poverty observed
by him in Arkansas Louisiana, Mississippi
and Alabama, which he imputes to crop fail
ures, political robbery, loss Of slave property
and diversion of commerce by new railway
lines. He omits all mention OF the most
effective cause of Southern poverty, the
tribute which Southern exports are compelled
% pay as duties on imports and as bounties to
he mill owners of the North. Take this tax
rom Southern exports, "a tariff on imports
being nothing else,) and in five years no more {
complaint would be heard Of the poverty Of
he people of the Southern States.
Mr.. Nordhoff takes note of the fact that
PLANTERS owe but little money, and that plant
ng has come to cash basis. He predicts G
hat the Southern people will be weather. o
han ever. Notwithstanding the loss of slave
property, but that in the redistribution of !
wealth the classes who were formerly wealthy S
Vill become comparatively poor.
He predicts that Southern Democrats, when q
hey resume control, will not be able to return 9
0 the old system of extreme low taxes, for
be reason that negroes, having become citi
ems, necessarily cost more to the State than L
nder the simple and summary dispensation n
plantation Justice. True as this NAV ha