New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-16

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fHE pSl1ocRAoY oBsrRucr PRoaaEsa
The doctrines held by the Southern De-
mocracy before the war vsrss avee'e %
anv change of social or industrial policy.
They had succeeded in so bandaging
the ideas of the Southern people that they
had not ship, workshop or railway OF
any extent of connections. The guard OF
was placed over domestic
and fore ign immigration. The southern
States grew alone by their own natural
and normal increase, aud exchanged the
gold values of their products for labor
that they now import for nothing, and tor
commodities which might have, in great
part, been made as well at home as in
other parts of the United States.
The Southern Democracy has not since
the war changed its material policy. 1t
has never relied upon the development OF
of that common education and mixed in
dustries which are the common policy OF
all modern progress in Europe as IN
America. Democracy continues its an
Gent policy Of subsidizing distant pollt-
ical stipendiaries with the largess OF Office
It has departed from its ancient doctrine
however, in other important particulars.
Formerly it professed uniformity Of doc
trine; now it expressly gives dispensation
to Democrat to profess any principles
or hold any latitude of opinion, provided
he shall support the ticket. A start
ling specimen Of this last absoluton
is afforded by the recent division OF the
Democratic members Of Congress upon
the question of hard money or redundant
currency. The names are annexed OF
those Democrats who will advocate flush
money without thereby affecting the mem
bership of those inflationists in the party
of jackson and Benton. We can not
forbear to liken this strategy to
that which distinguished Colonel Davis,
Of Mississippi, at the battle, we believe
of Buena Vista. He threw his regiment
into the form of the letter Y, and 80 re-
ceived the enemy with concentrated
fire from both wings. We have now
the hard money Democrats on one wing
and the flush money Democrats upon the
other, pouring their harmonious ire into
the Republican ranks. Instead of di-
vision which weakens, we are to appre-
bend cross fire that renders them tar
more formidable.
With the recognized license to put on
any disguise under which they can enter
the Republican lines, the Democratic
strategy has been degraded to very little
better than bushwhacking. tits, perhaps,
the more formidable for that reason.
Since the vehement endeavor to secure
the Intervention Of England and France
in the late war, the Democracy seem en-
amored of the monarchies and ecclesi-
archs of Europe. When Franklin and
Jefferson and Monroe were abroad. each
brought back an enhanced regard for their
own form of government, and renewed de-
testation of the crimes and fripperies of
European aristocracy. Mr.. Jefferson,
writing of the French revolution, main
tanned that the bloodshed was cheap
price for the liberty of the people. The
Democratic ministers and agents abroad
neither desired nor inculcated such op!n-
ions. They returned with an enhanced
contempt for the simplicity of their own
government, when contrasted with the
military discipline over the people, and
fhe splendor of the foreign courts. 1t is
observable that Southern Democracy has,
since the war, inveighed against the de-
fects and abuses of Republican govern.
ment, chosen by Republican majority o.
the people. The effect of these teachings
is naturally to create a popular prejudice
at the South against the republican torn
Of government.
The Southern Democracy has not since
the war manifested any capacity for pro
eress. It's voice is of lamentation for the
past and of indignation against the
present state of society.
The liberation of great element o.
labor did not destroy the productive
forces of that labor. On the contrary,
Southern society has, as the result of that
labor, exported more values than pre-
viously. Has Southern Democracy recog.
nized the value of this labor? 1t has re.
garded the emancipated people in a
single point of view. that of political
jealousy.
Regarding men as but voters, useful
alone to gain Office, Southern Democracy
has accepted the field labor with the
mental and mechanical services Of the
emancipated, but constituted itself a
White League for the notification OF
their vote, unless they will consent to
place it at Democratic disposal. The Dem
ocratic party, hostile to change, proposing
no progress, intent only in exciting a
sectional hostility which may again place
them in power, offer nothing except
hatred, stagnation and poverty to the
people of the South.
There is an amount of respectable des-
titution in the South which pains the
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