New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-06
TIE PRESIDENTS HAMBURG LETTER

President Grant does not write such
long and labored letters, or so often, as
A. H. Stephens or Samuel Tilden, but
when he does write he says great deal
more than both of these windy gentlemen
put together. To paraphrase the remarks
Of the Picay,tae, his letter to Governor
Chamberlain is what might have been ez-
pected in view Of his devotion to his otf-
cial duties, his clear and firm but just
determination to execute the laws, and
his solicitude for the welfare of the South
ern people. The tone Of the letter shows
that he has heard the Hamburg story
fully, in all its horrors, including tie
fatal admissions and attempts at palliation
of Hamburg Butler. There was no need
for Governor Chamberlain to write to IN
form him or any one else Of the sichly
details in all their horrors, for they flew
over the country with lightning speed,
both by post and telegraph. Eighteen
natives Of the South killed, and seven or
eight Of them in cold blood, while prison
ers, unarmed and defenseless, may well
be called such deed 'as would scarcely
be accredited to savages, much less to
civilized and Christian people"
1t should be borne in mind that the
people SO cruelty and cowardly slaugh-
tered at Hamburg were American citi-
zens, natives Of the South, hard working,
honest men, by whose labor the agrlcul-
tural wealth of the State wherein they
lived was developed. They can read
promises of the protection of the law in
the constitution and laws Of the United
States, and Of their own State, in the st.
Louis and Baton Rouge platforms, and
even faint promise Of the sort in Mr..
Tilden's letter. With such recognition,
being so highly guarded, and occupying
by nativity and habits, by their industry
and character, such prominent position
in the body polite, they naturally be-
come objects Of earnest executive solici-
tude. Yet, for raising his voice in their
behalf, Grant has already been denounced
as an enemy Of the Southern people.
By whom? Those who have subscribed
to all the articles Of the Hypocracy; who
have thrown up their hats in delight at
the St. Louis platform; jubilated over the
professions of Republican sentiments en-
bodied in the Baton Rouge platform; heart
lily approved" General Nichols manly
speech at Baton Rouge, and will swallow
Tilden's forced platitudes as matter of
course. These are the people who de-
nounce an executive as an enemy to the
Southern people because he insists that
native born citizens Of the South are enti-
tied to the protection of the laws. Of
what benefit are general declarations in
platforms, and letters and speeches of &C
ceptance, if the rights therein named are
to be exclusively reserved for special
class?
We will not attempt 3 comparison Of
merits between the slayers and tie VIC
tins Of Hamburg The laws Of God and
man treat all alike, and merit does not
enter into the question. One Of tie par
ties to the butchery has outraged human
ity and shocked the sense Of the civilized
world by their savage ferceness; the other
compelled admiration by their long suffer-
ing, patience and good conduct. The one
disgraces the State, the section and the
nation in which they live: the other chal-
lenges the respect Of good men every
where by their uncultured virtues. Their
weakness for defense appeals powerfully to
the humane for that protection and recog-
milton which their oppressors demand shall
remain dead letters on the statute books
and party platforms. A grain Of practice
is worth ton of empty profession, which
the Democrats would be wise to regard at
this time. If they want to secure the
colored vote they have chance now to
redeem some Of their promises. Let
them organize party strong enough to
60 into South Carolina, capture the But
lers and others engaged in the massacre
of colored prisoners and bring them to
the gallows they so richly deserve, and
then appeal to the negroes for their votes.
They could do SO after such an act Of JUS
tice with more consistency than while de-
nouncing the President and Governor
Chamberlain and singing r;eans j.. praise
Of the 'poble blood" and heightened char
;.cter of the miscreants who have wrought
this deep disgrace