New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-13
BROKE THE CHILLS.

Human nature is little weak. 1t is a
| little timid. Human nature has family
to support. Colored humanity has a vote
and living to lose. 1t is, therefore, not
surprising that the average citizen, who
loves peace and abhors minority, should
have stood in some uncertainty as to his
political action The most violent Sec
tionalists have taken control Of the South
ern opposition, and thousands who really
dread them more than they do the Repub-
licans have stood silent or followed with
| indifference the rabid leaders at the head
of the column. There is always a per-
centage who go into battle with an honor
able determination to drop into the first
ditch, or employ the first occasion to carry
off crippled comrade, nor do they always
find their way back into the ranks.
In Louisiana political business and
social intimidation has done its work. It
has prevented many from avowipg their
love for the Union and their fidelity to the
settlement Of the war.
With the colored voters many have
been held in dread by the open acts Of
violence in the country and threats to dis
charge in the city. The effect of the
campaign argument, chiefly made by col
ored orators, has been to convince the
colored citizens that vote withheld or
given to Democrat at this election may
be equivalent to remuneration Of the
right of suffrage and a reduction Of wages
to rations, and light ratiors at that. This
representation, backed by the actual
practice in Texas, Georgia, Mississippi
and Alabama, has produced signal eff
feet. The colored citizen is now more
afraid not to vote the Republican ticket
than he is to vote it. If he votes
the Republican ticket he may have
to 60 without wages for the next two or
three weeks, when his employer will be
obliged to send for him. If he does not
vote the Republican ticket his wages may
be fixed by his employer and his vote SO
nullifed by conditions that the colored
voter will drop out of politics in the
manner recommended and practiced in
Democratic Alabama. The result of the
State elections in Ohio and Indiana has
dispelled the apprehensions of the mod
crate white people; it has given renewed
courage to the colored citizens. To their
honor be it SAID, that they, the colored
citizens, were banded and determined to
stand by the r epublican banner if they
should be slaughtered around it. 1t was
with them death or liberty. To their
glory they were as true as before the late
elections as they are now We believe
that they would have met martyrdom
with as true heroism as did those
of their race who, having en-
joyed freedom IN Hayti for several
years under the general edict of
universal liberty, were sentenced again
to bondage, and were hunted. shot,
hanged and drowned by the French gov
eminent. in its attempt to reduce the ne
groes again to bondage. We have antici-
pated nothing, II is true, SO barbarous, in
Louisiana, but we feel better assured
against individual violence. when there is
a prospect Of Federal protection and of
Federal justice.
To have seen the orderly bands which
through our streets las. night,
with the immense throngs of white and
colored which surrounded the stand of
the grand Republican meeting last night,
at Washington square, would have salts
fed any one that the Republicans stand
unawed and indivisible, and that the
chills Of intimidation and intolerance
nave been broken, We hope, for good and !
ILL.,