New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-17
THE POLITICAL SITUATION
HAYES. Wheeler and Packard the
Ticket for Louisiana.
Speech of X. Hutcheson, Esq, In New
Orleans, September 2, 1876.

Again has Louisiana come up TO TIT
Csudipe Forks. Two roads are open II
her-the rieht one aud the wrong one. Tit
enc is marked with bloody footprints ana
which if followed will lead only to greater
disaster in the future; the other 10 free
Dlear and smooth, leading out of the vii
derness Of fiiictOn TO q higher plane where
peace and prosperity may be enjoy ed. Ii
the white people OF Louisiana repeat the
circle of Jolly which has brought go much
distress upon them; if they take the wrong
road this tune, they will do go with the 1uil
light of experience beaming upon their
pathway. We are all in the same boat,
white and black ,Northerner and Southerner,
Yankee and Confederate, destined to sur
vive or perish together, and the first and
essential thing to give assurance OF tinal
and permanent solution OF Louisiana diff
culties 10 to have q free Interchange and
comparison of views between all classes
and conditions upon all public questions,
in which all citizens OF whatever origin OF
nativity or race CAN freely discuss the stu
alton and suggest remedies and cast their
votes without fear aud with perfect tolers-
ton for all opposing views. Men must rs
ceive credit and consideration according to
their merits and capacity TO serve the pub
lie, and not according to their nativity or
color. Until these things can be said of
Louisiana politics, the primary conditions
Of q proper solution OF the questions that
affect ue are absent, and We will be lett to
drift on a sea Ut chance.
speak to you to-day not as a politician,
but as citizen feeling that interest in the
affairs of my adopted State which all cili-
zens have whose homes, and families, and
prospects in lite are bound up for good or
evil in the future of Louisiana. Seven
years ago l came to New Orleans with the
belief that this grand old Southern netrop-
oils had grand future more inviting than
any other city of the continent. l believed
that the new South which was rising IRON
the ruins OF the old South would be- a much
superior as the principles and Institutions
of free State are better calculated to de-
velOp and advance people than the prin-
ciDles and institutions of the old slavery
BY stem. l came to Louisiana just as /
might have gone to California, or any other
State to which l might, in my privilege As
an American citizen, have desired to make
. change. Ii TO be Northern man is to
be carpet-bagger, l will have to be called |
one; and if said ia reprOacb, shall not su |
accept it, but shall always he proud of my |
nativity. But if the word is descriptive Of |
D person whO comes with unworthy motives,
10 make gains by unworthy means and then |
1epart-if any such there bet would be !
unjust to class me there, for l have the best |
evidence that do not belong to that lucky |
category. l have, indeed, found i dilhrllt |
to discover what is exactly meant b. .'o..g-
pet Dagger There is my friend Packard,
the Republican candidate for Governor
ne Is called d carpet-bagger; but l find
hat he has BEEN living here foe
,ast fourteen years; that he married
! r, and has al his. interests here,
md have no doubt intends to remain in
Louisiana whether he is elected Governor
,r nos. Why should he be called carpet
,aggers Ii all The tx federal officers and
Oldlers who concluded to re aain in the
south at the end of the war, if all Northern
men who have come South to reside since
he war are to be characterized by oppro-
'riOus epithets, Osfracised in social life and
prescribed in business; it all resident Union
eople who failed to appreciate the Weldon
t secession and sympattized with the
ause Of the government during the war,
rs still to be pursued with vindictive ana |
ostile spirit by those who took different
lew of these dnties; if all these classes are
, be waived to the rear, ignored and des
,sed, then l say that the first steps 10
eace have not yet been taken, and the
rimary lesson of our American institutions
ave not yet been learned by the people Of
he South. / near great deal said about
this people," and about the Salvation Of
,9uisiaua" Who constitute ''tEis people,"
nd what is meant by the "salvation OF
II any thing less is meant by
this people" than all citizens Of the State,
iithOut regard t. origin, race or color, the |
description is too limited, and the scheue
f salvation is imperfect. Professionalism
nd the doctrine OF the elect may 90 in re-
gion, but nothing ebert Of uniyersullsm |
I'LL be tolerated in politics. This narrow
Octrine would prove more disastrous in |
Olitics than in religion, because in Louisi-
ma we are all to be lost or all saved to- |
other.
Ii there il any man or set of men press
& to their bOsOms the delnsive unction of |
] imprescrlptiDle right to rule in Louisiana, |
lat delusOh should be dismissed at once |
10 right of the majority in Louisiana. as
every other State, is the only sanctitied |
ght to rule under our institutions, ana it |
ould be heard and needed, for il ia torti
ID and defended oy the whole power Of
o American government and people.
lt il not right for the negro to say that he
II govern Louisiana. because his race aud '
lor are in the majority; il is not right for {
0 White Lacquer to say that he will gov :
j, beOauss he belongs to the superior race !
d ID bGst quslided to govern; it is not
hit for the ex-COnlederate element to cay
q it should BE- allowed to govern, be- q
me- of its past devotion 20 the lost cause;
4 NOT right tor the Old Unionists and ex- 7
deral soldiers IL onf nidst TO claim tao 9
BIT TO govern, beoonoe they assisted IN :
nraaNrystiOn or tho 0nisn n = desper- D
struegIe. All such diviaigne Of our cit 2
~ sEs not legitimate party eFgan'ssuons .