New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-17
wa,tersen Heard From.

C0f0On, OF A60C0CKys 1Ox u PEOoA0WeSA"AA
from New Orleans.
In the first place. Mr.. Watterson assures
us that tho peace of New Orleans is not IN
danger of being broken. Therefore. 1t seems
to him great outrage to send troops to tnls
city of brotherly love and affection. we
have had several examples of the profound
state of peace into which New Orleans oc.
casionaily falls-the peace that happened
to her little more than two years agO-0ne
September day, for instance it is our
opinion when she msnifests these pacific
symptoms that few companies OF troops
may be in the neighborhood of where they
can do the most good, when in her streets.
1t pleases Mr.. Watterson to speak in
highly disrespectful terms of the authorities
in New Orleans. We do not see what ad.
vantage he and those who are represented
can hope to derive from this coaree de-
nunciation. Louisiana has State govern
ment that must in this crisis be recognized
and respected. There ls no other way OF
managing the affair.
We are told by Mr.. Watterson that all
the Irresponsible elements of society" in
New Orleans are for the Democratic can
diaxte. Irresponsible elements Of society"
is not Democratic phrase. 1t smacks OF
the conceit of caste.
When the highly educated and comfort.
ably housed church-going capitalists and
larger taxpay ers of the Northern cities. call
themselves the irresponsible classes" and
and the ignorant who disagree with them
and outvote them, they do not get much
comfort from the Democratic party.
Why should the same pretensiOns that
the vote of one class Of citizens is better
than another be secuted in the North and
held sacred in the South by the same
partyf
The colored citizens Of Louisiana are
stigmatized by Mr.. WattersOD as An army
of field hands; but we are willing to accept
the phrase-an army of field hands are as
safe citizens as the bummers of the wards
of our boastful cities. We believe in the
people who produce something in the fields
as we'll as in the shops.
The right of suffrage is sacredly guaran-
teed by the constitution to those field
hands, and it was upon the condition they
should vote that the Confederstes we're al
lowed to resume their rights as citizens of
the United States.
1t does not become the Southern people
who speak of themselves as composing the
respectable element of society to forget
this, or to accompany their remembrance
Of it by remarks that imply their intention,
at the earliest opportunity, to nullify the
amendments Of the constitution that are
the treaty of peace between the North and
the South.
What we want in Louisiana, and all that
we want, lie, that the vote shall be counted
according to law.
Upon the presumption that the ''respon-
sible elements had right to disfrsnchise
the field hands, at least two Republican
States of the South have been carried for
the Democratic candidate.
In Mississippi and Alabama the field
hands did not have the protection in the
laws against intimidation that ls secured to
them in Louisiana, and those States sue
combed to the shotgun policy almost with
out q murmur.
This does not to ue, however, seem to be
Q sufficient reason why the people of Lou
isiana, in the largest sense, should not have
the benefit OF their laws. Therefore, not
withdrawing the feeling of the responsible
elements of society,"" we shall stand in the
Louisiana controversy by the rights of the
people-the full legal rights Of the field
hands to have their ballots peaceably re-
ceived and recorded.
that the laws are especially made to protect
and preserve The rich and responsible
can take care of themselves.
If there are evils growing out of the right
of the ignorant and the poor to vote, the
cure for those evils is in the enlightenment
and elevation Of the mass of men-n0t in
self-constituted responsibility in the cities
assuming inalienable rights to rule over the
peasantry.
Mr. Watterson may not know it, but the
doctrine that he proclaims is full of diff
Guilty and danger, and when the Democratic
party assumes it the last pretense OF ponu-
lar principle departs from that psrty.-Cin-
einnati Commercial