The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-11-15
Hail Columbia.

The main column of the Federal
Army OF invasion has marched into
Columbia. the capital of &0nth Carroll
ma, while "tweDty fear companies arc
scattered over different portions of the
State" Sill! from Northern camps
and frontier forts the mastering dram,
lieat aud the bngIe's call gather the
gallant bands Df boys III blue, who ~
to the call of the carpet harrer Cham.
belain. The last time q Federal army
visited Columbia, it lett the town in
ashes. III twelve years of d question
able peace its Inhabitants have been
enabled to rebuild thcir homes; and
are prepared to receive the Federal
troops with a welcome befitting these
gallant defenders of their country
THE officers say they expected TO en-
ter active service Immediately, and
anticipated an attack on reaching the
State line. They express disgust on
learning the condition Of things in the
State" One would have imagined
that the officers Of the army were
somewhat better acquainted with the
state of existing affairs in their own
country. Probably they have been So
busiy occupied in their northern
or with preparing themselves for the
performance of police duties, that they
have had no time to examine the situa-
tion and to judge all its various pha
seS. fit be true that these officers
Anticipated an attack from the perse-
cuted, oppressed, yet patient citizens
OF long suffering State, they display
an ignorance lamentable in extent
and bynn means in keeping with the
spirit of the age. 1t seems that any
men, with the instincts of trne soldiers
and animated by the sense of honor
which is usually a part of the profas
sion, would have expressed open and
unqualified disgust at being ordered on
sucil an GRAND, aud made the nstru
ments to carry ont the designs Of {
brutal tyranny, which more resemble,
/ Turi,ish absolntism than Americat
| Repnblicanism. But they marched OF
I Die orders of their eminent commander
in chief with the alacrity ofjanSSaries
or Of praetorian cohorts, and like then
now are baillea and disguised because
they found no blood to spill.
Well, the citizens of the entire coun
| try ought to be satisfied now. The
advance columns Of Il second Fedora
army, after an uninterrupted marcl
from the sea, have reached Columbia
They found no disturbance, save few
bloody murders by negroes, in rhei
track; no disorders among the whites
no i'll conceded sentiment of revolu
| ton, aud no existing state of rebellion
The bowling fanatics Of the Nortl
have been staggered; the white car
pet baggers and scalawags OF the Soutl
are startled into the belief that thei
hypocrisy, fraud and villitication ar
being made known to all By the frui;I
of this military move on South Caro-
lima; and the credulity OF the NOR,
| ignorant among the Northern masse
as to Southern outrages has been strHcl
blow from which it can hardly recover
The private rife clubs and magma
ry regiments or Tie chlVatfy nave, a
it were, disappeared from the face o
the earth. Yet, an insolent, threaten
ing negro militia, armed with "fnrt.
thousand rifles" remains organize
and intact, eager to give full sway t
its pent-up fury and frenzy wheneve
| Dog Merrill, Don Cameron, or Bos
Grant shall give the nod. Who now i
guilty of revolution? Who stands ar
rayed in open rebellion against th
laws of the country and against tina
higher law OF universal Justice? Is
the people of an oppressed State, or
it the brutal President who violate
| tie oath that he swore and turns hi
promised peace into an accurscd wa
I against the liberties Of the people
IN. 0. Democrat.