New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-13
uNpER WHICH KING, BEz0N1AH7

UNDER WHICH KING, BEZONIAN7
The Picayune argues that if the colored
voters will accept the leadership Of ''the
conservative leaders of the South, they
may realize the rosy future indicated by
Mr.. Pinchback. In laying down any
basis of colored cooperation, Repub-
lican guarantee must De accorded them
and it is not likely that the colored voters
will lift their feet from the solid rock OF
Republican principles and place them
upon the very slippery foundation which
Democracy proposes to furnish them.
The P;cayune represents the Conserva-
tive interests, which come to the door and
SO courteously invite the colored voters to
enter and accept Conservative hospitality.
Is it known that the Democracy so gov
ems the Conservatives that the White
Lacquer may suddenly rush upon the
confding visitor and despoil him of his
vote and other political rights?
This game is as old as rapacious human
ity. A decoy with hospitable professions
invites the wayfarer to enter An apart
ment from which if he emerge alive it is
with no money in his pocket and no
clothes to his back. This is known to
the police as the 'panel game" which
any peeler will explain to the uninitiated.
We have no idea that the Picay,ne
would be a party to such deception,
but it may innocently suppose that be-
cause this White League and Coushatta
Democracy stand silent while the colored
society is being persuaded into the con-
sentative den, that it will give the guaran-
tees which the colored voters will assur-
edly demand. Who has not seen Nance
as portrayed by the heroic Lucille West
ern, compelled by Bill Sykes to inveisle
the poor boy into the control of Fagin !?
The will of the poor woman is kindly,
but she is under the domination of those
who know no mercy. Poor Oliver is
stripped of his good clothes and character
and brought at once under the bondage
from which his human iberators had set
him free. Now, we do not intimate that
the respectable Pic is enacting tho role of
Nance in this plot to bring the colored
voter under the Fagin Of Democracy, but
we do really think it incumbent upon its
own independence of character to let it
be known whether the term conservative
means separate principle, or is simply
an alias for Democracy? If conservative
means peace and equality, it might be
as well basis of alliance with Repub-
licanism as with Democracy, and the
Republican and Conservative co-opera-
ton might be as satisfactory az the Dem
ocratic and Conservative association. If,
however, conservative is but phase, an
alias, and a nickname for Democracy;
if Democracy be q double-ender which
is presented to the voter with the cross
bones and deaths head at one end and
the Lords prayer at the other, just as
his designs may be supposed wicked or
charitable, then must society demand
some explanation Of what conservatism
really means, and more especially must
the colored voter ascertain whether on
entering the hospitable wigwam Of the
he may not have his poll
teal scalp lock lifted by the ruthless
knife of the White Lacquer.
We may expect, then, the Picayune to
define conservatism, genus, species and
variety. Is it original or hybrid? In
what does it differ from Democracy? Are
the principles distinct or identical? AS
suming conservatism to be one thing and
Democracy another, we repeat the vital
inquiry of honest Pistol:
Under which king, Bee snianl
Speak, or don't bother the colored Re-
publicans with irresponsible invitations
10 abandon their principles, their party
and their rights.