The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-05-14
THE MISSION OF THE DEMOCRACY.

IA we have charged that the Northern
Democrats have not done the South iuil
Justice. the Rtp,tblica1 asks why the
DyMocpAr manifests so much interest In
the success OF the Democratic party
The question Is very easily answered.
The events of the past ten years nave
shown that the spirit OF sectlonalism, or
antagonism to the South. pervades the
whole North, and has influenced, In
degree, the policy Of both political par
ties there. But it Is also true that TINS
sectional feeling has had It's malevolent
Interpretation In the course OF the Re
publican party. The Republicans have
had complete controlof the Government
from the close Of the war until 1874.
when their absolutisrn was modified
by tho election Of Democratic House.
In all the years Of its power,
the Republican party prosecuted
n fierce and bltter crusade
against the liberties. the interests and
the institutions Of this section. In oil
those years It gave us no appropriations
to rebuild the levees the barbarous
marauders who followed In this region
the Union standard had destroyed; 1t
eaveGus TO railroads. no river improve
ments ofHconseuuencc. Once or twice,
when our people were overwhelmed by
calarnites this disregard OF our inter
,ests had precipitated, we were gwen
public aims. and have been tainted
With the fact ever since.
In reviewing the era OF Republican
absolutisn,. we find nothing for which
Southern men can be thankful It re-
fused US even the protection OF the Con
stitution and the laws OF the country !;
It devised. with devilish ingenuity, the
reconstruction acts, and with devilish
malignancy enforced the reconstruction
acts IL gave us Warmoth. Kellogg.
Durell and Twitchell, with Merrill and
his marauders in Louisiana; Davis. and
his swarm Of villains In Texas, Clayton
and his cut-throats in Arkansas, Ames
and his barbarian horde in Mississippi.
Bullock and his thieves In Georgia !;
Moses and Chamberlain, with
their negro ruf1ians and merciless
plunderers in South Carolina. These
men and the ruinous and Infamous laws
and Rings they organized among us,
under the shadow Of Federal bayonets.
are what tho Republican party has
given the South. Nor have we any
evidence that 1t proposes to deal with
us more Justly and humanely in the
future. Morton. and Blaine, and Conk-
ling are still its leaders, and they have
| not vet spoken word which indicates
that their hearts have softened toward
the South, or that 1t Is their purpose to
terminate our prosecutions.
We have freely admitted that the sec
tional feeling to q certain extent tinges
the policy 81 the Northern Democrats,
and We have not hesitated to charge that
some OF the Northern Democrats, nota-
bly, Holman. -of Indiana, are as mean
and bitter foes OF Southern interests as
are Morton and Blame. But, when these
admission are made, the important facts
are not less conspicuous. that the Demo
cratic party Of the North. rs whole
has for ten years fought the infamous
reconstruction policy Of the Republi-
4 cans. that it has claimed for the South
an equal position in the Union
that it has denounced the policy
which has Hooded the South with polit'
zeal Adventures and official thieves
and that, when it is once in power, there
will be no more elections in Louisiana
overturned by the midnight order OF
drunken judge. or sworn away by q
squad of perjured scOundrels assembled
as Returning Board.
II we cannot get all the aid for oul
material interests which we believe we
ought to have from the Northern Demo
Gratis. we are still sure that the princi
pies that party advocates, AND FOL
which it has fought for half a century
will restore to our outraged section all its
constitutional and political rights; anc
enable us to establish in all our States
honest and economical home govern
ments, under which our material inter
ests may be revived and built up.
The Republican party has been in tn
hands Of malignant, narrow and dis
honest men, who have governed IN TN
interest of bitter sectional party, an'
there is no reason to suppose that the.
will become more liberal or more hon
est. The Democratic party, upon tn
other hand, is led by the purest am
most liberal men in the North. Ii
shall succeed to power in November, it
ambition will be To restore the integrit
and glory of the Republic, which tn
Republican party has degraded AM
soiled. If q Democrat shall assume tn
Government in 1876. what more gloriou
purpose could he pursue than the re
Cancellation of the sections? Wha
nobler work could ne accomplish tha
the obliteration OF the burnin
sectional animosities it has been tn
hellish pleasure OF Grant an
the leaders of the Republican part
to keep alive and inflame? VIVA
grander heritage could he leave hi