New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-08

the logical consequences of these premises,
fred by the zeal Of their defamation,
would be: The egro-Unnecessary, and
may be exterminated.
THE RIFT IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
The late convention of Bourbons at st.
Patrick's Hall has visibly disclosed, if it
did not materially increase, the split which
is known to exist in the Democratic party.
The most hopeful and plausible ''anti-
Radical" can not shut out from his eyes
the fact that the majority Of the Conserva-
tive elements look with GOODNESS if not
bsolute disfavor, upon this last attempt
at Office snatching. The mercantile in
terests require more settled condition Of
affairs than has heretofore existed or is
promised for the future if this agitation
is to be kept up. The Democratic
party will therefore be more positively
divided than it has been heretofore.
Up to the time of the adoption Of the
Wheeler compromise the two factions
stood about thus: The Bourbon wing de-
manded all the political control and pa
tronage of both State and city in consid-
Grafton Of their quiet behavior. The
Conservatives wanted peace and the oppor-
tunity to pursue the useful occupations on
almost any terms, and formed q sort Of
temporary alliance with the Office snatch
ers as the easiest way to effect what they
so much desired. The compromise was
carried, and season of comparative good
or der prevailed in the city, which is quite
satisfactory to everybody except the seedy
politicians who live solely upon strife. The
late convention was inspired and controlled
solely by this class of persons. The people
of Louisiana really lad no part in it. The
delegates-at least majority Of them
have no great influence in the financial
affairs of the State. There were few
planters. but many lawyers. The former
soon found themselves subordinated to
the latter, and hurried on by all the means
which experienced wire pullers so well
know how to employ, to support the whole
Of the cut and dried programme as it was
concocted by coterie Of less than
dozen men in this city, In the petition
to Congress which has been prepared, the
mercantile interest has had no voice. 1t
had no representative in the convention.
The laboring classes were also care
fully excluded, while the resolutions,
speeches and the address TEEN with
absolute hostility to the colored people.
Those excluded from the convention,
therefore represent more than one-half
the actual population, two-thirds OF the
manual labor, nine-tenths Of the capital,
and probably four-ffths of the native in
habitants. And yet the petition to Con-
gress is introduced with the lofty and
sounding prelude that it emanates from
.the people Of Louisiana. Not one
ninth of the people was represented IN
the organization.
The Conservative elements in the anti
Republican party see and appreciate these
things They do not approve the spirit
of the resolutions or the agitation sought
in the petition. They occupy at present
a passive rather than an active ground OF
opposition. But this apathy will prove
to be fatal to the success of the schemes
of the plotters against the peace.
All that is asked Of the Conservatives is
acouiescence in what is done, and the
means to defray the expenses Neither
will be accorded. The day Of successful
subscription lists has passed away. Those
who have money fairly earned by their
labor or gained in business have grown
tired of giving it away every year to keep
up a baleful agitation. They see the bad
effects. So long as the idle, the shiftless
and the dissolute can prey upon the fears
of the business community they will not
90 to work. Enough money has already
been squandered in the vain effort to up
set the legal government Of the State and
install the Bourbon Democracy than was
necessary to defray all tie legitimate ez-
penses. Taken together, both directly
and indirectly, this State has spent
or lost in the way Of business
more money to get McEnery and
those associated with him into Office
than has been collected and paid into the
general fund since Kellogg has been Gov
ernor. There must be an end to folly at
one time or another; and we believe the
end of this superlative folly has arrived.
It came about the time of the meeting at
St. Patrick's Hall, last spring. It died
out, ingloriously, with the adoption Of
the compromise. When the Wheeler ad-
justment was finally agreed to, the mer-
chants gave sigh of relief, buttoned up
their pockets, and addressed themselves
to their legitimate business. Subscrip-
tons have been nipped in the bud, and
one of the most fourishing branches of
the business Of small politicians Ian
cuisines. This detection of the chief part
ners in the Democratic firm will break up
the establishment, unless they can be
cajoled or bullied back again. 1t is not
likely the temper displayed by the major
ity of the late convention will afford much