New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-26
Tur 1MMIeRArIoN CONVENTION.

| the fertile fields Of Louisiana.
We may expect, also, great and patriotic
speeches, resolutions redolent of welcome,
with hopes that the people interested in
seeking a new home will place implicit
trust in these sanguine assurances. AT
the risk of being regarded as disturbers OF
the common harmony, we propose to pro-
mote it by suggesting some guarantees OF
this affectionate invitation to immigrants.
1t is useless to conceal what those who re-
gard at all the affairs CT Louisiana know
to be true. 1t is that the Democratic
party has for some years past avowed and
acted upon the policy CT making the
wrongs Of Louisiana SO fragrant that the
people Of the United States should make
the reparation Of these wrongs great ma
tional issue. In the execution Of this
programme the Republican government
and party was stigmatized as unworthy
association, and all who proposed to unite
themselves with the party were visited
with social indignities. All the inan-
cial, political. commercial, and even
some Of the physical evils which occurred
were attributed to Republican oppression.
It is natural that the press and poll
tician, concentrating their powers of
defamation and defamation upon o
charge so comprehensive, should come to
believe that if the Republicans could be
intimidated or exterminated, the imme-
date restoration Of prosperity would
follow.
This was good local policy, but its
effect could not be restrained at home.
The fanatical followers OF the Demo-
| cratic orators put these violent lessons
into swift practice. The Coushatta
rangers were soon entitled to in
scribe upon their banners Colax,
| Coushatta, Clinton. The unfortu-
nate prejudice against Germans, which
perhaps grew out Of the French war
with Germany, may have had its effect
with some Of our population, but the
fact stands patent in history that German
Republicans, Republicans from the West
ern or Northern States, have been denied
social standing, and have been in sad and
State. Now, we have no disposition to
deny that these deeds of violence and
this hostile social sentiment have been
employed by the Republicans to secure
precisely the same sympathy from the
people of the United States. If some of
the people of Louisiana were to be pro-
tected against oppressive taxation, and
disreputable government, others Of the
same people were surely entitled to some
garantee against being murdered in their
beds, or driven from the State, with the
loss of all they mad. 1t was, perhaps,
the Democratic theory that more than
half the persons in Louisiana were not
people at all, but forty millions Of Ameri-
cans are pledged by the constitution to so
regard them. 1t was, perhaps, the fancy
Of the Democratic press and orators that
their voices were as potent abroad as at
home, and that their defamation Of the
Republican party would destroy the credi-
bility Of its speakers and writer's 1t is
only necessary to go beyond the State
limits to find the Republican party, its
press and its representatives powerful and
respected. These intelligent Republicans
note the vulgar interpretations Of the Dem
ocratic press in Louisiana. They know
the leading Republicans of Louisiana, and
they place confidence IN their statements. |
Louisiana, then, has suffered from the !
defamation CT the Republican party, and
from the Republican defense against that
party. A large part Of those intending to |
emigrate from some other country believes
that no Republican can receive any I
neighborly offices here, and that he is liza
bic at any time to notice to remove on
penalty of being murdered. Another
part Of the emigrants knowing and caring
20 more for our feuds than we know or
care for those Of Montenegro, or Of the
Republic, prefer q location in
some peaceful community. l. may be
added that those who hold land for sale
elsewhere employ these published ac-
counts of violence and intolerance to de.
anne our lands and favor their own.
We have deliberate meaning and moral
a this very plain statement addressed
o our citizens and visitors. It is, that
o foment political into personal and So
'ial hostilities is q bad way to promote
he material prosperity of a State. To Sc
ure this great object there mus. be q ha1-
nony of all effort, unembarrassed by diff
erence of politics or religion. 1t exists
lsewhere. 1t must prelude immigration
# numbers or capital here. It is then
roper that new rule of political war
are shall be proclaimed. 1t should be
he reverse Of that which we have stated.
t must come from the Democratic party.
t Will be responded to by the Republic
ans who, though moro numerous. admit
themselves in q military sense unable to
AIRY an election under the force OF
White League sharpshooters. We have
lever exaggerated, We have never had
iced to exaggerate the deeds Of violence
nd the terms of contumely which have
zen employed toward the Republican
arty. Let, then, the Democracy utter