New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-25
UNCONSCIOUS INNOCENTS.

At the close OF the war the DemOcrac.
of Louisiana dropped its name and it
organization. Many of its leaders wer'
DISTINGUISHED by the Federal stations
which they had held. Some, like Messrs
S]idell, Benjamin and others, never re
turned from the foreign lands to which
they had expatriated themselves. L
therefore operated under a superstition
name and style. It was first co-opera
tive concern; then fusion Of all ele
ments opposed to radicalism, not exclud
ing some very decided Radicals. It ther
succeeded in compromising its most un
popular obligations, and ventured to raise
the name Of Democrat Conservative
Misled by the transient successes of the
Northern Democracy, the leaders here
threw off the mask and proclaimed them.
selves White Leaguers. This avowal was
premature, and the business interests
compelled the Democracy to withdraw
MIR. McEnery and Mr.. Wilt from the first
place in State politics, and substitute a
gentleman whose moderate plan of gov
eminent could have received no tolera-
ton at the hands Of his ultra supporters,
if they ever supposed he would be able to
carry it into execution. Mr.. Nichols
occupies precisely the same position with
Mr.. Lamar. The White League friends
Of these gentlemen are in ambush behind
them. They permit any declarations Of
peaceful intention which will encourage
the Republicans to lay down their arms.
1t is thus that wherever, as in Louisiana
or Virginia, there may bea doubt that the
Old Wing and Union men would not
stand an open affr nation Of notification
and the resolutions of 1898, we find the
White League leaders perfectly quiet,
biding the moment when they can disa-
VOW the assurances of their conservative
heraids and execute their own doctrines.
Wherever any of these devices, however,
may secure successful election, the DEM
ocracy comes at once to the front and
takes to itself, not merely the exclusive
honors, but the entire spoils Of the
capture. To adopt natural figure, the
Democratic party has passed through an
embryotic and inactive existence, has
been enlivened into tadpole condition.
has subsequently sloughed the Conserva-
tive tail and hoped forth an Independent
batrachian of that variety which consti-
tuted one of the plaques of Egypt. We
have, then, the Democratic party in Texas,
and in kentucky, since the cessation of
mule and pork contracts, and of military
service either for against the Union. The
Democracy has, with the doughfaces of
the North, resumed its organization.
In Kentucky the Democracy has even
in numbers, because its
young men were not wasted in the fight
to the same extent as in the loyal or in
the Confederate States.
We have headed this article "Uncon-
scious Innocents.' By these we mean
those who, either as Wings, Conservatives,
Fusionists or Liberal Republicans, are
now members of the Democratic party.
They may rest assured that SO soon as an
election should by any possibility result
in Republican defeat, > the Offices,
Federal and State, would be assigned by
preference to the Democrats having the
pest evidence of consistent opposition
@ the Union, to reconstruction, and the
most pronounced hostility, not merely to
he Republican party, but to Republicans
n business and society. The advocates ola
which Messrs. McEnery and
Witt denounce with so much bitterness,
will be called to account, and list of the
will, like that of Sylla, ex-
,mpt none but the ultra, uncompromising
riends Of the appointing power, or Of its
White League viceroy. These unconscious
nnocents, who aid to set upon its wheels
sectional Juggernaut, that will crush its
7orshipers without the least emotion,
ave already had some intimation Of its
ntolerant mission. Under the volrmin-
US invitation ''to all opposed to Radical
sm," Messrs. Burke and Fitzpatrick have,
mong many others, aspired to equal con-
Iteration in the Democratic-C onserva-
we party. Each of these gentlemen has
endered important party services and |
as the confidence to aspire to a
osition of political prominence. Each |
f them has been objected to by the Dem
cratic press or its correspondents on the |
round that his party record is defec-
We. The one We learn held an Office I'M
er commission from the ''usurpation."
lie other gave testimony before con-
ressional committee unacceptable to the
1hite League party. In respect to the
rst objection we should remember that
[r. Wilt has been charged, upon the au-
,ority of his own party opponents, with
aving accepted his commission as Mayor
ON Republican official, while Messrs.
ribson, Ellis and other Democratic men,
ers OF Congress went to Congress with
,e avowed purpose Of setting aside as
legal the very State authority to whose
ommission they owed the position and
over to attempt its invalidation.
The objection to Mr.. Burke, that he
ave testimony injurious to the Democ-
.cy, is marked with great impudence,
!: with an unfortunate Indifference to the
oral obligations of an oath. Can it be