The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1876-01-01
The New Year.

The old year is dead-1S76 nov
frowns upon Us, that year so preg
nant with good or evil to the Ameri
can Republic.
When we look hack over the pas
eight years and think, calmly as w
may, over what we have passed
through, it is truly sufficient to make
one sl,uller. What have we not suf
fered? What indisnities have mi
been lleapcd upon us ! Are question:
more easily answered than to enume'
rate what we hure borne.
Nevertheless, VIC should be thank
fnl in a great measure that, notwith'
standing these outlages, these horrors
have been so great, it is no worse
They have left us life, and what is
more. a spirit Of determination to sat-
fer these ills no longer.
As We said in the beginning of this
article, that 1876 was pregnant with
good or evil for our Republic, it
should he our patriotic pride and duty
to 80 guide and shape events as to
bring forth from them all that will
tend to redeem our country and its
citizens. Congress is now in session,
and for the first time in sixteen long
years, the South will have just hear.
ing in the councils Of our Capital.
Partisan zeal and the old war cry, it
is true, has been opened against us by
that wreck of departed fanaticism,
Morton ; but we still hope that the
genius of civilization will frown down
the attempt of such men to keep long
er alive the smoltlering fires Of Sec
tionaI hate. Grant has issued a mes
sage we'll calculated to provoke con-
Aict between the citizens of the Union
he presides over and should guard
and protect, still we have too much
confidence in the calm repub'
lican education of Americas chill
dren to look for a wild religious war.
We have that faith in them that
tells US, the man who would attempt
to bring about such a dire calamity
in this age, will himself be the suf-
ferer.
OF our own home measures, both
State and parochial, We have much
more apprehension. The morals Of
the country are not what most men
would desire, and riches, no matter
how acquired, seems the goal of all
those who go in for political life.
If We could We would keep all bitter
ness from the campaign about to open;
but that, We fear, il out of the ques-
ton. 1t has become a settled pur-
pose among our people to throw over
board this corrupt usurpation under
which we have long suffered. We
have nothing to fear from those known
open enemies who are arrayed in
warfare against rs, but some protes.
sing friends may assume the traitors
sarb. attempt to crekte division
among Us and thus defeat our pur.
poa,@. Tho.s are the Pm we fear,
and to check them there is but one
way. A bold determined front must
be presented to all classes and the
people must choose those whom they
desire to represent them.
The year of our Lord, 1876, thus
opens before US. Tie objects to be
gained within that time stand out in |
rugged relief in the future. Will not !
our sufferings in the past, keep warm
that determination to be free, that
now actuates most of usf We trust
so. We feel that Louisiana's sons are
yet heroes and that as dark AZ the
new year now seems, the refalgent
rays Of the sun Of 1877 will beam
apon us a free and happy people. We
beg in advance, to wish all our friends
health, happiness and prosperity for
The year 1876.