The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-07-05
Little Phil.

districts had been changed,
aud Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi
and Alabama thrown under General
Sheridan. This arrangement, we are
told, has been made with the view of
keeping the troops better in hand
should they he needed III the Indian
war.
The feelings of apprehension, dis
gust and bitterness with which this an
has been received here.
though accompanied by statement
which implies that it has no political
significance, is the severest condemna-
ton which could be pronounced upon
this man and upon the Administration
which he serves.
We are a free people, the citizens Of
a Republic in which the military is
to be subordinate to the civil
authority, and yet the simple an
that a certain officer in
the army of the Republic is to assume
in the district of which Lou
isiana constitutes portion, awakens
the apprehension and excites the pas
sions of every man in the State. That
such is the care is not due to the fact
that Sheridan fought against the South
during the war, nor that he is Fede-
raj officer. The people of this State
would cordially welcome any of the
brave aud chivalrous officers who
fought against them, and who have
since recognized their manhood and
their rights. The disgust which the
announcement that we are to have
Phil Sheridan created, is due to anoth-
er cause. 1t is due to the facts that,
when placed in authority over a help
less people, he displayed all the cow
ardly brutality of a ruffian and none of
the high and noble chivalry of the true
soldier; that he made the national flag
a terror to those to whom it should
have been protection; that he acted
rs the shameless tool of an infamous
Administration and disgraced his uni
form by domineering over the people
of Louisiana, and sustaining the car
pet bag adventures and thieves who
infest the State and disgrace civili-
cation. .-.-..
This people cannot forget that when
the Constitution of the United States
and of Louisiana were to be ruthlessly
trampled i'll the dust, and the legal
Legislature of this State broken up by
armed violence, Phil Sheridan was Sc
lected and sent here to do the Infamous
job. They cannot forget that when a
usurpation composed of perjurers and
robbers was to be sustained over the
people, and in violation of the laws,
Phil Sheridan unblushiugly and un-
shirkiugly stepped forward as the
champion Of the thieves, denounced
the best citizens of the State as bandit
tt and coolly, in a time of profound
peace, in Republican government,
proposed to the government that those
citizens should be tried by a military
commission composed Of rufliaus like
himself, and inspired by the meanest
and most cowardly partisan motives,
and shot like traitors. They cannot
forget that Phil Sheridan has forfeited
all claims to the title Of citizen and
gentleman, and that lie is simply a
rnffian and the dirty tool of a partisan
Administration; that in tho past he
has tranpled upon the laws; over
turned the civil authority; insulted
the people, and that he is ready and
willing now to perpetrate any outrage
that may be necessary to prolong
the domination of Radicalism in
Louisiana. N
Phil. Sheridan in the second officer
in rank in the army, and Phil Sheridan
ruffiau and brute, is a disgrace to the
service and to the country. When the
history ofhis career is written, the
most conspicuous acts of lis life will
appear to have been the slaughter of a
camp of sick Indians, composed chiefly
Of women and children; the dispersion
of the Louisiana Legislature in 1875
and his proposition to hang or shoe,
at his own will and pleasure such citi-
zens of a free State as might suit his
pleasure.
Tue people Of Louisiana have heard
with deep regret aud genuine appre.
hension that this man is to command
the district in which they live, because
they believe that his command here
means that the elections are to be in.
terfered with and a cowardly and bru-
tai campaign of arms and handcuffs
made against them for the purpose OF
sustaining combination of political
Adventures and thieves in Office
When the announcement that an officer
of the army of the Republic is to have
command in a certain district arouses
such apprehensions the hearts of the
people, what must have been the rec
ord, aud what must be the cha, acter
Of that officeri Must not the world,