New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-13
FIT MEH.


Whatever may be the orders from
Washington, the duty of the Republican
party is plain. 1t is to elect to the Senate
or to other appointments none but men
free from personal objection and endowed
with ability to defend Republican prin-
ciples anywhere and in any way. We re-
peat that the Southern Republican party
has been dependent and almost dead
weight on the national Republican party.
They have furnished no statesman, orator
or thinker competent to aid in the great
fight for Republican principles Let it not
go forth as proverb that any man can
hold any Office in the gift of the Repub-
ican party. Let. not Senators be called
from pursuits in which neither knowledge
nor legislative ability is needed. Let
not State offices be filed by per-
sons who must employ subordinate to
perform their duties. All this must fall
upon the Republican party, and all the
bayonets and Gatlings of the Federal
army can not protect from the contempt
and ridicule of incompetent and unfit
men. Why does the Federal executive
halt in the performance of his duties?
Solely, we think, because he has to delib-
crate and inquire among the innumerable
applicants for the few principal offices in
his gift, who is a true, able and honorable
Republican. He must find men whom no
one has right to ridicule or assail, be-
cause society will at last approve such
officers. We would be gratiied if the
choice of such officers should be left to
popular election, whenever it be prac-
ticable to do so. The Democrat says:
Let the people who believe that Nichols
is the Governor Of Louisiana, and that the
legal government should be maintained to
the death, be withdrawn from this debate,
and the men who believe this question of
government can be peaeeably adjusted by
compromises, bargains and trades, be put
to the front, and in thirty-siX hours where
will the legal government of Louisiana be}
Why do these Democrats and the men
who are ready to snatch up their shot
guns at moments notice to maintain
the Nichols government" manifest such
deadly determination? Because Mr..
Nichols claims the right to appoint more
or less of these men SO handy with their
shotguns to some Office. Send these tax
gatherers, assessors and other municipal
officers to the people, and the Republican
Governor and party will be relieved.
Continue the appointments in the manner
that has prevailed under the present law,
and the minute men of the shotgun
brigade will be called out to serve any
Republican nominee with the same fate
as John Gair, Twitchell, King, Dink-
grave, Weber, and the Enclosed catalogue
of Republican assassinations.
We do not recommend to the Repub-
lican party to appoint none but able and
honest men as a means of life insurance.
We are not at all sanguine that such re-
suit would follow, because the chief VIC
Tins of Democratic vengeance have been
honorable and excellent men, and good
members of society. We think that pub
lie good would result from devolving upon
the people in their primary and ward cleo
tons the duty and responsibility of choos-
ing men who can defend themselves and
the principles which they profess. Louis
lana needs fit men for every post of SER
vice, and the Republicans should not for
get that to intrust the protection of their
principles to men incompetent to defend
them, would sooner or later result in the
forfeiture of political right and subsistence
of the party into political serfdom. Let
us have fit men and no others.