The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-04-20
The Louisiana Question.
Views of Southern Repubiican-The
Packard Side Of the Confroversy.-How
the Commission is Regarded.
New ORLEANS, April II, 1877.

- WV N"SS"' " UtO 4 TeSS
The universal and vital interest manifested
by the American people relative to the political
condition of the South, aud the indefinite policy
OF reconciliation proposed for the government
OF the reconstructed states, renders II not only
eminently proper, but the duty of the Southern
Republicans to present to their Northern friends
the facts connected with the state governments
OF the South; especially should be known the
status OF political affairs in Louisiana and
South Carolina. We are aware that there
exists very earnest desire on the part of our
Republican friends of the North for a perma-
nent settlement of the vexing political
questions attending the administration
OF local governments in the Southern
states, but we cannot yet believe that
the loyal people of the country desire
the pacification of the discordant elements
in the South, the sacrifice of the dearly
bought results of the war. and the abandon
ment OF the sacred obligations imposed upon
the nation with the suppression Of the rebellion.
While the Southern Republicans have ever
evinced spirit of reconciliation and good will
to all men, they have had right to expect a
reciprocal feeling on the part of those who were
OnShAiOo Oh NhO hClu VI DdLbl6, anu more recent.
ly opponents in political contests. These ef-
forts toward fraternal political action have
proved unavailing. Every advancement toward
reconciliation, the oblteration of the coler line
and the establishment of the Republican party
OF the South, has thus far been made by the
Republicans. The Southern Democracy has
never evinced disposition to reciprocal frater-
nlty wnlch involved the least sacrifice of party
principles or advantages. On the contrary
those ex-confederates upon whom the Repubh-
can party in aSprit of liberality bestowed off.
cial favors have been socially ostracized and DO
htically prescribed. Let the administration
make no mistake in this attempt at reconcilia-
tion; If made, let it be upon a Republican
6asls. a united Republican party, and firm,
determined administration will do more to de.
stroy the color-lne and build up strong Re-
publican party South, than vaclation and con-
cession can possibly do. 1t is asserted that the
policy OF federal interference has not been sue
cessful. President Hayes says that either fed
eral troops should be wholly withdrawn from
these states, or more sent there; it may be
found necessary to carry out the latter rart of
the proposition. These people are natural rev.
oluuonists; they respect power and despise
weakness since the close of the rebellion they
have unitedly labored to accomplish by force
and intimidation at the ballot-box, by murder
and prosecution what they failed to achieve BY
the sword. fear the President and the lead
ers in the so-called Southern policy are max
ing fearful mistake. When it is found not to
be successful how are we to regain the ground
lost in making the trial? Let us suppose that
the Democracy have charge Of the government
OF every Southern state; in time the struggle
Tor office might create division with the
whites who are chiefly Democrats, and bid be
made by each faction for the colored voters
but it would be made on Democratic basis
This division would neither give US a Republic
can President nor Republican members Of Con-
gress, and the few celored men who would vote
under this condition of things, would be used
as tools by both factions for the decision Of To-
cal questions only; but the great majority of
the colored voters of the South will vote for
Republican candidates of their choice or they
will not vote at ALL
wish to speak to you especially in behalf of
the Republicans of Louisiana and their efforts
through hardshps, violence and murder, to
maintain Republican government in this state.
And right here desire to congratulate the Re
hesion to the fundamental principles of Repub-
licanism; your members of Congress have al
ways proved true and firm, and have ever stood
ready to afford protection to the humblest and
blacklist citizen of Louisiana or any other state,
in the exercise of his political rights. Senator
Blaine understands what Republican govern
ment implies, and to-day his friends in the
South are numerous.
There is now in Louisiana an armed insurrec-
ton against the legal government too formida.
UiO w bo oupphoooCu ny tuO AOiCC db lbo COul-
mand. With the recognition and moral sup
port of Gov. Packard by the President, opposi-
ton will be gradually dispelled, and with the
influence of the conservative element which he
will be able to bring to bis support, peace and
good government will be maintained in the
state. We do not ask for unreasonable support
from the federal government; with help
ing hand for few months we will
be able to walk alone; already has Gov. Pack
ard by legislative enactment, made provision
for this desirable condition of affairs. While
we do not ask or expect favoritism shown
Louisiana by the President, have we not q right
to expsct that the President as a Republican,
elected, as we may venture to say. by the Re-
publican voters of Louisiana, who cast these
votes in many cases at the peril of their lives
have we not right to expect that the Presi-
dent will give US an equal chance in this Doliti-
cal contest, or at least that he will not be our
enemy and deliver us into the hands of our i'm
placable opponents? Would it not have been
very kind and proper thing for the President
to have said, Governor Packard, recognize
you as tie legal Governor of the state. To
question your title would be to consider my
own invalid. deprecate the continual use of
the troops in maintaining any state government;
four months will afford you every, necessary
assistance in support of your government; at the
expiration of that time shall expect you to be
prepared to maintain your government" Fed
eral interpostion would then be exercised only
when opposing parties resort to arms in such
numbers as to demand federal interference.
We submit the assertion that physical force
aud dexterity in the use of the musket were
not requirements essential to the free exercise
of franchise, when the national Republican
party vested the colored voters of the South
with full rights of citizenship. III 1t shall be
decided by our friends at the North that in ac-
cordance with the doctrine Of hon. Stanley
Matthews, physical force is to decide questions
of legality in our state government, we shall
fight for the maintenance of the legal govern
ment of Louisiana. A warfare of this kind
outside of the city of New Orleans would be
| sadly destructive to the material inter-
| ests of the state: The power OF
l Louisiana is the most potent factor to its pros
perty But little is required to subsist these
l coloIed people; should civil strife take them
from the plantations for three months at this
season of the year ruin would come to the plant
| and Cotton Exchange of the city who make
| their living by handling the cotton which these
l Republican laborers produce.
There is a question of right and justice con-
| nected with this question which under our
l form of government is of paramount importance
/ to considerations of policy and expediency.
The protection of every man in the
exercise of his political rights, the
| maintenance of rights guaranteed by the
Constitutional amendments, are questions that
| must be met and permanently settled sooner or
later; bargains, political trickery or compro-
/ missing will not settle them; six hundred thou
sand colored voters of the Southerni States can
not long be virtually disfranchised, or voted
/ with shotgun behind them under q Republ-
can government Why, ,theC Constitutional amend
ments are no more enforced in Mississippi,
Alabama and other southern states than in
Mexico. The members of the Merchants Ex-
change of New York and st Louis may clap
their hands and congratulate the country that
Hampton is to be Governor of South Carolina
/ and that peace has come to that state, although
this peace bring with it the death of freemen's 8
rights. They expect additional orders for
goods, and so long as these goods are sold, and
the almighty dollar realized in profit, the sacri
fce is not sufficiently deari to upbraid their
elastic consciences. There is disease yet lin
gering in our body polite that no soothing
syrup of reconciliation can remedy. desire
to speak in behalf of the $4,000 colored voters
| of Louisiana. To desert them now would be q
| crime, and stigma upon our republican gov
i ernment; it would have been better not to have
| given them the rights of franchise than now tc
| DEPRIVE them of those rights. The Republic can
| party must now acknowledge reconstruct on
II fz.l T. slx.s-