The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-05-05
An Organ of the Whig-RepuD~
Eican Party.
Prom the Washington Ration.l

From the Washington Ratlon.I
We retire to-day from the field of
independent journalism. We retire
that we may become, so to speak, an
organ. Hereafter we shall roam no
more beneath the broa2 spreading
beach trees of the free journalistic
forests-occasionally straying into the
epublican-sometlmes yenturIng IN
side the gates Of Democratic pastures.
We have, as it were, emlgrated into a
new country, and as soon as the lot Is
staked off and the fences put up, we
shall take a position in the enclosure
and stay there until our presence Is no
longer required. The Nation stands
outs this morning as the organ. OF the
new Whig party, or if you like the
phrase better, the RepnblicanW Wing
party.
1t is true that no such organization
yet exists. There are fQ recognized
leaders, there are no recognized follow
ers, there is nothing but terrible,
pressing, necessity for a party which,
laying aside war issues, will insist upon
the adoption of measures calculated to
restore prosperity TO the country. The
necessity which demands new party
is the necessity of labor, unemployed,
of capital idle and eating itself away
of brains which turn without hope
from every prospect-the awful neces-
sity of women and children hungry for
bread and praying for a relief which
does not come-which under our present
system can never come.
Is not this necessity enough? If It
were not, we could go on with such
enumeration of fact, such an array OF
causes as would convince any but the
men whose interests have liked their
principles, or, whose preiudlces forever
preclude the idea of a change OF Opt
Mon. s.
Perhaps it would be more proper to
say that the Nation will be the organ
of necessity; but whether OF real
party or of dire necessity, from this
hour we have dedicated our columns to
the display of those facts which exist
ing, but not generally believed, must
eventually receive. the support OF in
telligent and sincere men in all sections
of the country.
Are not the material interests OF the
country of sufficient Importance to re-
duire public attention wealth OF the
people, with its attendant blessings OF
cultivation, of refinement, OF progress
in the arts and sciences, OF general
bappiness-poverty which brings bar
barism and crime-are not these worthy
of such attention upon the part ot so
called statesmen, that the one may be
encouraged and the other prevented {?
Yet what care do the parties of the
hour devote to these matters? How
many hours of the last session of cong
ress were devoted to devlslng a proper
financial system at time when the
financial world, under existing defects,
was breaking and going to ruin in every
direction The statesmen OF these
parties gave themselves up to bitter
reeollections of an unfortunate past.
They stirred up old hatreds, and tried
to revive fast expiring feuds: They
did alm9st everything to add to the
horrors bf financial panic, the awful
calamities of a civil war. Who doubts
but that il the partisan leaders Of the
last congress could have had their way,
the country would now be embroiled IN
civil war. No man who was present
during that time dare answer the doubt.
It is time, then, that these men should
cease to sink material prosperity in the
whirlpool of sectional passion. The
distracted South, the almost bankrupt
North, alike require new issues and
1orgetfulness of the past. There are
men in both parties to-day who think
that we need party which shall aim
to give the country:
1. A national currency founded on
bimetallic standard, and sufficient for
the wants of healthy trade.
2. A system of internal improve
ments, such as private capital is power,
less to construct, but which is essential
to the development Of the country's re-
sources.
8. A tariff sufficient to keep employed
such manufacturing establishments as
are already in operation, and put in
operation such new industries as will
tend to develop the natural wealth OF
the country, and create balance OF
trade in our favor. -..a1 z-
These principles already number
their advocates by tens of thousands.
They are unorganized. But the time
has come when something more than
mere belief is required. 1t is these
principles which nave induced us to
give up our hitherto independent posi-
tion and step forth as an humble cham
pion of the proposed new party.