The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1877-01-27
THE CONTENDING FORCES OF THE
REPUBLIC.
BY EMERSON BENTLEY.

matter III controversy ucb"ech b"o
great conUending forces, which aspire
to the supremacy in the Republic, /
that is infinitesimal compared with
the mightier interests involved. The
convulsive efforts of the White League
of New Orleans are only by-play in
grander drama. Two civilizations.
the free and the slave, under Repub-
lican and Democratic banners, re- |
spectiveIy, are graphing in deadly
conflict, and through their chosen
leaders are about to determine, in the
city of Washington, the validity of
the Republics claim to leadership in
the wisest form of human government.
The firmness of President Grant has
partially stayed the work of lawless-
ness in New Orleans, and the friends
of Packard and Nichols await the
national decision as preparatory to
the ending of the local strife. The
country is apparently trembling in a
balancing state between partisanship
and judicial fairness as the method
of settling the Presidential dispute.
A feathers weight will turn the scale
and give US peace or discord. A
sense of depression is felt among the
patriotic, and an almost irrepressible
but curbed buoyancy among the dis
loyal. Considerations of justice are
obscured by the hope of revenge or
acquisition of power. No one is wise
enough to peer through the clouds,
but u deep sense of the value of the
struggle is perceived as if by intui-
ton. 1t is the fervent hope that wis.,
dom will sway our national legisla-
tors in ARRIVING at a constitutional
decision, and the champions of law
will be powerful enough to enforce it
when made.
1t should not be overlooked that
public opinion for weeks has been
swayed by constituencies political
directors, who, under the devices of
Investigation have been firing party
spirit to the utmost. The correct and
essential methods of evolving tho
evidence out of q chaos of 9. testi-
monyn have been reversed, and in
lieu thereof the National committees
have given us the verdict in advance
and prejudiced their partisans to the
reception of the truth; consequently,
to q deplorable extent, the public
mind is burdened with assertions, and
facts are denied due weight. By these
influences the method of counting The
electoral vote in vogue for the greater
part of century, aud in accord with
the constitution, is questioned, and
extreme partisans resolve not to con-
tent themselves with an award there
under. The men who stuffed the
ballot boxes of New York beyond all
parallel, stole the liberties and rights
of over 100000 Southern Republicans
and invented the Cronin college, un-
der the force of circumstances, are
assuming the possession of victory,
and will seize, if not held at bay firmly
and resolutely, the fruits which have
been duly earned by the advocates Of
just laws and honest government.
Of course the country is convulsed,
from centre to circumference. Nc
ear is deaf to the cries of the revolu-
tionists, or eye so blind it may not
see the dangers menacing on every
hand. With pardonable fears, there
is no lack of courage among the friends
of the Union. They do not quail be.
fore the new onset of the Confederate
armies. AS representatives of thai
civilization-the hope of humanity in
the world for which Lincoln died, il
pressed to the issue, they will giro
on the knapsack cheerfully, and fight
out the old fight, beginning where il
was left off at Appomattox and carry
ing it on to a legitimate conclusion
{ If Liberty requires other martyrs to
follow in the footsteps of the legion
f gone before, they will be known al
the roll call.
The suggestion that some thousands
of Democratic zealots, roughs ant
rowdies may seek to impress the Sen
ate, on February IL, as Col. Patton's
"militia did the negro voters il
certain parishes of Louisiana, indicate.