The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-03

Ijoyed In common with the most abjeot
subjects OF the most relentless despot4
Iisms=the right TO exist and labor. And
yet their counsels have been at oil times
for peace and patience; they have re-
pressed the reckless and untemable
spirits Ia their ranks. they have trusted
to the final triumph of Justice, and
they never struck their oppressors save
In direct defence Of lie and honor.
If these examples Of the moderation
Of our people, under the most aggravat=
ing circumstances. do not satisfy the
President that his apprehension that
the removal of the troops will subject
Packard and all other Republicans In
the State to prompt and indiseriminate
slaughter at our hands, their temper
on the publication OF Gen. Grants dis
patch, quoted at the opening OF this ar
tiele, to Packard, should satisfy him
Az we have remarked. that dispatch con
tanned the first fair words the people OF
Louisiana had heard from Washington
In eight years. But they contained
which they had longed and hoped and
yearned for. from the day they laid
down their arms. and almost, as II by
magic. their hearts turned to Grant in
kindness and gratitude. The wrongs,
the insults, tho robberies and oppres-
sions Of eight weary years were
forgotten; and we believe that, In
the, days following the sending
OF that dispatch, there IL no honor
Grant could have asked that they
could bestow, which they would not
with sincerity and whole.h eartedness
have given him. Those meagre words
Of kindness had scarcely died upon the
lips Of the man who for eight years
had kept his heel upon the neehs of the |
people OF Louisiana. before. Us with one
voice, they suggested that the wrongs
he had done them were committed In |
ignorance OF the true situation. and |
that learning the truth In the last days
OF his term he had hast. ned TO do all |
that lay in his power to right the wrongs
This prompt forgiveness and revul- |
sion from hate to kindly sentiments |
sprung from no craven spirit, from no |
weakness Of national character, but from
the longing Of the people for peace. Let
Mr.. Hayes ask himself IL people In such |
frame OF mind are likely, II left free, |
to plunge their city and State into |
scenes Of strife and bloodshed7 The
idea 10 preposterous.
The men who have bred strife in LOU
isiana; who have driven peace and,
with It, wealth, happiness and prosper
ity, from It's borders, are tho men who |
arc now barrieaded within the ST.. |
Louis Hotel under the shadow Of Fed |
oral bayonets; the mon who are appeal |
ing TO Mr.. Hayes to reinaugurate tho |
old, merciless and ruinous policy OF |
Grant. and who want Federal proteo-
ton. not In the discharge OF legitimate
official functions, nor In the exercise OF
the duties Of honest citizens. but for
the purpose OF trampling the white
people OF the State In the very dust,
while they continue their reign Of rob-
berry, protiigacy and outrage.
The same cordial sentiment of graft
tude with which this people received
Gen. Grants first words of kindness and
peace, will go out to President Hayes. II
he faithfully and fully carries out his
Southern policy In dealing with the
Louisiana question. II he does this; II
he asks for no compromises, proposes
no bargains, but withdraws his troops
and leaves us under the constitution and
the laws to settle In our own way our own
affairs, he will win the support of the
South; he will identify himself with
the dawn OF new era of peace
and happiness In community Of
eight hundred thousand people; he will
establish goodwill between the blacks
aud the whites, and thus secure for tho
former that care and protection they
have never had under the rule Of Radi-
ealism. And more than all this, he will
be instrumental In erasing from the
hearts OF the people the last traces of
that bitterness and intolerance engen-
iered by the war, and the glory of
re-establishing the union In sentiment,
- well Us, In fact. will wash away the
stain Of fraud which darkens and dis
yraces his title to his high office.