New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-02
sghy Dsn,t she Republlcan HHnIorIty Cow
erm LouRaians

II Louisiana ia Republican Dy handsome
majority, can not that party sustain itself
as against q Democratic miBoritJW
The answer il found in the material Of
the two parties. The Republican party of
the South was born of reconstruction. The
material composing it was: FIrst, the re-
.ntly enfranchised negro. Second, such of
he Union element as had not been stamped
at by the war. Third, the migration from
Is NOrth-m0etly ex-army officers aud sol
lers--after the war. Fourth, General
HRstreet'e class.
Oh the Union element, which was strong
ough to carry Louisiana against secession
IN 1861, but whose vote was OverthrOwn by
q minority of despOfs, scarcely one held
outwardlT to their faith. Those who
couldn't stand 1t TO see our old flag 20 down,
leaked ont through the lines and SO forced
their way North, to return again at the
close of the war. Those who remained,
where their hearts were not fired 30 that
they went Voluntarily into the rebel ser
vice, werA forced in through actual pro-
ecription of public sentiment-sO that the
Outspoken Union man, when peace was de-
clared, was almost myth. We are not re-
terriDg to those Southern stay-at-homes I'M
der the negro exemption act, who had
suit of blue and of gray, with principles on
their lips to match, for whichever army
might chance to be in their neighborhoOd,
With rare exceptions there was not man
in the South who respected himself that
was nOtin the rebel service in some capacity,
or did not strongly sympathize with the
South. The Intolerance of that section was
ct white heat, and in the first months of
the war every vestige of outspOken Union
sentiment had disappeared. Whatever there
was left Of it wss buried in the bosOms of its
poeeess0rs. That there was some left was
proven when it came out from its hiding,
warmed into life by reconstruction. That
it had been thoroughly eOwed was to be
found in the fact that until then it had not
gained the courage to speak. Here was a
complete domination of this element. Where
such Is the case, as the result of years of
persecution, it is only By years Of it's op-
n0site that the feeling is removed.
While IL can not be said that these Union
2en which sprang to the support of recon.
ructi0n were c0wRrdly in q physical
anse, they were yet towards as against
shat, until then, had been an overWhelm-
ng sentiment Of their section. RecOnstruc-
on reinforced them with the negro and the
new oomers, and so reinforced, they out
numbered their opponents. They were thus
in the condition of man poverty stricken
for years, with sudden and unexpected
wealth thrust upon him. 1t would take time
10 realize, to appreciate, to feel at home, TO
be able to handle himself properly in the
changed position. So with this long and
severely dominated Union element, time
alone would give IL confidence in itself, and
courage to act as becomes majority.
II the Union element was cowed, how
much more 90 was the negro, with his cen.
tury tf slavery the negro, who, by nature
e SO peaoeabie that not, during the rebel
lion, did they rebel against the interests of
their masters, who were out upon the battle
field, never in single instance betrayinR
trusts of great magnitude placed in their
hands, but caring for mistress, children and
property With devotion which, consider
ing that 1t ives tbs voluntary offering of the
slave, amounted to poem.
As to the new Corners contributing, as
most neighbOrhoOds of the North did, 10
this army Of migrators, it Is hardly neces-
sary to describe them. They possessed in
telligenee, education, energy and money.
No finer migration ever blessed q country
1t is a mistake to suppose that these men
went South to get into Office. The fact is,
found them IN the South.
The tide Of migration which flowed boun-
teouely into tht9Sauth during the years 1866
and 1867, owing to crop failures and bar
barous treatment on the part of the South
eFn people, was completely checked, and
has not since been resumed. Not only was
It checked, but many of the new corners re-
turned to the North with disappointed
hopes and broken fortunes, burning with
4EU LDIulAcGbl0n VI tuclE hEdnbHlouLF WHICH
had been scarcely less inhuman than the |
treatment of that class Of emigration |
which had formerly been taken TO the |
S0nth aboard slave ships. Only the most |
courageous or foolhardy, or such as had |
bought plantations and could not get away, |
remained. As most Of these men had been |
10 the army, they were not lacking in cour-
age, were not cowed, and if there was q
belligerent class in the Republican party, it |
Wag this class. This element has generally |
had 70 bear the brunt of battle. Add to /
this the stray Longstreets, and We have g
brief description Of the Republican make |
Opposed 10 them was the balance Of the 4
buth, the late rebel army, its supporters |
"a sympathizeEB. The late civil war was |
xmed IN the South the ssYankee Radical \
aE, and when reconstruction was inauEu- |
tied IL WAS, in the eyes Of this Southern 1
y emOoracy, the organization Of sskadicap Il
party on the sacred soil Of the 6outh--in /
their very midst It was construed &c q /
shallenge. The war WAS commenced again, i
lnl7 II q different form, and has continued /
with gore but not glory for the Republicans
8 10 South, until now ouE party in those
state1, though IN some Of them outnumber-
uE tins enemy, has gone down In defeat, /
anti at tho last election only Louiaiana, /
sauth Carolina and Florida remained to Il
OF the Republican vote In L0uisiann
ainaty per cent is negro, ten per cent 10
Hede up Of the elemenee just described. OF /
he Democrats ninety i've per cent is
Ehlte, Eve per cent is negre--the latter
l5Hposed Of p0rtars and bpdy servants to
1emoaraie. The white Democratic vote is
aads up largely Of French, with .
nFInkling Of Spanish, Diego, siellian, q
1rQ few 0afmana and frish. Il IL sun
BASED thaf not over dfty per cent Of the
bite people Of the State are Americans.
lsHialRaai aa q whole IL lass a. American
le thnn any other Ia the Union. while
NAM 4AlaMu4 y largely made up Of pe0-
Pc belonging 70 the Latin races. They are
eztlr, turbulent and revolutionary Il
& the French Cdmmun8 and the law Il
gcuaolfa 81 Il fuli blast Il q the /
State ~ tbs uaioa 70 govern, Ia
+1t 3 laFqf vas governed.
q TO one Hlnoge1 and four thousand /
1I4Io Republican votes east IN that State 81 I
t.. cIsol.g4' $1,000 live "a she country
1rFIi1o tlt farming tlamouf They
Nft ninety per Gems oil OIL 1ho farm
tAn State 1Nn4 The hapuhli0an
N A,pHiaiana is itg producing aie
ad ahe haa ~ nnanaiactoriaa.
Ilt nH DoMinR through her pftdno
F Do Nu.E SID tnel ~ l14 Be.
0'11renf y the State Indebted for
Fe.I'y' I1t present mode Of ont
-s NE4t4 - fent the I4ut i
I4. INfa1I lHH HlH It0m whom Il
s l1NI Ae leati1ff' 70 q very /
pc 14Islt TO 4eTEoe4 Own tho
1EIoa|tH1I i1|HIauanla naeo1.
tl nu "a tts 1e 4a4|1 ness
N4MM taH NHHctMHa nI
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