The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-09-12
THE SOUTHERN CAMPAIGN.

| Almost every paper we get from Georgia
nowadays has something to say about the
independent movement" as it is called
| "Independentism In Georgia. has got to be q
| familiar headline in such papers, for instance,
as the Atlanta Constitution. AS Georgia Is
but O pioneer in the cause upon which Louis
lana must follow, 1t behooves us to study well
the lessons she is learning in advance of us
that we may be the better prepared to meet
and understand the same emergencies when
they arise in this State. as they almost
certainly will. First, let us inquire from
what quarter the first encouragement
of this independent movement came.
The first we ever read OF it was in
the New York Times, the best informed
and the most cunning ia sowing dissension in
| our ranks of all the Republican papers. The
Times actually originated and wrote up "In-
dependentism" in Georgia 1t represents no
idea, no principle, no conviction, and even the
Times has never ventured to suggest for the
movement anything partaking Of the nature
of an "illustrious superstition" The only
tangible thing it stands for is disintegration
of the Democratic majority, and its only in
SEPARATION is greed of Office. All that the Times
with its wisdom of the serpent, has essayed
to do has been to encourage this greed and
embolden those possessed Of it to face public
sentiment in the pursuit of their selfish ends.
Says the Atlanta Constitution, in speaking
of this subject Whenever an Independent
announces himself, you may be sure that his
greed for Office has developed into a disease.
the symptoms Of which are SO acute that the
ordinary methods of party treatment afford
no relief whatever" The Independent candi-
date represents simply and exclusively him.
self his inspiration is office seeking and his
backing is the Radical hostility to the South
and the Democratic party.
Tho encouragement of this movement, for
the purpose of disintegrating the "Solid
South" was long ago announced as the pro-
gramme of the Republican party in the
South. In Georgia, we regret to say,
the husbandry of the Times has met
with abundant fruits. First and fore
most comes Aleck Stephens, who has
no more right to be nominee on the Demo
cratic ticket for Congress than "Bub'' Hale,
OF Maine, would have-who is now prospect
ing for the second place on the Grant ticket
in 1880, and who got his nomination, doubt
less, for no other reason than that If he had
not been nominated he would have run
anyway. and his candidacy as an independ-
emit, would have done the party great injury.
Dr. FELTON, is another conspicuous example,
who has been described as q rabld secession
list, who managed to aid and comfort his
country in a hospital-who addressed him
self thoroughly to the work Of staying az
home, and was conspicuously successful"
He represents nothing but an Unsuitable de-
sire to get back into Congress. In another
district Mr.. Stephen A, Corker is out in Op-
position to The regular nominee. He repre-
sents the same idea, in reference to Mr.
Corkor that FELTON, does In regard to himself
in his district. In Georgia it is simply greed
for Observation-Disclosures But In Louisiana
the Republican campaign has more definite
idea, growing out Of the relations existing
between this State and the administr alton.
It must be clear to the hiost casual observer
that the campaign in this State is meant to
turn on the presidential title. Hayes is seek
ing, in this State, vindication Of the Electo-
raj Commission and the Returning Board
That is the meaning of Mad. Wells candi-
dacy, and of Tom Anderson's, which were
dictated from Washington. This idea is con-
lirmcd by the socalled nominations of Gull
lom and Castellanos, the law firm which
defended Tom Anderson in his trial
for forgery of the Vernon returns
There is subtle purpose in the Louisiana
campaign which is not visible in that Of any
other State, and to which we wish to attract
the attention of our people. We do not know
what more we can say to our people than to
present to them the fact that the election Of
these men means the unfolding of the Re-
turning Board. the vindication of Hayes and
John Sherman and everlasting infamy of
Louisiana. The appeal is made to the votes
of the people, and what they say can never
hereafter be gainsaid. Let them speak.