New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1878-10-12

OlA A0a AAVC4 eAo A0oabA8aA - = EAN--SNNe
pledge, nor has any occasion arisen since
TO test the purpose or the ability Of the
conservative citizens to maintain those
pledges.
There have been occasional acts Of vio-
lence by one and all against each other,
and some by white people against their
own race, which while, they have been
rebuked by the State authority show that
this lawless spirit, though, is not extinct,
and that the whole moral force of the
State may be required to quell and to con-
troll it. Until, therefore, 1t shall have been
determined whether these resolutions are
an armistice, or a peace, truce OF treaty,
the Republicans of Louisiana must
be considered as occupying delicate. If
not dangerous position. Every con-
sideration of principle and Of prudence
would, therefore, dictate that they should
regard themselves as q corps OF observa-
ton and guarantee, ready to fall into
ranks with any who may stand up in de-
tense of a law which embraces purposes
indispensable to their political existence.
If by any political accident the De-
mocracy shall succeed in crushing out its
conservative influence, it may virtually
nullify the terms of the compact. It may
even implant in the law, and in the con-
struction of the law, all that intolerance
and inequality from which the Republican
citizens nave suffered SO much and against
which they have so long and so success
fully commended. With this domestic dam
ger, the probable prospect of a national
administration, diminished in all Its de-
partments, renders any hope of relief
against unfriendly State legislation too
remote for estimate. One important ques-
ton then presented for consideration is,
how may the Republican party Of Lou
isiana best maintain the rights accorded
them by their political opponentsP The
manner in which this may be most etfec-
tually done has been already set forth in
this address. We can only add that, In
all cases in which an auti-Democratic or.
ganization or candidate appeals TO Re-
publican support, there should be dis
tinct pledge on the part of such applicants
to maintain the law of April 10, 1877, and
the terms of amnesty therein included.
There cannot, perhaps, be more pro-
per occasion for calling the attention OF
the people of Louisiana to the extrsordin-
airy services which have been rendered 10
all their interests by the colored people Of
this State. 1t will have been observed
thatwhile God hath. in his inscrutable judg-
ment, chosen to sfflict this city, State and
region with the recurrence of an epidemic
unprecedented in its extent, if not in its
intensity, He hath demonstrated the in
estimable value of the people of color in
meeting the calamities which have befallen
US. These people have, during this terri
BILE panic aud pestilence, cultivated almost
exclusively the largest crop of sugar, rice
and cotton grown for years past. They
have stood at their post in this stricken
city when the loftiest in this land have
gathered their households and fed abroad
for safety, and while every abode has been
filed with fear and suffering, they have
performed the labors of navigation and
commerce and watched alike for the liv-
ing, the sick and the dead. God hath
thus tempered the harsher injunctions of
the old dispensation with the needful
spirit of the new, and has vouchsafed in
this conduct q noble example of doing
unto others as We would that others should
do unto you, and of doing good to those
who despitefully use you.
In all these invaluable services the
colored people have proven their integrity
and sympathy for their fellow citizens,
and have thus given renewed assurances
that as social industrial and political
element they are entitled to the con-
fidence and protection of the whole people
of Louisiana. Every practical man in
the State must see that in the content and
cooperation of this body of our fellow
citizens, having a common religion, q
common speech and q common interest in
a common welfare, and scclimated by ma
ture to any tropical epidemic, will consist
the best means of developing the produc-
tive capacity, and restoring the wasting
prosperity of our State. 1t would be mad
ness to discourage or demoTalizing this
great influence.
1t would be ruinous to our common in
terests to drive them to destitution, or
persecute them into an exodus 10 other
countries upon this continent, where their
rights and feelings would be better re-
spected and their extraordinary capacity
for staple production brought into COM
petition with our own.
And now having considered these gen.
eral principles of policy, we pass to meas
ures of organization and to questions of
practical party management.
With the memory of the deeds Of vio-
lence, which we're perpetrated upon Re
publicans during the months preceding
the last election, fresh with the local gov
ernments and machinery of elections en-
tirely in the hands of the opposition and
with the indications that the proscFip tive
and violent policy of the Democrats has
not been abandoned, ct least by the party
managers, we de not believe that Repub-
licans can organize or ever vote in many
parishes without endangering their lives.
Still We urge upon those parishes and To-
calities where our party is manitestly
strong, the duty of making an earnest
effort to elect members Of Congress, mem
beEs of the General Assembly and local
officers.
In those parishes where the Repubh-
cans are in the minority, we recommend
that Republicans unite with the Anti
Democratic voters, with the view to Sc
curing the best representatives and local
officials.
In our opinion there are two objects
which we should sacrifice every other con-
sideration to attain; viz: the election Of
Republican members of Congress, and
the election Of Republicans OK indepen-
dent members Of the Legislature.
The Republicans in the several senate
rial and representative distsicla Of the
State, should be left free to decide for
themselves. whether il is proper 10 nomi-
nate candidates, Of 10 give their support
to the most favorable candidates. other
visa nominated; il being understood that
We urge the nomination Of party candi-
dates for the Assembly and for local on
eea where any reasonable prospect Of