The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-18
FOURTEENTH SEPTEMBER.

FOURTEENTH SEPTEMBER.
To-day the mule race, for the benefit OF the
fund for the erection of q monument to the
memory OF our citizen soldiers, who fell on
the fourteenth September 1874, comes off ut
the Fair Grounds. It is not necessary, we
know, TO commend the purpose actuatng the
gentlemen who have got up this affair to a
New Orleans public, for II there Ia one memo
ry to which our people render pure and url.
selfish and devoted reverence, it Is to that
day and the men whose heroism made 1t i'm
mortal For this reason we expect perfect
ovation to-day, in which such multitudes of
our citizens will participate as were
never before gathered together for any
purpose whatever. We should remem-
Der that the memories Of those who fell
on the fourteenth of September.
are left to us as a sacred trust to be defended
against the imputation Of failure, the calum-
ny of the powerful and the Islander of the ma
lignant. The principle for which they died is
broad and everlasting as the universal air.
Like all truth. If crushed to earth, 1t must
rise again In new splendor and unwonted
glory. Certainly more unselish lovers, more
devoted heroes than they meyer died in behalf
Of this holy cause; yet we must not disguise
from ourselves that the universal recognition
which is accorded to the principle is not given
to them. For this very reason it Is all the
more incumbent on us to yindicate their
names against all impugnment by the cree
ton of q substantial testimonial OF the rever-
ence and affection In which their memories
are held by those who participated in their
peril and who benefited by their sacrifice. We
should be wanting indeed in all piety and
gratitude did we suffer the memories of these
men and their sacrifice to die out of our hearts
or should we fall to proclaim their heroism to
the world.
But we owe 1t not less to ourselves, to the
vindication of past upon which all manner
ton Of cause whose adherents were stig-
matized as "banditti," than to the sanctifica-
ton of the dead to commemorate that day as
one of the brightestin the long annals of mans
struggle for freedom. This Is the one event in
all the unhappy history of our State to which
her citizens may be allowed to turn with
pride and reverence, regardless Of what the
rest of the world may think, and in neglect
Of every consideration save that Of our sin
cere and heartfelt sympathy. There must be
one memory which we can cherish one i'm
pulse we can obey one demonstration we can
make. without consulting the base standard
of expediency and effect. 1t Is not much we
ask; only the slight comfort Of paying tribute
to and preserving the memory of the bravest
dead that ever died, the truest patriots that
ever illustrated any cause on earth.
1t is barely possible that the country has
never reached true understanding of the
fourteenth Of September, and we should not
wonder that an act SO sudden and so start
ling, SO absolutely without preliminary or
sequel, SO isolated, 80 inexplcable, SO ire
mendous, should have been and still remain
mystery to all save those who felt the sting
of the intolerable provocation which caused
it, and shared the great Joy of the vndica-
ton it brought.
1t is our duty to make it clearer, and in do
ing SO to vindicate ourselves as well as the
patriot dead. It is our duty, and it should be
our joy and pride, to see that no party mis-
representation or sectional hate shall ever
make OF 1t the vulgar outbreak our enemies
would have ito let no studied lie or artful
calumny torture it out of its genuine charac-
ter. 1t was the deed OF gentlemen and pa
triots, and for one magnificent hour the honor
and the wrongs of Louisiana fell to those in
whose hands it would be well for us to keep
them always, and the tricksters and self
seekers stood aside and looked on while
handful Of curled and scented heroes re-
sumed their long disused armor to show the