The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-12-04
CHANGING THE ISSUE.

ready TO adopt any line OF policy
which promises success, without re.
gard to the honesty of the means
employed, is now seeking to change
the issue before the people of the
United States, and has revived the
cry of the "bloody shirt and the
"solid South" Defeated upon the
currency issue as they were, knowing
as they do that they cannot defend
the past record of their party, .he
Republicans North were driven to
this, the last ditch, from which they
are now making vigorous sally
It is their forlorn hope. They know
that the offensive is much stronger
than the defensive, in politics as in
war, and if the Democratic party is
not smart enough to see the game
and refuse to accept the profered
battle ground, there may be trouble
in store for us.
There can be no doubt of our abil-
ity to show that the charges of out
RACES in the South and of our de-
signs upon the National treasury are
wholly false, if the National Demo
cratic party should choose to accept
that issue. But the financial legis
lation and the corruptions of the Re-
publican party offer more inviting
field and more certain results. The
Republican party is in the hands of
aud belongs body and soul to the
money power, and it should not be
permitted to cloak its designs upon
the very form and substance of our
government. We Of the South hav-
ing nothing to fear from the most
searching investigation of our inter-
nal affairs and for that very reason
the defensive upon that issue is the
weak side. All who are not blinded
by passion and hate are already con-
WINGED that the charges against US
are false, and those who are so
blinded are beyond the reach of con-
yiction.
If we were disposed to retaliate
upon the bloody shirt shriekers We
could point to the daily list of hor-
rors in the North, as far greater in
every respect than anything charged
against us. The "buildozer" of the
South finds his more than prototype
in the tramp" of the North. A few
instances of disturbances, almost in
variably forced on our people by the
teachings of these very "shriekers,"
and magnified as they always are for
political effect, are thrown into the
shade by the list OF crimes reported
in any and every issue of the papers
North, all committed as they are
without even the excuse of political
excitement, Men, women and chill
dren murdered in cold blood in their
beds; women, girls and even babies
ravisLed in the light of broad day
at home, on the roads, on the streets,
anywhere, everywhere. Burglary,
robbery, arson, larceny, horse steal
ing, defalcations, perjury, adultery,
grave robbing, bigamy, incest, bas-
tardy, bribery and the balance of the
catalogue, are crimes common in all
the "law and order" (?) States of
the North, that the daily list as pub,
lished generally embraces them all.
Nowhere in the South has there ever
been anything to compare with the
labor strikes and riots of 1877 in the
North. The "bulldozer'' is a mild
and affable gentleman in comparison
with the tramp" All these things
are so and easily proven by the col
umns of the bloody shirt papers OF
the North themselves, which often
devote whole column to a single
murder in the South, and devote
twice as much space to bare men
tion of hundred crimes at home
yet we do not wave the bloody shirt
nor run political campaigns ON the
disorders in the North.
1t has already been announced
that sectional debate was to be
lofceu Ia the present session OF Con.
gress, and it is said that tile message
CT the President will invite that dis.
cussion. In our humble opinion, il
the Democrats are wise, they will lie,
them howl and answer by carrying
| the war into Africa" The offensive
is the strong side.
l. -~-~~~~~~-sSs-~~
DREECH LOADING SHOT-GUNS
| ID FROM S35 to Ss5, AT FERGU.
| SON g. SCHNACK'S, WATCHMAK
Frs AND JEWELERS..
| -->-~~~~-~---s0s-~~~~~
| AND still good reports come tt
US of the yield of the cane--a ligh'