New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-11-21

by ii, could listen paucAtS 4" '"' 81 sum
OF a political opponent without dIa"'hN
revolver on him; nothing more than tha' '"c
managing Democrats of that State 90 h"'0
| the power, when they see ht TO exercise H. ~
restrain the lawlessness and violence Oh inc
bulld,zers. This is all it would prove rs 10
the actual condition of affairs III the SOUTH
Rut II would be paraded everywhere Noflh
and South rs a sufficient answer 10 all th"'
has been sad about Southern elecuoneerlhe
methods. and the suppression OF Tree pa"o'
and free speecb. Ii there was any NIUE game
in this business-and the apparent earnestheSS
of Louisiana Democrats in seconding the III
vitetion makes lis think there was-lt was u
came of their own making up, to put hepup-
l;cans in a false attitude and use them as
Democratic witnesses. With their methods OF
carving elections they incurred no risk but they
did take the chance of making much capital
nv uniting themselves on show as orderly, law
abiding communities. 1t was n game In when
tbev had nothing mt stake, but stood to win
largely. while the Republicans could gain
nothing but simply help carry out the desigps
of their advers1ries.
We have had quite enough OF these snow
pieces. If Louisiana Democrats want 10 prove
to the people of the North that they are
tolerant of free speech. aud that they DO not
carry elections by intimidation ana Violence
they can do it in a much easier and more
satisfactory way than by inviting few con-
spicuous Northern men down there, and re-
framing from mobbing them or shooting them
down in their tracks. We have had proofs
offered us in endless variety of their loyalty
TO the Union, love for the old flag, and will
ingness to accept the results of the war ever
SINCE the war ended. Democratic triumphs in
many Northern States and "A Democratic
Congress show how far the North believed
them. The recent elections show how far the
North has been undeceived, and the records
of the last Congress and the Extra Session
tell what opened their eyes. The Lamars and
Gordons and Hamptons and Ben Hills have
all talked fair to us; and there has been
occasionally q mutual interchange of gush
that we have dwet upOn and made
the most of and we believe long
time ago some Sergeant or other walked
through the South with the American flag and
was not shot or insulted. And all these things
are accepted eagerly as tokens of reconcilia-
ton and good feeling, and as meaning all that
the Democrats and their high toned deputies
said they meant. But we found for all that
that so soon "a in any Southern State the
white Democrats got the power they suppressed
the negro vote by violence, intimidation and
fraud. That they seized the first opportunity
to perfect their alliance with the party at the
North which was in sympathy with them and
hostile to the Government during the war, and
that so soon as they gained possession of Con-
gress they began to breathe their old purposes
and threaten openly to wipe out all the egs-
lation of the past sixteen years. And we judge
them now by what they have done, not by
what they have said; by what they threaten
to do and undertake to do when they are in
power; not by what they say and promise on
the eve of an election. In word, their game
is played ont; they have unmasked. If they
want to show that they do grant free speech
and fair elections at the South, they have the
means in their own hands, and need not ask
Republican assistance. We thank them for
inviting us to Louisiana, but we distrust the
Greeks bearing gifts