The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-09
FOOLISH TALK ABOUT THE SOUTH

Events are lust now 80 shaping themselves
ne TO afford TO the prevalent idiot pretext,
We do not say Justification, for fevivlnG the
old nonsense about invading Mexico. 1t ~ a
periodical. 10 be sure something In the ma
tire Of Nh annual eruption 1t would
doubtless have broker out on time. anyhow,
but the reported visit Of ex-Presidant Grant
30 tour neighbof Republic has given an TN
pulse 10 the caekla and rendered III hoialer
aud more offensive than Usual We see N the
He'nld OF the fifth that Congressman whit
thprne. uf Tennessee. has returned TO wash
Ington, Treah from the bosom uf his euhsti-
tueney, aud says that hls people are deeply
Interea,esI In den. Grants viait to Mexico
Furthermore, he states That II Grant
upon his RETURN should declare hlm-
cell IN favor Of the annexation
" part " the whole of Mexice. he would
naln n great number Of adherents IN the
Southern States. Altislon Is OF course made
I'd The large class Of restless and adven-
turorls mem In the South, the Idea being that
the nation ought TO jump al the chance Of q
war IN order to crafty the Idle and ''restleas'
persons who don't like the stupid staunntion
Of peace. MI, Whitthorne seems to think
that this ls perfectly legitimate eonsideia-
tlun In the adoption ~ q national policy, and
evidently regards the dissatisfaction Of the
"resl lees'' persons referred I'D as matter
upon which the government should model IT.
aplf without hesitation.
This. IA we have said before Ia very much
the USUAL eaclsle which, for years past, has
been periodically INDUCED III upon this snb-
jeet, II Ia aggravated somewhat ~ The pres
pnt instance by the conjecture arising out Of
Grants proposed visit 10 Mexico, and, AZ the
Hetuii correspondent says. gossip is very
lanpuid jnht now In Washington. Ii is GER
tanly very foolish talk, In the fret place,
where ~ Mt Whltthrrnes authority for as-
a,tinina that there is q numerous class OF die
enntented adventures III the Houthf His
language suggests the Inference that the
Southern population is largely composed
Of Idle, whishy-dtlnkIna loafers who con
stituta national anxiety, II not q
menace, If such proportions ~ ~
warrant the government In providing
war for their accommodation. MIR Whit
thnrne II from Tennessee. and may OF may
not fairly represent the conditions Of senti
mant and society prevailing there. but we
doubt II the same can be truly said Of many
Of the Southern states. Certainly u is net
true Of Louisiana. We have here no such
element az MIR. Whitthorne refers to. There
are few scattering instances Of that class,
but not enough 81 recruit an army Of inva-
sion from, aud no public opinion that would
promote Huch an undertaking
The South wants no WARMTH Mexico or
any other nation There may have been a
time, some years ago. In the blacklist hour Of
that political night In which our liberties
seemed To be enveloped without hope of
morning there may have been time, we
gay. when thousands Of Southern men would
have joyfully and eagerly hailed an opportu
nifty TO seek freedom and competence In other
lands. even though the search was made al
the point OF the bayonet and with their lives
In their hands. That time has passed, how
ever. and Mr.. Whitthorne's battalions ~ lazy,
snlkina inIlammahle oilers do not exist at
least. In the South. We are tired of this
esnt. we are tired Of hearing the South de-
srfbed IA a community Of fireseaters with no
save manslaughter. and no imple
ments excepting deadly weapons. II Ia q
Islander. Offensive as 1t IL foolish The South
,rn people have their affairs In their own
ianda at last, and they are busy solving the |
problem Of progress and development
through the peaceful arts of commerce aud
agriculture. Less than any people In the DIV
lized world, to-day, do they incline to ven
ures ~ war and conunests and violence
They have no possible motive to lead them In
uoh direction -every conceivable motive
Of remaining where they are. Aud Mi
Nhitthorne ought to know thia az well as we