Louisiana capitolian., 1880-02-21
KISSING THE ROD.

FtSft tHdtCftt' We Mo Sohhuche eh"e
public sentiment in the Southern met
ropolis and throughout the State will
condemn the act to which we refer.
To welcome Grant in New Orleans
is to endorse his vin0ictive policy to-
wards our State.
Have we forgotten how in 1873, he
contemptuously sent word to the COM
mittce of seventy, who were about to
leave for Washington, to lay before
him the grievances Of our people
"that they need not come; as his mind
was made upP"
Have we forgotten how, with bayo-
nets, he sustained the "midnight Or
der" of the infamous Durell, that the
Kellogg government might be fixed
upon Louisiana
Have we forgotten how IN 1875, our
present Governor, Louis A. Witt,
then Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives, having no other alterna-
tive, was compelled to enter unarmed
with his friends, Hall filled with SOL
diers ordered there by Grant to aid
the mongrel government in trampling
under foot every vestige of the rights
of the people of Louisiana
Have we forgotten the eight years,
of plundering rule, rioting and law
lessness, during which period many
of our best people left the State never
to return?
All of which is entirely due to
Grants relentless support Of the fraud
ulent administrations of Warmotll
and Kellogg.
Have we forgotten that men gave
up their lives on the 18th of Septem-
Der, 1874, in the attempt to shake of
the odlous government, whose power
could not have lasted three hours,
without the armed support witch
GRANT gave it9
Have we forgotten how in January,
1877, the people driven to desperation
by two preceding administrations of
plumber and oppression, did, with rifle
in hand, announced their determine
ton to be free at last, else offer up
their blood, unwilling any longer to
submit to the tyranny to which they
had been subjected b.. GRANTS in
terference9 Then only, did he pause
Chivalr0us men at the North and
elsewhere, know that Grantcannot be
welcomed anywhere in our State;
therefore the City Council of New Or
leans should not have courted his pre-.
sence.
1t is useless to be mealy -mouthed
about it, protesting sentiments which
our people do not feel.
We have every reason to detes'
Gen. Grant, not because ofhis parti,
cipation in the war, but because of his
heartless treatment of the South and
Louisiana in particular.
IF he chooses to visit New Orleans 0,
any other place, why, he's at liberty
to do so, and he will no doubt be met
atevery turn by q detachment of the
American Office Seekers Benevolent
Association, who are trimming theil
sails, in the event that the Great
Smoker is perpetuated in the Presi.
Dental Chair.
What we do object to, is, that any
representative body, in whose keeping
1eposes our self-repect as a people
should so far forget popular sentiment
as to invite to Louisiana, the man who
is most unwelcome.
Too long has it been urged by some,
that our people should adopt course
that would propitiate Northern'senti-
ment. MANY hypocutical demonstra-
tions and utterances have been made
in furtherance of such policy.
These of course have met with
naught but the contempt they deserve,
We believe that franknessis at last,
the honorable pride Of individuals as
well us that of nations.
Nobody in Louisiana dreams OF
breaking up the Union at this late day.
Home rule under a republican form Of
government, without interference from
military headquarters at Washington,
just as the Constitution provides, is all
we ask. We entertain no enmity to-
wards Northern men who are in favor
of respecting our rights in common
with their own, but we never will adj
mire or love the Grants, the Sheri-
dams, the Blaine's and others, whose
stock in trade is hatred of the South.
Such are our feelings and we un-
hesitatingly express them.
Hon. D. G. MoNrAS.-By vote of
twenty-five to eight, this able and