Year: 1877

Withdrawn from the Packard lIhuu, we


could disperse 1t in few hours. But


the question which 10 now In the heart


of every citizen Of Louisiana 10: VIII


Mr.. Hayes carry out the new policy
adopted 30 lately by President Grantp


For many days the air has been


full Of happy but Indefinite
promises on this point. We have heard
the liberal and ooneilatory views OF
Stanley Mathews and Mr.. Chas. Eos
ter; we have heard, at second hand as
ii were. of brave things that are to be
done for the South, and especially for
Louisiana and South Carolina, by tho
new President. Presses which for
years have lived and flourlshed on
abuse Of the South, and cheered
on tho bleod hounds which have
followed our footsteps, as Justify
90 even the most brutal negro driver
did his dogs, are now olamsring for
new Southern policy and find no words
too soft and honied In which to dc.
scribe the wrongs of our people, their
patience and fortitude.


These are certainly encouraging signs,
and we are much disposed to trust In
them: yet We should not be too san
guine: for not single definite utter
anee have we had from Mr.. Hayes own
lips. or from his own pen. And indeed
we believe now. as we have believed oil
alo ng, that our strongest reliance is not
ia the good intentions OF the leaders OF
the Republican party, but In the firm
ness OF our attitude. We think there is
much reason TO believe that, IL Mr.. Hayes
and his advisers were fully convinced
that ron the recognition Of Packard, the
log itimate government OF Louisiana
would break up and that the people
would quietly submit TO feur years
more OF spoliation and misgovernment,
Packard would be recognized by Mon
day night.


But, fortunately, The whole coun-
try 10 fully satisfied that the recognition
of Packard will meet with the feroest
and most determined resistance, and
bring about condition Of things In this
State impossible even to contemplate
without horror. The means by which
Mr.. Hayes obtained the presidency has
inflamed the popular heart Of the West,
and even to a degree Of the East. and
the brand of civil war once lit
In Louisiana would, In all human
probability, spread to every portion
Of the country. Communism stalks In
every Northern CITY; there is an angry
spirit, restless, growing, In the under
currents of society there which needs
but the taste of blood or the sight Of o
burning brand to plunge into the wild
est and most terrible exeesses. The
country rests upon n volcano, and
the party or the administration which
shall, In the furtheranee Of partisan
ends provoke On Issue which cause the
smothered fires to break forth will be
involved In swift and inevitable ruin.
The bad blood aroused by the scandal
ous action Of the Electoral Commission
bro ught us, In tho tumultuous proceed
ings OF the House In the closing hours
of the count, to the very verge Of the
fatal collision. The forbearance OF
the Southern Democratic mem
bers checked proceedings which
threatened to preoipitate anarchy and
civil strife. "The Southern Democra-
cy," says the New York Tribune, will
please accept the thanks Of united
people. The men who made war upon
tho Union In 'e1 have preserved Its
peace In IT." Have these Southern
Democrats preserved the peace Of the
country only that man might be made
President by fraud, and that two of
their own States-Louisiana and South
Carolina be relegated to the rule
Of thieves and utterly crushed and
ruined2


This Is a question which must be de-
termined in few days. But, until those
days are past, 1t behooves the people OF
Louisiana to stand prepared to defend
their government and their rights to any
and every extremity. Peace may be sweet
to the bon dholders OF the East, who sold
out the country for it. but it Is utterly
worthless to US, II it Is to exist among
US only as deadly pestilence, under
which our liberties, our wealth and our
social institutions must perish, while
fattening on Its poisonous vapors, carpet
baggery, thievery and extortion live and
flourish.


Under true and generous policy OF
peaos Mr.. Hayes can conciliate Louisi-
ana and South Carolina. Neither his nor
any other administration can maintain
order In either State or hold their peo-
pie In quiet subjugation by a policy
which involves the infamy Of sustain
ing Packard and Chamberlain. We
trust Mr.. Hays will be guided in fixing