Year: 1873

while we can not say that we endorse
and approve of all the sentiments con-
tanned in it, we do assert that the cdi-
tor of that journal stands almost peer
less in the corps of Southern Journal
lists, is as true ms steel to his country,
and has always been regarded rs u sub
stantal Democrat by the citizens OF
New Orleans, against whom the pow
ers of the general government have
been bent with the saddest results to
their happiness and prosperity. While
we do think that the grange movement
is calculated to do the country great
good, and if properly managed shall
have our support and encouragement,
we cannot sec the necessity of dissolv-
ing the Democratic party. In all the
nefarious measures which have been
adopted by the party in power, the
Democratic party has keptup its hearty
and unqualified opposition, thus keep
ing itself and its record pure. 1t has
been right all the time, is right now in
all its principles, and why, we ask,
should its organization be broken up
and its cardinal features be engraftcd
into a new party. We regard the
grange movement simply as local,
auxiliary societies which can operate
as cflectually inside the Democratic
brotherhood as they can in an indie
pendent role. We are not yet in the
condition of the Western States, nor
will we ever be if the good people of
Texas will wake up to the Importance
of active labor in vindicating and pre-
serving theirpolitical rights. Let the
farmers go on and organize their
oranges, but give to them IL task of do
mystic co!oring. Let them build up
this fertile land and use their oranges
in this consummation. but for the pro-
lection of their political rights, stick to
the Democratic party:


The dissolution Of old parties appears
to be the prevalent idea and topic of
the day. The popular discomfort and
disgust with the issues upon which the
people have been divided for the years
past, and the demand for new organi-
cations Independent of old party
shackles and restraints, begin to as
sumo n loud and emphatic tone and
defiant expression. There is pro-
found and prevalent sentiment that
both of these parties have fulfilled
their mission, and can no longer be
maintained, except as mere combina-
tions for spoils and power, to be con-
trolled by selfith and corrupt dcma-
gogues and jobbers. Let them he
abandoned, with all their associations,
their names their programmes and
policies. Let us have something new
and appropriate to the times and its
evils, and embodying the most urgent
reforms, and higher tone Gf political
morality and administrative integrity.


The most signal cropping out OF this
popular tendency, its most distinctive
and expressive manifesto is embodied
in the grange gcmovement, which has its
origin in the great Northwest, and is
rapidly difftlsing itself through the
valley of the Mississippi. This move
mcnt has, as its chief object andrule Of
action, AN entire oblteration of the
old party lines and designations, and
the introduction of II more honest and
juster administration of government,
and wiser and more equal legislation,
whereby the rights and interests of the
people of the great producing and in
dustrial classes will he more faithfully
represented and protected.


And next to This opposition to the
rotten old political parties, the grange
movement declares an eternal and
active hostility to rings and monopo-
lies, which, with their natural allies
the political parties-constitute the
present great evils and burdens of the
people, and the most formidable foes
TO harmony, and patriotic concord, and
fraternity, and true republicanism, and
honest democracy in the nation. 10
banish spoilism from the government,
it is needful that old parties and politi-
clans should be discarded by the peo-
pie, and new and better order of rep
rescntatives should be called to the
public offices. TO ensure freedom of
trades, of industry, and equal rights,
the first battle TO be fought and won is
that against rings and monopolies and
the special favors and privileges
accorded to incorporate capitalists
through the corruption and infidelity
of political partisans.


The first condition of enlistment,
therefore, in this movemen is the sol
cmn pledge to support no candidates
of the repudiated and obsolete parties.


1t cannot be denied that this is live
movement, and that itrests upon ideas
which largely prevail throughout the
country. Nor is il at all improbable
that it will gain rapidly public favor,
not only in the North, but in the South
west. There is nothing in the PROPOSE
tons enoanccd by this party which
will not command and attract the sup
port of that tportion of the people which
has, during the last few years, suffered
so many defeats under the banner of
Democracy. Nor Is there any reason
to doubt that it will secure the support
of large body of the new and, for
some time past, dominantparty.C COM
bine these two, and you make an or
ganization which will control the des-
tinies of the nation.


In this result our own section, the
South, has perhaps a deeper interest
than any other portion of the Confed-
eraey. No other has suffered so griev-
ously from the evils against which the
oranges wage their war. Here the full
weight of the calamities of political
corruption and monopoly oppression
has fallen with most disastrous effect.


But there is another aspect i'm which
this movement may prove of great
relief and benefit to the South. Based
on the combination of the producers of
the country against the illcgitimate and
dangerous power of political and cor
porate rings and government-favored
capitalists-a privileged class-it win
supply the key 10 the solution of
the race difficulty which 50 perplexes
the South, and so seriously obstructs
its reconstruction and the harmony of
its people. Our colored people cOnsti-
tute the vast majority Of the tillers Of
the soil, the producers of the material
wealth of the country.


Every motive of interest, every in
stinct of theirs, will impel them to CO.
operate in movement like this, which,
entirely disburdened of any. Of the ira