Year: 1875

A CRUEL AND INTOLERANT DOCTRINE.


The Democrat, with an admitted ignor-
ance Of the community into which it has
Just exercised the American right to mi
CRATE, passes hasty censure on the late
Mr.. Pierson. 1t says:


Although he was Confederate soldier
during the war he had fallen into much odium
among the more respectable people q me
community 7t 1cIitCh he liued 6y suffering


the cieirs and purposes of the Radical party
in the State While from motives of Chris
tian feeling and humanity we regret his un-
expected and fearful end. it ia impossible to
say that social life, or that patriotism and
rirtue hare lost anything by his demise


Here is an affirmation that man wEo
had chosen to identify himself with poll
teal party in the State, had fallen into
disrepute among the more respectable peo-
pie of tire community in which he lived.
There is no evidence cited that he was not
an upright man. He was native of the
South. He went forth to do battle in de-
fense of the lives and property of those
who have repaid him with an odium which
forfeited his right to live, or to expect
even tear of commiseration upon his
grave.


Why should a stranger pass such severe
judgment upon one who has passed be-
yond defense or reply? Because a man
votes the Republican ticket, shall it be
said that patriotism loses nothing by his
death? This Confederate appears to have
voted for the Republican Grant, as other
Confederates voted for the Republican
Greeley. He may have voted fer the Re-
publican Kellogg as other Confederate
members of the Legislature voted for the
Liberal Republican Warmoth. Can he
then have had no virtue, that virtue has
lost nothing by his death? We may in
fer that those who passed GEN.
sure so cruel were themselves all
in the Confederate army. Or that
they were, in some other matter, COM
mitted to the Confederate cause. The
Republican party, while in exclusive con-
troll of every department of the federal
government, granted general amnesty to
these gentlemen in common with others.
Have they ever accepted the terms? Do
they exercise any political rights under
and by virtue of that act? If SO, why
may they not recognize the merit of the Re-
publican party, and why deny to others
a right to respect party to which they
owe the enjoyment of the most sacred
rights of freemen? Yet those who have
done the precise political act which Mr..
Pierson had done, preserve their social
station and reputation while his own COM
rades are ordered to de6le his grave and
malign his memory.


The Bulletin places less incorrect esti-
mate upon the death of Mr.. Pierson. 1t
does not think that a citizen forfeits his
right to life, or to the respect of society,
because he shall have voted the Repub-
ican ticket. Knowing better than the
Democrat can possibly do, the tone of
public sentiment, it thus rebukes the
intolerant organ:


The attempt to make it appear that de-
cent man can not be Republican in Louis
lana, and be safe as to life, limb and prop
erty, is characteristlcally absurd.


The Democratic organ has not merely
shown that Republican is not safe in
Louisiana, but that if he be slain, the
simple fact that he was a Republican, de-
prives him of the regret of all patriotic
and virtuous people


We ask Conservative people to pause
before they commit themselves to such in
tolerant leaders. If q Confederate SOL
dier who votes the Republican ticket is
cast out as moral leper, what must be
the fate of any Conservative who does the
same thing? It would seem that we have
q party which may do any political act
with impunity, which may profess no po-
itical principles, and yet may command
the obedience of all others Should not
all men who claim the right Of opinion
come to some distinct understanding with
these intolerant usurpers? Enough has
been published to place the Conservatives
on their guard and we shall expect them
to exercise proper vigilance. Otherwise
if one Of them who has disobeyed the
orders of Democracy would meet the
misfortune Of death by assassination or in
regular combat, the only epitaph visible
when the political nettles which have
been sowed above his remains shall be
pulled aside, will be something Like this:


4 Confederate soldier.


He voted the Republican ticket.


Ther0fOre