The Feliciana Democrat., 1857-09-19


lie opinion, and of moral influences, OF 10 .he
equally efficient interference OF poilce' VINO
were willing spectators, il not actlVe Par.lci-
pators in these disorders, and OF whom u was
correctly remarked in the report OF the Graha
Jury (of which the foreman was member OF
the American party that for all purposes o, .,
useful or efficient action they might as well
have been in bed 1t is not our purpose to en-
ter upon an elaborate defense OF the Election
Law. If it is defective in practical detail, IT
may be revised and corrected It's opponents
were invited to offer substitute, with the as
surance that any substitute which was SO
framed as to embrace substantially the practl.
cal feature Of protection to the citizen, would
be adopted. This offer was declined, on the
ground that any law which divested the Oity
Police of the exclusive right and duty OF pre-
srriag order (?) at the city elections would
be unconstitutional
TO have omitted under such circumstances
the enactment Of some claw regulating the
elections" in the city of New Orleans by which
'the privilege of free suffrage should be pro-
tectcd," and which should provide adequate
penalties against all undue Influence thereon,
from power, bribery, tumult Or other improp-
er practice" would have been not only pal
pablc disregard Of plain constitutional duty,
but would have amounted to demission oil the
! first and greatest attribute Of sovereign
Statc-to wit: the right to protect its citizens
in the exercise and enjoyment Of their consti.
tutional rights A government which fails in
the discharge Of this primary obligation, ignores
/ its own existence as such, and in fact procams
an anarchy. 1t releases the people from Their
allegiance, by proclaiming that the contract
which imposes the corrclative duties Of protec.
ton and allegiance no longer exists and il
leaves its citizens either individually or colec-
lively TO the choice Of such means Of resistance
and defense as in their desperation they may
be driven to select 1t was not the intention
of the last Legislature thus to ignore its high
duties and responsibilities, but its action has
been rendered nugatory by invoking the inter.
vention of judicial process cmanating from ono
Of our local tribunals. It will be the duty OF
those who may be selected by the people to
TO it, that the pledge of protection which was
given by their predecessors to the people Of
New Orleans was no idle mockcry, which might
be thwarted at will by the machinery of legal
delays, and to demonstrate that it was intend.
ed to subservc an effective purpose, to Dc
manifested by effective results. II is sheer
infatnaton to suppose that those who repre-.
sent the people Of Louisiana in their legisla.
tive capacity will under any possible combina.
ton Of circumstances permit an experiment to
be attended with a successful result, whel,
contemplatcs a subsection of the sovereignty
Of the State to the mere caprice Of those who
J may, for the time being, represent or misrep.
resent the corporation Of New Orleans.
Other questions Of local and general inter.
est, will doubtless to greater or less extent
determine the choice Of the people in the elec
ton OF their representatives, but the names ol
: those selected as Democratic candidates are
such, it is believed, as furnish sufficient and
assured guarantee that the general interests ol
the State will be carefully and faithfully adj
minstered by them. They stand pledged to
as prudent and economical disbursement oi
the public monies as is consistent with such
appropriations as may be necessary to the dc.
yelopment of the great agricultural and com.
mercal resources of the State.
In conclusion, fellow.citizens, let us hope
that we are at last approaching can era of bet.
ter feeling" when the animositics which have
been cngendcrcd by the advocacy of proscrip.
1--WE tehets VIII be obliterated by their aband.
onment; when the bitterness which sense OF
endured and anticipated wrongs has infused
even into the social relations of life, will be
softened and dispcllcd by a just acknowledg.
ment and concession of right TO the accom-,
! plshment Of this result we invoke an earnest
and cheerful support Of those laws which were
enacted for our common protection We shall
thus become the mutual guardians of our com.
mon rights, and shall furnish reliable pledge
OF our efforts for the restoration of peace, har.
mony and order to community which has
been distracted and disturbed by disorders and
tumults which have compromised our good
name before the world which have materially
injured our pccunary interests; and which
have tended, in no inconsidcrable degree, to
weaken the attachment of the people to oul
form OF government, and to shake their conf
dence in the stability of our institutions