Gazette and sentinel., 1861-04-06
The State Rights Democracy.

make the mo. party cry or doctrine prevail,
if possible, in the ensuing elections. The OBJ
icct is evident to all Democrats, especially to
those who, like the Opposition, desire office.
We have lived to discover that in elections
lattcr'y where no Nominations were made, the
Opposition, by a singular coincidence, all vote
ahkel We have no question whatever, that
If there were no Democratic Convention in
future, the coincidence alluded to would con-
tinue to prevail among the old and latter-day
opponents Of the State Rights Democracy. We
mention this to show the abSnrdity Of a De-
mocrat expecting to be elected in such ''no.
pdrty' undertaking. If two Democrats were,
in such contingency, to be opposed TO each
other for the same Office, the chance Of either
for success won d be sill more desperate.
We have eon'ended for the principle, and
We shall ever maintain it, that no party diyi-
sionS should prevail upon questions of nation.
al interest. For Instance, we were happy to
perceive the united voice in Louisiana against
the rule of Lincoln and his Black Republican
administration, aud the unanimity that pre-
vailed, apart from and above all party feeling,
n the act that withdrew our State from the
Federal Union, and in those other acts which
placed it in a position TO defend the i~ndcpen-
dcnce It asSertcd-as also that which connect.
ed Louisiana, or made her an integral Of that
proud galaxy of States known as the South
ern Confcdcracy.
In n political matter Of this character, we
trust we shall never see any party divisions.
In all matters of national welfare-questions
affecting the honor, the prosperity, and the
existence rs a nation Of that Government Of
which our State i now an honorc1 member
we tru I We shall never see au-ht but one uni.
ted and inseparible phalanx of the true Sou
thern grit and metal, in opposition to the en-
envy, be il with the pen or with the sword /
and when we speak thus we include the whole
Southern Confederacy, for valor and galIantry
have 40 party divisions in the new Republic
Of the South.
But the matter IS different when we come
to contentious among ourselves for offices Of
honor and trust. Man will cease to breathe I
when he ceases to believe that his opinions mp.
on certain matters OF State and national poll
cy are right, AMI those Of his neighbOr wrong
and the millennium itself will have come |
when men cease to entertain political prejudi-
ces and par;ialities. Therefore, divisions Of
sentiment upon political subjects naturally
arise, and this gives birth TO partics-each a
watchful guardian Of the acts Of the other
and thus, parties become the salvation of the
peoples political rights. The rise and progress
Of parties in a Republic is as natural as the
rise Of streams and the flow ing Of water to the
ocean: one is As much the offspring Of civili-
zation and a free government as the other is
tue production Of universal law. Our word
for it, when the people once loses all interest
in their attachment to and maintenance of
their separate party organizations, they are
losing sight of the strongest palladium of their
liberties.
We have been stimulated to these remarks
principally by the effort attempted by the lite
long opponents Of Democracy in the parishes
where they are in the minority, to make pop
ular the idea that our new political position
has expunged all former party associations,
and from what We perceive at the end Of an
nouncements Of candidates for Office, as ap.
pears in our paper to day, viz: Subject to
the decision of the State Rights Democratic
Convention, If one be caAed." Why such a
pr%oviso7 1t is strange that such an idea should
be entertained. We would by no means coun
Gil the holding Of a nominating Democratic
Convention and the strict organization Of the
party, if it is the voice OF the Democracy to
hand over TO our opponents all the honors and
emoluments of office in the forthcoming cleo
ton, "horse, foot and drasoon." If such, how.
ever, is not the intention Of the State Rights
Democracy of Louisiana, in those parishes
where they have but to sound the ~reveille to
assemble for action their invinclble squadrons,
let them at once prepare for the struggle that
is approaching prepare to battle as one man
in accordance with old and honored usages, |
and the success Of their ticket is as certain as
that the sun shines by day in a clear sky.
We would then call upon the Democracy of
Iberville to set about at once in consolidating
their strength for the preservation of their
principles. Both the prosperity Of the State
and the Government rest upon the predomi-
nance Of those principles. ut was through a
strict construction Of, and adherence TO, the
principles Of the State Rights Democracy on
the one part, and the losing sight of them on