The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-10-02
mho Tate Great Democratic Meet
1D' ing at Baltimore.
, ,,to,s from Ex-Governor Sey-
' mour. of Connecticut, and Ex-
sanator Wall of New Jersey,

senator Wall Of New Jersey,
u.nrroRp, Conn, September 8, 1867.
,nas r, Brewer, Esq: .--..
n.,p SIR: hasten to answer your ia
p, % tho 9Th instant, and regret exceed
yor u t hot can not attend the mass-meet
insy .ub b is to be held in your city on the
ing am Of the 10th of this mouth. In de-
eyenims your invitation, with which l have
elin,p % highly honored, I am fully con-
been ~ how much / shall lose by the sacri-
sclo.' am an compelled to make, and would
nee ,lu spnd different reply if in my pow
glaul!a a. , On A few words expressive OF the
CT w. .;n,ents which your letter has inspired
sehI'' asrve TO make the only reply am
Ih ns to return you less abrupt than it might
a therwise seem to be. The time chosen for
o ,unr Grand mass.meeting is striklngly APP
you, to the occasion, which is bring
PiO o no GOOD news from California | heart
ins o ~S the Democracy of Balti-
ny SoI and through them Of Maryland, on
l ho'' noble victory which has just been
e no to us from beyond the mountains
Sshs western and Pacific course of our
WV ae and our liberties" / say of our
i ,ans being rendered more hopeful of
.h"m by the joint triumphs in the past
S ,ns of Maryland, Delaware Connecticut,
Ts a and that of California, which is
now ringing through the land. No more
nnovnvipcing proofs are needed than these
Elections afford that the true work of re-
obstruction" on the basis of the Constitu-
s ION has already begun in the free
states sDa, y and being received with applause
p lmt be American people, must inevitably
M till the Constitution of our country
= reocued from the hands that are raised
to DESTROY it. Other elections, which are
coon to follow, can not help but confirm
9 .%;s view of the case. The moral of what
has been gained thus far, where free cleo
t;ons have been held, is the key to the III.
tnre of our country, Another year must
Ietermiue how far elections OF different
Sharacter shall be permitted to thwart the
clearly expressed will of the people in
constitutional way.
II il not for me, sir, to sketch for the
benefit of the Democracy OF your noble
State. who understand so well the princi
Mes Of civil liberty, any plan OF action 4
nav He proper to pursue, in the great bat
tIe Of the century that is soon to be Tough
and won. am not so presumptuous q
to attempt any thing of the kind. But, a
Won have given me chance to make m.
acknowledgements for the honor of your in
yitation, may perhaps 60 a step farthe
and saw something more. We know to
Veil the condition of some portions Of on
country at the present time to require an
description from me. / need not, there
fore. dilate on the deplorable spectacle
a free people subjected to military powe
in time of peace, and, by monstrously vii
system of registration and coercion, mad
marty to the elevation of the blacks owe
The whites of the South. This OF itself
deplorable enough and fraught with evi
fyast magnitude. But aside from its in
mediate effect on States where the work
destruction has begun, we see in the Il
construction Act, so misnarned, the VOL
ton OF the great principles Of self-gover
ment, which if permitted to be overthrow
in the Carolinas, in Louisiana, in GeOrgi
or elsewhere, would soon be made prec
dent in wicked hands for the estahlis
ment of the same tyranny over the rest
the States. The recent threat OF Radlc
Senator to force negro suffrage on Come
ticut is indicative ofthe very purpose su
gested by the Congressional plan for t
subiugation Of the South. In this COM
tion of things return to the organic 10
is the only path of safety for our once II
institutions. A return to the Constitute
il the demand of every true friend OF
country
To reach that Constitution successful
and clear it of every obstruction viii
would be likely to weaken or impair
usefulness or strength in the future, thu
things, it strikes me, are necessary to
accomplishment of the great work, V
First, the absolute subordinatiOn Ga tt
American doctrine) of the military to
civil power. On the successful vindicat
of this great principle--a vital one beyC
all uuestions--or failure to sustain it y
be found to depend the future glory
shame of that America which Washingt
rescued from the " Kings troops" Seco
", the absolute political supremacy of
white race in the government of this CO
try. The Constitution of Connecticut,
trne interpreter on this subject of the c
stitution of the United States, has sett
the question in this quarter. Thirdly
speedy revision of the whole system of t
alton, recently borrowed from Europe, W
all it's odious inequalities and burthe
and rendered doubly odious by harass
"stamp act" infinitely worse than. Il
which gave birth to the Declaration
independence" a
have no time just now to pursue tn
topics further, nor should further tax y
patience. / can only add, as the sum {
substance Of all ] would compress i
these lines, my sincere desire for rec
stfucton of the States On the basis OF
American Constitution, and none Otl
Thus alone may law, liberty and the c
stitution be preserved.
With renewed Acknowledgements, /
very respectfully, yours, &c,
THos. H. sEYMOUF
LETTER FROM HON. JAMES W. WALL,
NEW JERSEY,
BURLINGTON, September 5, 1861
James R. Brewer, Esq, Chairman, &c.
My DEAR SIR: Your invitation to
present and address the great mass-m,
ing of the Democracy of Baltimore, to
held in the city Of Baltimore, Septem
lois this moment received. l SINGER
regret that it will not be in my power
accept.
l thank you for those very kind and t
tering assurances that the pOpqlarit.
my name, and the high appreciation of
public services, will insure me most
dial reception and that my presence y
% highly gratifying to all the lovers
frse government in Maryland" -,
In all my political actions during
late frightful civil conflict; l was anima
ibyapure and ardent devotion to the
interests OF a common country, engen
eddy the serious apprehensiOns that
enemies of Constitutional freedom on
representative form of government
men who had openly proclaimed the {
stltution "a league with hell and c.
nant with death were encouraging {
strife, that they might secure power
establish military despotism in the fl
excitement and abnormal condition o
ialrs such strife would engeuder.
present alarming condition is but the
ana perfect realization of my worst up
tensions.
mat condition is but the maturing
olsne obnoxious plant--civil war. Z"
. .s OF this generation concei
i themselves wiser than those "childre
n