The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-07-22


the wealth, development and resources,
and increase of power to this Republic, the
asylum of the oppressed of all nations,
should be f0stered and encouraged by a
liberal and just policy. Is this foreign i'm
migration fostered by policy which is the
mask Of laws just passed declaring eight
hours to be legal days labor by the cost,
OF the Government, and of swarms Of off,
Gals which SO swell the cost of living that
men must toll on to meet these exactions?
(Cheers.) The time was when we could
not duly invite the Europeans to share
with us the material blessings of our great
country. But more than this. We could
tell those who fed from oppression that
we lived under a Government of laws adj
ministered by the Judiciary, which, kept
the bayonet and the sword in due suborJi-
nation. We could point to written Con.
stitutlon which not only marked out the
powers of the Government, but with anx-
ious care secured the humblest man the
rights Of property, of person and of con
science. Is immigration encouraged BY
trampling that Constitution 10 the dust,
treating With contempt and Stacking the
Judiciary, insulting the Executive and give
all the world to understand that the great
guarantees of civil and political rights are
destroyed? [Greas applause.l
But the browning indictment against the
fo!lies and crimes OF those in power is in
these words: "That We recognize the
great principles banded down in the De.
claration Of Independence as the true foun-
dation of Democratic Government, and we
hail with gladness every effort towards
making these principles living reality on
every inch of American SOIL" If within
the limits of ten States of this Union an
American citizen, stung by sense of his
wrongs, should publicly and h'utlfulzy de-
nounce the men in power, because in the
very language Of this Declaration of Inde-
pendencc, " they have elected q multitude
of officers, and sent hither swarms of Off
GERS to harass our people aud eat out their
substance" he would in all probability be
dragged to a prison. Or if, in the indig-
nant language IF our fathers, he should ex
claim, "They have affected to render the
military Independent of and superior to the
civil power, they have abolished the free
system OF English law and established
herein an arbitrary government for the
offence Of associating these principles he
would be tried and punished by military
tribunal. lGreat cheering.1 Having de-
clared that the principles ofthe Declaration
Of Independence should be made living
reality on every inch of American soil,
they put in nomination military chieftain
who stands at the head of that system Of
despotism that crushes beneath its foot the
greatest principle Of the Declaration of In
dependence. [Cheers.l To-day, in some
Of the States, it is held by military orders
to be crime to speak out the Indignation
and contempt which burn within tho boz
SONS of patriotic men. IF tomorrow a
military order, should he put forth in that
State, where tie ashes Of Washington are
entombed, that it be an offence to declare
that the military should ever be subordi-
nate to the civil authority, to speak the
sentiment that it vase disgrace to our
country to let hordes Of officials eat up the
substance OF the people; he who uttered
these words could be dragged to prison
from the very grave where lie the remains
Of the author Of the Declaration of indie
pendence. Loud cheering.1 From this
outrage there should be no appeals to the
courts, and the Republican candidate has
accepted position which makes the rights
and liberties of large share of our people
dependent on his will. fApplause.l In
view OF these two things can there be one
man in this Convention who San let per-
sonal ambition, passion, prejudice, turn
him aside one hairs breadth in his efforts
to wipe off the wrongs and outrages which
Disgrace our country? Can there be one
man whose heart is so dead to all that is
great and noble in patriotism, bat that he
will gladly sacrifice all other things for the
sakeof his country, its liberty and its great
ness? Can we suffer any prejudices grow
ing out of past differences of opinion to
hinder US uniting now with oil who will
act with us to save our country? Cheers
We meet to-day to see what measures
can be taken to avert the dangers which
threaten our country, and to relieve it from
the evils and burthens resulting from bad
government and unwise eounseIs. thank
Tod that the strife Of arms has ceased and
that once more in the great Conventions of
our party, we can call through the whole
roll OF States, and fipd men to answer for
each. Time and events on the great cy.
les have brought Us to this spot to renew
and invigorate that constitutional govern
ment which, nearly eighty years ago, was
Inaugurated in this city. loud cheers.
It was here that George Washington the
irst President, swore to preserve, protect
and defend the Constitution ofthese United
States. lCheers.l