The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-21
THE PEOPLES PARTY.

Democracy is government by the people,
for the people. 1t is essentially different
from polyarchy, or government by the many
which resolves itself into the despotism of an
absolute, and it may be afactitiOus majority
and from paptisocracy, or government by
everybody, which resolves itself into the epu-
diation of a common authority, the nihilism OF
law, the subversion of order, the dissolution OF
society, or, in short, into universal anarchy.
These are peryersions of the Democratic prln-
ciple by men of disorganiLed intellects and OF
unregulated propensities, by men diseased IN
mind and in heart as those are who have, OF
late years, held political power in the United
States. country, under the sway OF such
men, must submit to one of two alternates-
no government or tyrannical government.
The question now at issue is, whether the peo-
pie, the people, not of one section, not of a
restricted number of States, not of peculiar
class in respect to their political antecedents,
but of the country at large, shall resume poll
teal power in their distributive sovereignty,
or whether universal authority shall be re-
linquished to the INSCRIPTIONS and malignant
oligarchy which is desperately striving to per-
petuate its usurped dominion.
1t is only the people who can decide this
question in favor of the people. The Demo-
cratic party which, as its name indicates, has
no legitimate vocation except to afford means
by which the voice of the people may etfec-
lively vindicate the rights Of the people, has
put forth presidential ticket framed ex-
pressly to serve this purpose in the present
emergency. The election of this ticket will
mean the triumph of the peoples party. 1t
will mean self-government for Louisiana as
well as for Massachusetts. 1t will mean the
exercise by the people of this State, or of Mis-
sissippi of the same right to regulate suffrage,
and to make and amend a State Constitution,
as may be exercised by the people of Ohio or
Michigan. 1t will mean, in word, govern
ment by the people for the people, under the
| only conditions which admit of such govern
ment, and with the only guarantees which are
adequate to its maintenance. No particular
class is appealed to by this tiket To sup
port it, is the plain interest and duty of all
J who understand the inestimable benefits OF
| political liberty, of all who hate despotism
| whether central or local.
The intelligent, industrious and thrifty OF
our colored population have no less reason
than our white citizens to wish and to work
for the success of the Democratic ticket For
! if this ticket should be defeated through the
suicidal faulty and delinquency of the people,
blacks could not be exempt from the PERM
cious consequences Of the event. Self-gov-
eminent would be dead. Misrule would be
reinaugurated under perpetual license. Ra-
pacity and profigacy would enter upon an
endless saturnala. Taxation would crush
honest industry, commerce would wither, all
the resources of prosperity would be fatally
DISTRACTED Noportion of the people would
escape. The well off would be brought tc
poverty, the badly off would be brought tc
want. A proHigate and INSCRIPTIONS despo
tsm is, after all, terrible equalizer. Like
sunshine, and the rain and the dew, its blgh
falls alike on the rich and the poor, the JUS
| and the uniust