The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-02-02

or the Democratic State Central Csmmi'tee
to the People Of the State sf Louisiana.

| The Central State Committee, appointed re.
| Gently 10. initiating permanent organization OF
| the Democratic party of the State have directed
us to set forth the grounds for this movement. and
the motives for asking your immediate, active and
| jealous cooperation.
The political struggles which have been 80 long
| CONFUSING the country, are burFying to crisis.
From all quarters the din Of preparation is heard
| for the conflict which is to decide, perhaps be.
yOnd reversal, certainly for generation, the mo-
| mentCus question, whether the rule OF eoastltu-
| tiOnal law shall prevail or anarchy shall triumph
| n the violent change Of q government against the
| consent of the governed.
| For dreary period the passions engendered by
terrible civil war, not permitted to die out
| with its close. They were Wickedly fOmented,
| and used 10 inaug1rate measures, that under the
guise of securing The fruits Of victory to the ma
tion, meant 10 alter the whole political sys
TEN Of the country for the benefit OF faction in
power.
The cruel necessities of war unsettled some Of
| The frmest pillars OF the structure Of govern.
ment. When peace came, ambition, aud revenge,
end baEer greeds conspired TO prevent the restor
| alton of its old forms of strength and beauty
| even after the dreaded element Of weakness, 10
| the Southern theory Of its parts, had been com
| pletely eliminated. The war OF arms was over;
but in its place has followed a war of party in the
| control of the government, TO plant themselves
| irremovably in authority.
| For two years their success was perfect-so
| long as their selfish legislation fell only on the
| people OF the Southern States, the bitter memo
Ties of the war; and the stern discipline of party
| sustained them with the masses of the Northern
voters. Even many to whose Judgment their &C.
| lions were repugnant, shrunk from opposing the
| tide Of popular prejudice, and were silent when
| they could not approve. and acquiescent because
| they dared not resist. Encouraged by these sue
cesses, the arrogance OF the leaders rose to pre-
sued under which "a p6SepEse Of legislation en-
| menced.
The mutitudes who make up parties are slow
10 renOunce errors that have been sanctioned TO
| them by the teachings of leaders in whom they
haug ElaWa III Nl.aNa 81
liticsl tTiumphs over which they have exuted.
But the limit TO which this indulgence could be
! extended has plainly been found. The frenzy Of
faction has Overtasked the patience Of the people.
Ii has awakened their judgment and alarmed
their consceuces, to the enOrmity Of the outrages
| peTpetTated in their name, and of the further
| crimes that are meditated. and audaciously pro.
claimed as new necessities for the new straits of
| party.
They have seen a rising of alarmed millions in
| the SOuth-dreRdinR peryersoD, to their ruin, of
| Constitution which they lOyed-put down with
| mighty armies, at enormous cost and the result
| of all their sacrifices to be, the rising up amidst
| themselves Of a vast conspiracy TO overthrow the
| same Constitution, and to mutilate and keep for
| ever distracted the same Union for the preserva.
| zion Of which they had so laVishly poured out
| blood ard easure.
They have seen ten States, with a submissive
| people striving TO get within the protecting folds
Of the Constitution, stricken from the rolls for no
| other reason than that they were anxious to sup.
| port that Constitution in all the senses in which
The war had decided against their earlier cOnvic-
| lions. Their places in Congress they had seen
| made vacant, aud the remaining members pro-
4 ceediDg TO thrust out such among themselves, as
| were obstacles to the purposes Of the majority;
| next assailing the executive department Of the
| government stripping it of every function that
| could be reached by law, and many that the Con-
stitutiOn should protect only to put the president
| out of the path Of their despOtic will; and nov,
| assaing the Supreme Court, and attempting to
throttle the judges in order to ste the utterance
Of fba 4 YVna cf
| their acts would receive from an Independent
| judiciary.
It would not be just to charge that it is solely
because these revolutionary acts have begnn to
touch in their consequences the material interests
OF the people OF the represented States bringing
poverty and distress on multitudes, that there is
the tremendous reaction against the authors
which every utteTance Unpopular opinion disclose1
Nor is it far TO assert that there is no motive i'm
pulse furnished by the unmeAsured wrongs and
suherings which the policy infcts on the people
Of the Southern States, the subjects OF the tor
ture Of . Temorseless tyranny.
Every day shows the revengeful passions by
miniseIng TO which, its authors gained the
power they abuse to be dying away. thousand
manifestations amidst the masses Of the people
show the better feeling to be spreading-that
enough has been done for the punishment Of opin-
ions, however guilty they may have been pro-
nOunced to be by an abitrament from whose de
cision there is no appeal; and, that il is unnatural
and unchrstisn TO continue indefinitely viudictive
penalties, that fall on whole communities; tearing
their political and social systems into pieces
planting disc0rds and hatreds between classes
y at would else live cOntentedly in peace with
each other; depopulating the marts of commerce;
turning the most fruitful regions of the earth into
morsss or tangled wilderness, where those who
once cultivated it are haunted with the dread OF
famine, and employer ami employed look into
each others fsce in blank despair; and subiecting
all there is OF intelligence and education and en-
terprise, and thrift, to the barbarous rule OF
clsss-which, whatever their future capabilities
rrap ha hav iiuu md anl
VIGOROUSLY mere instruments in the hands of de-
signing and Inscriptions politicians, in game Of
ambition.
II is not, VIC believe, IN the American nature
that policy-leading directly to such results
can be long supported by the people, after its
nature il plainly developed, even if it had not ex.
posed among its accepted instrnmentaies the
ssity of o5erthroWiDg their cherished IDEAS of
essential rights-and exhibited in its consequences
pernicOus Influences on their material interests.
Much might be expected from the calming Of the
var passions, under the soothing Influences of
tine, the returning sense Of Justice, aud a re-
awakened feeling OF brotherhood but it is no
purpose Of reprOach IN saying, and q great en-.
cOuTsgemeut to know, that the wrongs inflicted
upon US have come TO be recognized and felt, as
wrongs done to the whole country; aud that ia
the prOsIatiOn of our rights aud liberties a blow
is struck, which vhrates through the whole frame
work Of American governments, and starles men
everywhere with alaIm for themselves.
Our cause is felt 10 be the cause of constitu.
tional liberty. Our escape from the abject eeryi.
tude and desoston 10 which the policy Of rsdi- |
calism would condemn us in our o IN land will be
The rescue from destruction OF all the cherished
forms and muniments which our fathers who |
built up this government for US thought and |
meant TO be strong enough 10 preServe il for their
pCsterity and mankind
The work and heat of. this great constitutional |
Struggle JIG TO be borne at the North. There free.
{, IN Of speech and the rights of lawful suffrage
are not yet arrested by the military dictatorship:
aud men have yet the privilege of voting against |
the expressions they feel. The power is with |
them tie consequences Of failure, although dig |
heartening and foil Of gloom for political and |
financial iLtlre will be vastly less in the present
20 them, thsn TO Us, who will be helplessy bound l
victims TO cruel experiment. To us it is matter
Of life snd death. Success will be to them a Sc.
CURLY from evils against which they might even |
If they had failed, have hoped at some future day
OF relief Butto US, for them 10 fail isthe consum
nation Of Tuin-a starless future Of impeaetrab!e
gloom.
But, although the peril is great, all is not lost
The heart Of tue people has been touched and their
eyes have been opened, TIE shiap sOuud of great