The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-04-29
THE RESULT,

An order having been issued by the
commanding general requiring COM
missioners Of election to transmit the
votes to Headquarters to be counted,
we are yet without the means Of arriv-
ing with certainty alta definite estima-
ton of the result. We feel confident,
however, that we have gained substan-
TALLY a Democratic victory. If the
parishes yet to be heard from should
do as well as those from which we have
full returns, the Constitution has been
defeated. But whether OF not this re-
suit has been brought about, we are
certain that we have carried the Legis-
lature, thus securing the defeat Of tue
Constitution as soon as tue General
Assembly shall convene. 1t is made
Che duty Of the Legislature to vote GU
the adoption of the 18th Amendment
to the Constitution of the United States
Immediately on its assembling anil
before proceeding to the transaction OF
any other business. The Reconstruct.
don Acts specially provide that no
Constitution shall be valid untilit shall
not only be ratified by the people, but
until the first legislature elected under
it shall ratify the Constitutional
Amendment and sucll amendments|,a|l'
have hecome,a part Of the Constitution
of tie United States. A conservative
Legislature, therefore, by voting down
the Constitutional Amendment on its
assembling nullifes the Constitution
adopted by the people. Moreover such
Legislature will undoubtedly elect two
Democratic Senators to Congress, and
as probably majority of the Repre-
sentatives already elected are Demo
Gratis, the Radicals in Congress will
have as little interest in the recon
struction Of the State, and the adoption
of the Constitution, as the Conserva-
tives themselves. Radical reconstruc-
ton means Radical Senators and Rep
resentatives, and Radical electoral
votes at the next Presidential election.
Reconstruction with Democratic Sena-
tors and Representatives, snchas LOU
isiana will present, is worse than NJ
reconstruction at all. Whatever vio-
lent and unconstitutional supplement
tary legislation may therefore be ne
ccssary to rehabilitate and Radicalize
the State of Louisiana, we may be as
surcd it will not be the adoption by
Congress Of the Constitution in its pre-
sent form with the Inauguration of the
officers elected under it.
IF we are correct in orr estimation
of the result it is perfectly astonishing
and will forever cover the Democratic
party of Louisiana with glory. In AL
ALBANIA, under the former law, the de-
feat Of the Constitution was not he
You'd the range Of probability. In Ar
kansas, where the registered strength
of the two races was nearly equal, such
@ result might have been confidently
predicted. But who ever thought that
the Radicals would fail in Louisiana,
with registered negro majority Of 49,
0009 Louisiana has been u special
pet of the Radicals, aud was carly
blessed with the reign Of the immacu-
late Sheridan, whose sole thought, day
and night, was Of giving the political
power in the State to his political
friends by fair or foul means. But hu-
man expectations are the most uncer-
tain of things. Sheridan is gone, and
his party, with all its fraud and Cor
ruption, cannot render his dirty work
available to save itself from destruc-
ton.
What the next move on the Radical
chess-board will be we have no means
of ascertaining. 1t will certainly put
them to their wits end to devise the
means of extricating themselves from
this reconstruction muddle. The beau
ty Of the whole thing is that no uniform
rule can govern all the cases alike
In Alabama the Constitution was de-
feated by non-action and the Radical
officers elected. In Arkansas the Con-
stitution was defeated by main strength
of the popular vote, and the Radicals
elected to Office. In Louisiana the
Constitution is defeated and Democrat
ic officers elected. What further conf
plications will arise out of the elections
in Georgia and North Carolina will be
known in few days. Hence the Rad
icals will have to discover that what is
sauce for the goose is not sauce for the
gander. A supplementary bill which
shall Radicalise and reconstruct Ala
hama will not have the same result in
Louisiana. The reconstruction bills
will, therefore, have to be thoroughly
eviscerated, and while we witness the
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