The south-western., 1868-10-14
The Democratic State Convention.

! DSitA'
! ocratic Convention w
Your Committee Resolutions and the CONDITION
! of the State respectfully report:
| That they have had under consideration the resolu
| tons referred to them on yesterday. Ihey nave
deemed unnecessary to report separately upon eact
of these resolutions but submit the following series
as substitute for them all:
J. O. FUoUA Chairman.
Resolued, That the Democracy of Louisiana, assem-
bed in convention for the first time since the adjourn
ment of the National Democratic Convention, endorse
the platform of principles adopted by that body, and
pledge themselves to maintain and defend them.
! Rcsolred That the nominations made by that con-
venon, of Horato Seymour, for President, and Frank
! P Blair for Vice President, have already received
the warm approval of the Democracy OF Louisiana
that recognise in them worldly to be the stan
dardbearers of constitutional liberty in this its hour
of extreme peril, and we pledge them our continued,
earnest and untring support.
Resolred That heartily and entirely endorse the
recent letter of Gen. Robert E. Lee and other dstin
gushed Southern citizens to Cen Rosecrans, and de-
clare that it is truthful statement of the feelings
wishes and purposes of the people of the South That
while urged by every consideration of material
and political interest to desire full and speedy reso
ration the Union with all constitutional rights,
and we recognise, to the fullest extent our duty to
support the Constitution, to obey the laws passed ia
conformity with it, and to maintain the Union in its
integrity.
Resol,ed, That recognise the abolition ofslavery
as an accomplished fact and that it is not interest
or wish ever to revive it. That believe that the
interests of the two in the South nseparabg
connected and pledge ourselves to protect and de-
end the colored people of this State in the full and
free exercise of all their legal rights.
Resolved, That we look with indignation and alarm
upon the attempts now being made by the Republican
party of this State to deny the white people OF the
State fair registration and fair election that this
party ought, at least to be satisfied with the dsfran
csements contained in the present constitution that
have the unquestionable right to demand, and
do demand that all who entitled to shall be regis
tered, and that opportunity shall be afforded to
those thus registered to cast their votes in November
next, and that if deprh ed Of these clear and
unquesoaable rights, the responsibility for the
fHenee that may fnllnw so garing an outrage must
fall upon those who thus violate and tramplc upon
the laws they themselves have enacted.
0. FCQuA, Chairman.
To the President and members of the Democratic State
Your Committee on Resolutions and the Condition
of the State have given the subject that serious con
sideration which its Importance demands.
There is much in the present condition and future
prospects of Louisiana to excite the most serious ap
prehensons in the mind of every patriot.
The Republican Convention, which assembled in
Chicago, in May last, adopted the following resolution:
"We congratulate the country upon the assured
success of the reconstruction policy of Congress- in
dicated by the adoption, in majority of the States
and political rights to ALL"
Never sadder misstatement solemnly proclaim
ed to the world by any respectable body of men. So
far from securing equal civil and political lights to all,
the very foundation upon which all of these consttu
tons rest is prescription By the present constitution
of Louisiana, distinct classes, composed of the
most wealthy, the most intelligent and the most ex-
perienced in affairs of government disfranchised
for mag ginary political Offences made offences for the
first time by that constitution, and of which it is need
less to the parties have been convicted. And
by the Interpretation placed upon that constitution by
the present registrars OF voters, large number of nat
uralsed citizens, many of whom soldiers in the
Federal army have also been denied the right to reg
lister and vote. At the last election in this State,
twenty thousand third of the entire white vote of
the State, denied the right of suffrage while the
elective franchise, wrestcd from them by the strong
arm of military authority, was, by the authority
conferred upon more than eighty thousand negroes
originally imported from the wilds of frica and Just
emerged from two hundred years of slavery. Thus
wcshave established among US, universal su-
frage and negro equality but restricted suffrage and
negro supremacy.
What has been the result of this most reckless and
wicked experiment? ? Has it been in any sense sue
cess? This depends upon what Congress intended to
accomplish by adopting this policy. If it was their
purpose to PROSTATE all material interests to array
one half OF our people against the other half and to
use the strong but not exaggerated language of Sena9
tor Dootte, to inaugurate hello' in every one OF
these State then have they achieved complete sue
cess and well may they congratulate themselves upon
the result But if it really their object to establish
governments capable of securing the rights of ALL and
afordlng protection in life, liberty and property to
every Citizen there disastrous failure
Our present State Government presents spectacle
calculated to excite other feelings than those of
shame and disgust The ascendency of the negroes at
the baotbox has enabled them to elect the Iieuten-
ant Governor and about oneha Of the Legislature of
their own race, and large number of reckless and un
prlnclpled adventures from other States who have no
home interest here and entire strangers to our
laws manners, and customs. These two classes have
obtained the absolute control Of the State Government
in all its departments, and have inaugurated system of
proigacy bribery, and open aud shameless corruption
that we hope, for the honor of human nature is with
out parallel.
These men seem to labor for but two objects to
oerpeuate their power, and to devise new and
4itherto unheard Of schemes for pundering the State
They have created about tw hundred Offices with
enormous salaries, and have increased and, in most
Instances, doubled the salaries of the old ones Under
this profigate legislation the public debt is daily iu-
creased at fearful rate the public credit is utterly
'uined, and the ability of the people support the
enormous taxation levied upon them by men who paw
10 portion oft, constantly diminishing. Nor, is this
ILL., The white people of the State, smarting under
of wrong, groaning under almost intolerabls
Dad of taxation, seeing their money daily sauandered
o enrich needy adventurers, while they are in the
ame proportion impoverished and ruined are becom-
ng hourly restless, Disconnected and hopeless of
he future.
On the other hand, great number of the negroes
hough naturally quiet and peaceable race excited
~ niaGatory appeals to their worst passions from
nen of the most depraved and abandoned character
nd eated by their sudden elevation to power, have
ecome idle, turbulent and lawless impatient of con-
radetion, tolerang discussion of their newly ao
uired rights, with idea of strength except in its
hysical development, and conception of power ex-
ept as displayed in brute force they are ever ready
resort to OF convincing their opponents. Is it sur
rising the club and torch the readest means that
he white man answers these arguments in the only
way suited to the capacity OF those who offer theme
Gus almost daily hear of collisions of bloodsheG
II riots actually occurring, and of still greater dan
ers threatened. Doubtless these reports are often
realty exaggerated; but it is not to be denied that
acre are frequent collisions between the races and
hat the public mind is in such condition as constant
to endauger public peace. In this state of things
he Governor of the State proeans to the world his
inability to preserve order and enforce the laws. and
as spon the President for large military force to
re placed at his disposal Is this the assumed success
oasted of by the Chicago Convention and is there
nyhing here upon which to congratulate the Ameri-
an people? What is this confessed and proclaimed
liability to accomplish the only results for which gov
rnments ought ever to be instituted or sustained