The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1870-10-29

party shall cas- their vote against this amend
Inent. The CHI tx imposed by the Constitution
is good one. 1t is improper that the Executive
who is possqq'fed OF enormous PATRONAGE ana am,
almost di. 'rial power, should be eligible
to use stcs abuse this patronage and
power. in e f,r to secure his own denomination
aud re-elec /. The amendment is proposed in
the interes'an the present Governor.
The last res ,Iniment, which reads as fol lows !:
ARTICLE, q. That prior to the first day OF
january. OF ethousand eight hundred and nine
ty, the debe q the State shall not be SO increas-
cd as to exlbr,l twenty-five millions Of dollars.
Should :. receive the sanction Of the Delno-
cratic Partalt The party will only have them
selves to bjope if the Legislative power is again
vested in t., Radical party. but ii they intend
by supincn ps, want of energy and lack of patrl
otism to tarmit such IL dcpiorablc result. let
them at least secarc constitutional check
against further venal legislation and public rob-
berry, such have run riot i'll this State since
the days of Radical '!onnination The Demo-
cratic party cheeriully acqnirscr i'll the proposed
amendment; they desire to rc'lur" the public
debt. and to put an end to the txtravagance and
corruption which prevail i'll every branch OF our
State Government and which is rapidly des-
trnying property and labor through excessive
taxation
We congratulate the party on the excellent
nominations made hy our State Convention.
Our candidates are men, new i'll politics. but of
tried fidelity to their party and people, possess
ing, i'll the largest degree, capacity, honesty ahd
popularity. BY earnest and united effort We can
easily place them in the positions for which they
have been Nominated.
Our platform is broad, liberal and conserv:l-
tive; on it every man can plant himself who is
opposed to that combination OF oppression.
ruptiOn and ignorance which rules iii this State
under the nAine of Radical Repubicanisln.
We urge the people to select true aud popular
! candidates for the General Assembly, and to
| make their election matter OF first Importance
..r.l.. t,,s "a
gistcr and poll full vote. We cal only ",
defeated hy our Own lrthar9y.
The systematic attempt to deprive Democratic
voters ot thrir rights OF registration and suffrage
the remedies afforded by both State and Federal
legislation.
The provisions of both 1rgislations furnish an
adea,i.te remedy. and no voter, who fails to cx-
ercis.. the rignt Of suffrage Oh account OF the
obstacles thrown in his way by partisan regis
trars. Will have done his duty t" his country.
and vindicated his own legal right. nhless he
has resorted to the c;l;caciols and easy remedy
which he has ut hand.
Ii registered, the voter can exercise the right
of suffrage without difficulty.
If not regisrerul. and he has not applied for
registration. then has he wiltully given up his
right Of suffrage.
II not registered. on account OF the illegal
ruling of the registrars denying him registra-
tivn, then his remedies are
First-Tu have said registrars arrested under
section 33 of net of 1870, (p. l4l) denouncing
such official misconduct as felony. punishable
by five years imprisonment III the Pententiary,
and d line not exceeding five thousand dollars.
Seconily-To proceed against registrars un-
der section ?, of act of Congress, approved May
| 81, 1870, declaring such offence to he misde-
meanor, punishable by fine of not less than
| five hundred dollars, and imprisonment no. less
| than one month aud not more than one year
| and, furthermore providing, that the guilty OF
fcer shall ''forfeit and pay the sum Of live hun
| dred dollars to the person aggrieved thereby. to
| he recovered by aE action oil the case, with full
costs and such allowance for counsel fees Us the
court shall deem just"
Third-Besides having recourse to the above
punitive redress in the State and Federal courts,
the citizen who has been unjusty deprived OF
registration can, never theless, exercise the right
| of suffrage. .
When denied registration, he can vote with:
out producing O certificate of registration, and
without his name l~ng on the list of the Com
mssioners of Election; and, for this most etfiea-
cious remedy, thanks to the act of Congress OF
! May 81, 1870, which denounces, under the sane
tion OF severe penalties, the refusal or omission
OF registrars to register legal voters; and, also
| the refusal or omission of Commissioners OF
Election to receive the ballots of such legal vo
| tiers who have been unlawfuly denied regis
| rrati0n.
| 1t is earnestly recommended to the Demo
cratic Parish Central Committees of the various
parishes of the State, to take the matter in hand
at once and t" adopt systematic plan OF orer
alton. by which Democratic voters. who may be
illegally denied registration, may be furnished
with proper vouchers. enabling them to vote ri
the election, or to have the refusal of tho Com
missioners of Election made a matter of record
both for the purpose of subsequently compelling
| the counting of SUCH votes, and Of testing the
question against the Commissioners themselves