New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-15
THE DEMoCRATIC PLATFORM.

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as soon as they had time. From this We
infer that the PRONUNCIATION Of rhetorical
illusions in the shape of an address is
more congenial to the opponents of De-
mocracy than the concise summing up OF
their principles in the more usual form OF
resolutions. And Judging from the char
acter and quality Of the platform unani-
mously adopted, we concur in this view.
Of the seven resolutions adopted, there is
I scarcely one that can not be freely sub
scribed to by the Republicans, Or that
has not for three years been included in
the boldly proclaimed articles Of faith of
our party. Let us briefly examine them.
The first resolution is as follows:
| l. Resolced, That we accept and acquiesce
| in the fifteenth amendment to the cOnstitu-
ton of the United States in good faith.
| There is no merit in this declaration.
After having fought bitterly against the
| adoption of this amendment, until, in
spite of their opposition, the Republicans
made it part of the constitution, and it
has passed irrevocably into the political
history of the country, the Democrats de-
! serve no thanks for accepting it. Their
| acceptance or non-acceptance is matter
| Of perfect indifference. The fifteenth
amendment is a law of the land, made SO
by the sacrifices of the Republican party,
| and it must be accepted as such by all
who do not propose to go in for another
revolution. The only effect of this tardy
acceptance that We can perceive is to COM
pliment the wisdom of the authors of
the amendment and its supporters at
time when such support was vital to its
success. We may conclude, therefore,
that the Democracy have, in 1870, ad-
vanced as far in political progress as the
Republican party had three or four years
ago.
The second resolution is not so fairly
stated as it ought to be, but the author in
tended to inculcate very good Republican
doctrine
9. That the excessive taxation imposed
by the Radical party in their last Legisla-
lures threatens ruin and bankruptcy to the
credit of the State. and it is the duty Of all
good citizens to unite in protecting the State
against the reckless waste of the public
money: and we pledge ourselves to an
economical and honest administration OF
the government to use our power to have
a law passed limiting the State, parish and
municipal corporations on the subject Of
taxation.
That the taxation imposed upon the
people by both the State and city govern
ments has been very burdensome is an IN
deniable fact. But it was unavoidable
The expenditures are the tests by which We
are to be judged. And We have yet to see
a Democrat or Democratic paper that is
willing to institute a comparison between
the Republican and Democratic admins
trations of either the State or city. We
go IN for economy as cardinal article Of
being true to the public creditors. When
the State was handed over to the RepUbli-
cans the finances were in a most wretched
condition. Such virtue as economy had
not, probably, been thought of for a year
or two, and certainly had not been p-ac-
ticed. There WAS an immense floating
debt, represented by coupons, claims,
certificates of Indebtedness, Auditors
warrants, and State bills Of credit,
issued by the Constitution-loving De-
mocracy in plain violation Of that
revered instrument. The people had
trusted the State in good faith. and ex-
pected to be paid. They had an equita-
bic right, which could not be disputed by
anybody, except down right regulators,
of which, fortunately for the honor of
Louisiana, there are none in the Repub-
ican party. We were compelled, there
fore, to levy tax, not only to defray cur
rent expenses, which were heavy enough,
but also to pay the old debts OF the pre-
ceding administration, which were still
heavier, and for which to-day little can be
shown. There was nothing done il the |
way of public improvements. None Of
the old public debt was paid of. All |
the money went to pay salaries,
donations to political mendicants, |
and contractors who did nothing
but draw their pay. And when We re-
feet that bonds, Autographed in New
York at an actual expense Of $1,000, but
which really cost $500 to the State, Were !
sold for thirty-three cents on dollar, we |
ge< pretty fair insight into the character |
Of the party for wisdom and economy. |
1t was not much in the way of the Democ-
racy to levy taxes. The people were |
really poor, and could with difficulty raise |
ready money, and it was considered the
part of wisdom to defer ready payments, |
and draw bills on posterity, which the |
had to pay These drafts
were drawn with liberal hand. And |
when at last the chosen delegates Of the |
people were compelled to present them
for payment, the guilty drawers raised a
cry against the faithful, honest and true |
Ssen whose disagreeable duty it became
to collect them. The financial affairs Of
the city show much worse condition.
Here the credit was better, and i was
stretched to its utmost tension. A truth
full statement would be very damaging,
and we defy any Democratic paper i'll the
State to publish - comparison between
the Monroe and Military administrations,