The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-05-10
TUE DEMOCRATIC ADDRESS.

Our presence and official duties at
vashingto have enabled us to be-
come fully acquainted with the actions
and designs of those who control the
Radical party, and we feel called upon
- inter a few words of warning
.ro;nst the alarming strides they have
.,.de toward Capitalization of power
IN the hands of Congress and the exec
two The time and attention of the
Radical leaders have been almost
wholly devoted to devisins such lesls-
linn as will, in their view, best pre-
..rres their ascendency; and no re-
,,,ra for the wise restraints imposed
bv the constitution has checked their
rsckless and desperate career.
The President of the United States
has been formally announced as a
candidate for reelection. The dec
larations of his selfish supporters have
been echoed by subsidized press, and
the discipline of party has already
made adhesion to his personal fortunes
the supreme test ofpolitical fealty.
The partisan legislation to which we
refer was decreed and shaped in secret
caucus, where the EXTREMIST connsels
always dominated was adopted by a
subservient majority, if not with the
intent certainly with the effect to place
in the hands of the President power to
command his own denomination and to
employ the army, navy and militia at
his sole discretion as means OF snb-
serving his personal ambition. When
the sad experience of the last few
years, so disappointing to the hopes
aud generous confidence of the conn
try, is considered in connection with
the violent uttcrances and rash purpo-
SEES Of those who control the Presidents
policy it is not surprising that the
gravest npprchensions for the future
peace of the nation should be enter
tanned. At a time when labor is de-
pressed and every material interest is
palsied by oppressive taxation, the
public offices have been multiplied
beyond all precedent, to serve as in
strumcnts in the perpetuation of pow
er. Partisanship is the only test ap
Piled to the distribution OF this vas
patronage. Honesty, fitness and mora
worth are openly discarded in favor %
tiuckling submission and dishonorablt
compliance. Hence enormous defal
cations and widespread corruption
have followed as the natural conse-
quences of this pernicious system.
By the official report of the Secretary
of the Treasury it appears that after
a destruction of all proper credits
many millions of dollars remain due
from ex-collectors of the internal rev.
enue, and that no proper diligence has
ever been used to collect them. Re.
forms in the revenue and fiscal system
which all experience demonstrates t.
be necessary to frugal administration
of the government, as well as {
measure of relief to an overburdeneG
people, have been persistent post
poned or willfully neglected. Con
gress now adjourns without haviD.
even attempted to reduce taxation, o
to repeal the glazing impositions b.
which industry is crushed and i'm
poverished.
The treasury is overlooking and al
excess of eighty millions, of revenue j
admitted and yet, instead, of SOM
measure of present relief, barren ant
delusive resolution is passed by TIL
Senate, TO consider the tariff and ex
else systems hereafter, as if the histor
of broken pledges and pretended RENE
dies furnished any better assurance fn
future legislation than experience ha
done in the past. Ship building an,
the carrying trade, once sources of Ma
tional pride and prosperity, now Ian
guish under crushing load of taxa
ton, and nearly every other bushes
interest is struggling without profit
maintain itself. Our agriculturists
while paying heavy taxes on all the
consume, either to the government @
to monopolists, find the prices for thei
own products so reduced that homes
labor is denied its just award. and in
? dustry is Frustrated by invidious dis
elimination.
Nearly two hundred million acres {
public lands, which should have bee
reserved for the benefit of the people
have been voted away to giant corpora
tions, neglecting our soldiers and en-
riching handful of greedy speculs
tors and lobbyists, who are thereb
enabled to exercise a most dangeror
and corrnpting influence over Stat
and federal legislation. If the caret
of these conspirators be not checke.
the downfall of our free governmer
is inevitable, and with it the elev;
ton of a military dictator on the ruin
of the republic.
Al