The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-09-27
Missouri Ideas.
THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR PREsI
DENT IN 1872.

DENT IN 1872.
There are times when a citize1
may we'll indulge his personal pre-
ference in respect to nomination
for an Office. The present is not on
of these times. The American PEG
pie have great work to do now TO
themselves and their children. Th,
civil war through which we hav'
passed brought to the surface clas
of men powerful in numbers, strons
in passion and weak in understand
ing. These men have had posses
sion of the government long enough
to destroy or pervert all its proper
functions. The result is that scarce
ly any thing remains of constitution
al restraint. The rocky bearers Of
constitutional protection which once
stood SO firm and were deemed sc
sacred have all been removed, so that
now there is very little if anything
left to protect the rights of the peo-
pie. The present executive of the
United States is no exception to the
class of ignorant and passionate men
who hold power and shape the course
Of things. Unfeeling, course in his
nature, seeking power like he seeks
money for the love of it, ignorant of
every principle of government, and
incapable of learning what are the
principles Of republican government,
General Grant isas fit an instrument
to do the work of the powerful fac
ton that surrounds him as any that
could be selected.
1t is sad to think that in the hands
of such a man as this all power has
been concentrated; that by his influ-
ence law has been enacted which
empowers him whenever he chooses
to do it to abolish the whole Judicia-
ry, State and Federal, and rule by
the army. It is sad to know that he
has ISSUED proclamation annouc.
ing his intention to use the powers
conferred by this act of Congress So
called. It is sad to know that he is
the very man who is most CERTAIN to
do what he has said, unless he comes
to believe that it would not be to his
personal interest.
In the coming Presidential contest
the Democrats and Conservatives,
who believe that the salvation of our
Government requires the defeat OF
Grant, should look sternly in the
face the nature of the crisis in which
they are, the fearful odds which stand
against them, and, sinking all per-
sonal preference, select the candidate
who is the very stronest.
Such is the oppression to which
the people of the revolving States
have been subjected since the war
that they will vote for almost any
candidate who is nominated and who
promises to better their condition.
No candidate will appear in the
South. From some other section
the candidate n ust come. Who is
the man? This is the question upon |
which so much depends. A man who
can simply draw to our standard the
old-line regular Democratic vote that
was cast for Ny. Seymour ought not
TO be our candidate. We must in the
aext Presidential election accomplish
more than such a candidate can ac-
'omplish for us. We must nominate
man, if one can be found, who will
livert and draw off from Grant a por-
ion of that radical fighting element
he great body of which in the North
I'm and Northeastern and Northwest
I'm States has stood firmly by the Re
'ubublican party.
The Radical party has heretofore
ontinued to hold the position Of the
oval party of the country and to raj
to its standard the great body of
he Union army vote. In the coming
anvass the contest will be for the
ontrol of that element. How can
7e divide it? How can we attract it
+ part of it to our banner? We can
ot do it by putting up any candi-
ate who during the war was looked
pom by these soldiers as an anti war
IAN. DIR hope in the contest must
epend upon nominating candidate
hose war record isn't offensive to the
NO million Of men who served in the :.
'nion army and whose sound opin- :
IN on constitutional government and !,
opular rights commend him to the
lost ultra Democrats. By the nom !
lation of such man the animus of
le late war will not enter into the
anvass, and the power of the onno. }