The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-12-27
WASHINGTON. d. c..
IIrcrniher 3. lSI |.

SIg: ~ it has h~en stated IN yaQ'
naper tlmte favored rhs Missouri poll
=. ssG the favor Of y"n I" Submit t"
I'M. readers some ~ the reasons which
ina M "a l1yi-" against Democi"r-
10 r.nuin"tanS IN tine approaching
Presidential contest.
# is trc pi;n % action adopted ia
Missouri aat year, vita great advah-
tagp IL tn STATE. an, WAS suhs'an-
.illfr fhe course Of Virginia previous
J., |, imgolyrS II" ,crsiire of principle
+, ch,,o.. the least obnoxious of two
o,rosi.Iu- candidates, Il d ii it is proha-
lar. that the Democratic party would
octio he dctcate'l III -. it is our duty
r., lnnr, ,,nr fpr Srn'" other means OF
netting down baN"nct rue. j.
Oar defeat IN 1864 Was attributed by
NJ M good Democrats TO the uncnn-
promising attitude then taken, and tie
f.;juie TO nominate Chief Justice Chase.
That defeat gave force. t" the argn-
meuts of the advocates of the ''new
departure" and the party put itself on
that platform in the late elections, in
which we were also defeated. This
demonstrates flat the Democratic
Marty cannot succeed on any platform
not even when opposing Kn- Klux bills
and martial law.
The reason is, in my Judgment, tina!
the coptes. is in great degree one
between sections, and the D.mncratc
party represents the minority section
in the eyes of the people of the majoii
ty section. The Democratic or.anza-
ton is not only powerless to arrest
abuses whilst the contest bears this
aspeet, bat it has become a coiibpres-
siye force to hold the people in bon
dage to the opposing organization.
They caHnpt qnit the Radical party
and join the Democracy under snch
circumstances, because in strire\ be-
tween sections to quit one party to
ioin that which Represents the rival
section, is almost as odious us to desert
to a foreign enemy. Ia such cases the
strongest section must in the end OBJ
tiinand retain power, and those who
favor the strongest measures to main
tain its. ascendancy regardless of CON
stitutional or any other consideration,
will he selected to exercise power by
the governing section.
There is no tyranny so terrible as
that of one peolle over another. And
the fact that tie governing people are
good and great i'll otley respects, does
not soften the oppression. Our fathers
preferred death tn the rule of England.
and who that has heart has not been
Touched by the story of Ireland But
the rule of England over our fathers,
and even over Ireland. was mercifnl
compared With that of the negroes and
CARPET hagsers set over or Southern
people by the North. Every species of
indignity and outrage has been ieaped
rpon them. No people have ever been
plnnd red and hnmiliated rs they have
been. and continue TO he. They have
submitted vith Incredible patience at
the instance of tie Northern Dem0c-
racy in the belief that by snch heroic
iorbearance they would enable that
party to .wrest power from their OPP
prcssors. But the fact that the South
would come again into power with the
Democracy has hardened the hearts of
the Northern people. They have in
terpreted the cry for mercy as il mere
device to regain power, and have
treated the futile attempts made to dis
lodge them as new rebellion. and
have visited them with recnrstrurtion.
Kn-Klux bills, martial law. to punish
them; in short, have proclaimed an
arcly for them, DISTINGUISHING every
man among them competent to eyer-
else power, and licensed theft and
spniation in every form. General
Hampton and other Southern leaders
who have seen that the only effect of
their efforts to pnt the Democracy in
power was to expose their helpless
people to further vengeance from ex-
asperated enemies, have advised the
South not to send delegates to the
Democratic National Convention
They are grateful for the good feelings
Of their Northern friends, but ex-
perience has proved that they are
p0werless.
The Missouri plan will relieve the
Sonth Mt once. As soon as the Demnc-
racy of Missouri withdrew from the
field last year, the antagonism which
existed there only as it exists through
ont the Radical camp, hroke out open
~. The nomination of the inacpen-
d"ns Republican, ticket itself liberated
the people, aud resto, Ell harmony aud
good feeling in the State; all parties
then became Suddenly of ore mind on
the sahiect of acknowledgements, and
We'd with each other to put away the
late 'unt.icasantnesS.3 Judge Drake