The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-12-27

When we are obliged to make COM
mon cause with the liberal Republicans
and TO narrow tire contest to the points
W" mold IN common with them, the
! question as to candidates resolves IL
sell simply int" one of how to make
I'll" cooperation most effective. Ex-
P"rience shows that we cannot win nv
taking the candidates and giving np
he rihtt"rm, and that we can win hy
~'r'rnd'rlnS the candidates. The can
''"''ties are indeed of no Importance to
the Democrats, who will continue to
act together, nut they are Important to
me Republicans, who have to break
from their party organization, and
must defend themselves against the
charge of DESERVING their party and
principles.
1t is we'll known that many of the
leaders and large numbers Of their rank
and file have disapprnvea of the action
Of the Republican party since the war,
ON all of their great measures, of dis
tfanchisemcnt, reconstruction nerr,
suffrage, ku-klux, and force bills, and
martial law.
Ohio voted against negro suffrage bv
more than fifty thousand majority.
Pennsylvania would have voted it
down Ivy still more decisive vote if
the question had been submitted To
the people. Both these States were
against reconstruction in 1867. The
ku-hlux measures and the force bills
and martial law are equally repugnant
to public sentiment Yet with those
| measures made the Issue between the
parties, the people of Ohio and Penn
sylvania adhered TO the Radical party
aud accepted negro Suffrage at its
hands rather than join the Democracy
t" preventit. These facts demonstrate
that the Radicals have carried these
measures against public sentiment and
altogether by the unskilIful manage.
| inent of their adversaries. Shall we
continue t" 'harp on wisdom past and
totter on in Dluutlers to the last D.
Shall the Democratic party continue to
act as the compress of tile Radical par-
ty, ~ VIII Sc laws every citizen holds
his liberty at the, sttferance Of the
President Whist the party holds. its
present attitude, il Schurz, and Trum-
bull, and the other great leaders of the
Republican party WHO are opposed to
absolmtsm should fall out of line and
become members of the Democratic
party to oppose them, they would add
| nothing TO our strength. But if the
Democratic party, by refusing to nom
mate, will loosen the bonds of the Rad
ical organization and liberate the lib
eral element within it, and allow the
leaders of that element to organize an
independent Northern party to oppose
the further progress of Radicalism and
restore the civil rights of the people.
they can muster force enough with the
support of the Democracy to pnt an
end to military despotism. AS in Mis-
sonri, the mere organization of such Il
party will shock the country. But till
the Democracy declares its purpose to
return, nothing can be done towards
forming the new organizations. The re-
tlrement OF the Democracy is therefore
the first step, and it must be promptly
taken to be effective. Till then, it will
not he known who among the liberals
will enter into that organization
Nothing cans he lost for the cause Of
good government Ivy the immediate ac-
ton of the Democratic party /; delay
can only serve the purposes of its
enemies.
do not contemplate the. dissolution
of the Democratic party. would not
surrender its principles, its organiza-
ton, or its name. Under the banner
of Democracy the spirit Of liberty is
now ma, ching Oh to triumph in the Old
World, and my purpose is to perfect
its organization, stimulate it's zeal, and
rally it's forces to resume it's progress
in the New by, giving its aid to the lib
erals among onr opponents in tIe
North, and thus obtaining a common
day Influence among the masses of that
section to restore peace and prosperity
TO the whole country.
No aid eifectnally in the approaching
struggle the motives of the Democracy
must be put beyond question. Let
thea surry nder the spoils of the victo-
ry in this battle for the liberation of
the country from usnrpatinns and mil
itary rule to those of their opponents
whose aid they solicit as essential to
the achievement. II they accomplish
it they will deserve not only the glory
of the success, but all the rewards
which Il just, generous. and grateful
people can confer. The Democratic
party will rejoice to aid any of the Re-
publicans who shall volunteer in this
patriotic service with their whole pow
or. That it may be great and etfectua'