The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-08-05
The Departure.

We received by the last mail a
letter from one of the most en-
public men in the city
Of New York, from which We
make the following extract
"NEw YORL, July 90, 1871.
Il am convined that the de
parture' is going to defeat the
Democratic party, If it should be
adopted by or nominating con-
yention. Indeed, such is the feel
ing of some who were for it II
month ago. But the great cheat
of the whole thing is-thot it T"s
concerted by those WhO hare yiren
up al idr0 Of the restoration Of the
country to anything like its OLD
Constitutional basis. 1t is not,
Mith such, Il mere temporary dericc
to get r0tes, but it is q policy they
are miHing to abide b. There is
a broad grin on the whole Repnb-
lican face ut the 'departure,' and
there we'll may he, for it has done
more to demoralize and divide
the Democratic party than any
close hf the war. conld stand
almost anything for the sake Of
success, but I am convinced that
defeat follows inevitably on the
heel Of the departure.
The italiciSeA passage in this
extract touches a point npon
which our suspicious have long
since been aroused, to wit: That
there are men calling themselves
Democrats, who favor the "de-
partnre" because they are in IA
vor Of Il pcrpetuation of the fraud
ulent amendments. We can put
4 finger on some Of the leading
(so-c;,llctD Democratic papers of
the North, that have long since
shown that they were republican,
lied so far as the doctrines of the
XIVth and XVIII Amendments
were concerned. We discovered
this before the "departllre'' was
concocted. These men are the
authors Of the "departure," and
they have set it before the Dem
ocracy on the plausible plea that
it's adoption was necessary to sue
cess; while yet, in their hearts, it
was the permanent success OF the
amendments that they were after.
1t remains to be seen, when the
Democracy of the whole country
is asselnbledin convention, wheth-
er it will have the force and wis
dom necessary to nip this con-
spiracy against its integrity and
it's triumph in the bud. We be-
lieve it will, for there is vet q
whole year within which to I'M
tangle it.
We maintain that there is no
good reason, nor even 4 decent
preteNt for flinging this "depart-
ure'' frebrand into the Democrat
ic family circle. Even il the
amendments are, as they say, a
s'dcad ISSUE" there is less reason
than ever. Why not let it rest
in the silence of the grave, and
remit it at the proper time, here
after, to resurrection and settle
ment by the States-thc only
power competent to the task.
Either these amendments are
void, or they are not. IhNt is
not to be, and cannot be, deter
mined by the ballots cast in the
Presidential election next year;
because whether a De' !2: cSeeiF!: >f,,! or
'ne - .,.S. S.,iii President he return
ed, the amendments will be still
on the leaves of the Constitution,
and de- /acto amendments. why,
then, toss the poisonous toad into
the boiling political canldron?
It's friends say, to ease the pubic
mind on the subject of violent
and revolutionary opposition to
the amendments. This is false,
for the good reason that no man
and no portion Of the party has
ever proposed violence. If the
"departurists' had really wanted
them to be "dead issues in the
present canvass, why didn't they
leave them 'dead' and not revive
them to split and rend the party,
and to insult the intelligence of
every Democrat who reveres the
Constitution and leSpiSeS cheats
Of all kinds.
We take the above from the
Mobile Register.
1t is unfortunate that Mr.. Val
laudigham should throw fire
brand into the Democratic party
lust before his death. He aSsnm-
ed too much when he ventured
to suggestaplatform tor the party.
I