The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-07-05
cu,side Of the Democratic Party.

let hlm speak. IL Is mo
Toombs has mind to gaoole, ieV hr'A
cabble. That is bis right. we COM
nIain of neither. what we resist Is
the attempt to make the Democratic
marty responsible for their utterances'
In Europe the defeat OF arcyoiution-
arv leader does not involve his silence
if he survives his defeat, Mazzlnl has
been dealing out red radical thunder
l:slts these twenty years and more
Rnt, at safe distance from Italy. In
like manner, if Mr.. Davis and MI.
Toumbs wish to keep the memory Oh
the Southern Confederacy curreBt-lf
they wish to stir up the spirit OF the
Southern people to an ultimate renew
81 of the s.rife-and if they find it safe
and profitable to engage III this work,
we shall Question only their wisdom.
Thny are not acting in the character
of Democrats but in the character OF
reyolutionists. Mr.. Davis, for exam
pie, slys he does not accept the situa-
tion. The Democratic party, and that
portion Of the Southern people co-ope-
rating with it, do accept the situation.
Mr.. Toombs SAYS that lie expects to see
the achievcnen t of Southern indepen-
dence yet. In the sense implied the
Democratic party looks in an opposite
direction and is striving to restore and
reunite the Union, which the Southern
Confederacy was meant to destroy.
After years of broil aud battle we
have come back to a peace footing
The Democratic party, divided in
1860, is recognizing iii 1871, and it
finds itself met by a few impractical
bles, like Mr.. Toombs, who do not
wish to see it either organized or sue
cessful. Mr.. Toombs says Mr.. Vallan-
digham is & scoundrel. Mr.. Toombs
says the Ohio platform is worse than
the platform of the Radicals. We do
not gainsay Mr.. Toombs his right of
opinion; but we do protest against his
being considered a Democrat, for that
which he denoanccs is the only exist
ing Democratic platform, and his words
convey aid and comfort only to the
Radicals. If Mr. Toombs is honest,
and if his followers are honest, he aud
they should set up a new party repre- i
senting their exact wants and IDEAS
The Democratic party does not answer
the purpose and cannot be made to an
swer it. The views of Mr.. Jacob !
Thompson and General Forrest with
reference to this matter are in every
way wise and practicable. IL the
Southern people cannot unite among
themselves, and if the expressions of
Southern men tend only to embarrass |
the Northern Democrats, it would be
best for the South to hold aloof from
participation in national politics.
;nly cT, Lo oil
ship without perfect sympathy and
identity of purpose, and this can only
be had, as far as the North is concern
ed, on the Ohio and Pennsylvania and
Iowa platforms, which are the sure
precursors of the general party plat
form next year. If the South is not
willing to accept this the Sonth had
better not enter the field at all. The
fight is to be made in the North, not in
the South, and the South cannot in
reason expect to dictate the terms on
which it is to be waged and ought not
to embarrass the combatauts by fool
ish and premature outcrics such as we
have had from Mr.. Davis, Mr.. Ste
pheDs and Mr.. Toombs.
Mr.. Davis is Enthusiastically heed
less. Mr.. Toombs is enthusiastically
sensational. Mr.. Stephens seems to
have let go his hold upon hope and TO
have grown desperate under protract-
ed i'll health and misfortunes. The
three are old men. They are not of
our time. They have had their day.
Shall they mark ont a pathway for the
young ambition of the South Shall
the fresh manhood of the country be i,
saddled with their old notions and en-
barrassed by their antecedents =? Eve
ry man to his generation. The world
has furnished no example of revolu-
tionary leader OUTLYING two revolu-
tons and shaping both. There is a
marked difference between the men !,
who produce revolutions and the men
whom revolutions produce. Mr.. Davis =,
and Mr.. Toombs produced reyolu-
ton, which was not a success, and
they are not suited to take the direc- T
ton of affairs wrought by their own
failure. Therefore, as Democratic !
we reject them. We de- v
cline to follow their advice and we de- !,
sire not TO be compromised by their =,
Fellowship. If there is another revo !.
luton in this country Mr.. Toombs will d
not lead it. If there should be re-
of the Southern Confeder- =.
acy tomorrow Mr.. Davis would not be
its chieftain. There is going to be no
revolution just yet. There is going to t
be no Southern Confederacy. The s
fight before us is fight for peace, a II
fight for constitutional law and order, e
to be made at the ballot-box. The Il
Democratic party appeals from the I
passion of the people to their reason. G.
and the emanations of Mr.. Toombs h
and Mr.. Stephens and Mr.. Davis being e
the language of passion, only tend to C,
defeat its good purpose. C,
As private citizens, We respect Mr. W
Davis, Mr. Stephens and Mr.. Toombs c.
as men eminent in their day, we do II
them justice; as political associates, 81
submitting to the recognized leader. II
ship OF the present, We should be clad n
to have their friendly encouragement; o.
but as monitors and captains, we must IL
be pardoned for thinking them unfit on tt
account of their age, their temperament a:
and their peculiar position. So, We
speak to them and Of them freely and W
not meaning 10 be liscourte- Vi
Gus or unkind. They have done much ly
t1, lnJure the cause of peace already. til
They have made deal of capital far N
the Radicals. The North is even now Il!
ringing with them and their SAVINGS ia
and dolngs, and the Bourbon element bl
oi the Demoocratic party, which wants pl