The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-08-17
WITH WHOM NOW RESTS THE RES.
POSSIBILITY?

we were 6OI4lEA uab TtHi4uucu uA 1bliS
fable by the action of the Democrats at
our late convention. With great show
of liberal concession, they required at
our hands the offices of Governor, Lieu
enant-Governorand Acknowledgement.
The minor Offices, {the shell of the NUT
they concede with open hearts. In add
dition to this they demand that the Lib
eral party should accept as a platform
the address issued a few weeks since
by Mr.. LaSere, the chairman of the De-
mocratic Central Committee.
It is utterly impossible for the Liberal
party to accept either proposition.
Certainly not the first, because Mr..
McEnery, Mr.. Jonas and Mr.. Ogden
could never be made the standard bear
ers Of the vital principles Of Liberalism.
They are not in sympathy with them,
nay, they are antagonistic, and to select
them would be to acknowledge the dis
solution Of the party. This antagonism
was displayed in the public speeches of
these gentlemen up to the meeting Of
the convention, and even during its SEES
sion.
The standard bearers of any political
party are always itsrepresentatiVe men.
AS Mr.. Lincoln was the representative
of Republieanism, and MI. Davis OF the
Confederacy, soall men who head party
are expected to embody in their words
and actions, the vital principles of this
party. These gentlemen in the Demo-
cratic tanks are decidedly epposedto the
Liberal movement, and as such we can
not accept their leadership. Moreover,
the Democrats had no right to. demand
such concessions from the Liberals, be-
cause they do not embody the voting
strength of the white population.
As for the second proposition they re-
quire us to accept, we can only say the
platform is personally offensive to every
member of the Liberal party, because
one clause denounces as traitors all who
refuse to march in the ranks Of the De-.
mOcratie organization. " j
That is one Of the impossibilities. We
can no longer keep step with them. The
Liberal, movement is the movement of
Progress, and we have burned our dis
mantled vessels, and can never turn our
faces backward. We have buried the
dead issues, we have put aside the old
superstitions-our platform is the great
broad platform of equal human rights,
and we can never descend from it to the
narrow, insecure footing of Democratic
prejudice and caste. The Liberal party
has identified itself too thoroughly with
the broad outlook of the progressive
spirit of the age to aeceptany strait and
bounded political issues. &
We believe that in Liberalism is alone
to be found the salvation Of the country.
It seeks to neutralize the antagonism of
the races, and extends thehand of amity
to the colored citizen.
In Gen. Campbelrs speech of August
10, before the Pinchbaek Convention,
he says:
"The Liberal convention, which sent
out its committee of conference to this
convention Of white and c0lored men,
was the first white mans convention
which ever, in this State, offered to shake
hands and join issue with q colored con.
vention.n
People who do not tllOroughly acquaint
themselves with important political
movements are very apt to form theil
opinion OF them from the characters and
standing of the men who bead the move
ment. In fact we all like our standard
bearers to be men who are identified
with the interests of the State they rep,
resent. w evil give few OF the names
which represent the Liberal sentiment
Of the different parishes of Louisiana
in themselves showing the numerical,
strength of the different parishes. From
memory we give these names:
North Louisiana.-Judge Richardson
Judge Eagan, Judge Ryan, Judge Man
ming, Peabody Morse, Gen. Jno. I. Young
Gen. q. Yorke, Col. Bowman, E. C: Da.
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