The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-04-10
Concessions for the Sake Of q Bet
ter Government. -

for the sake Oh u be'-
ter Government. -
On, observations of yesterday on the
nol;tical situation in Louisiana were 50
Main and so upn,istakable that they
should have misled no one disposed to
understand them. They were not liza
BILE to mis- reconstruction, yet our cotem-
norary the Times has either mis- under
stood them or it willfu'ly mis-rePre-
sents us. Our neighbor announces IN
a triumphant manner that the Bee has
ustruck it's Democratic banner" and
usurrendered to the Reformers." The
Times is a little too fast, for we-have
not done any such thing. But the
prominence with which the Times has
made this announcement renders it ne
cessary we should state to our readers,
that we have not abandoned the ground
which we have occupied in our late dis.
cussions regarding the Reform move
ment and the Peoples party, but
still stand precisely in the attitude we
lave hitherto taken on that question.
The misrepresentation, in which the
Times INDUCES against this paper,
makes it proper that We should repeat
in yet palmer language the suggestions
we thought it advisable to offer to our
readers yesterday touching the politi-
cal contest to come off here in the fall,
so that cavaliers and sophists may be
without an excuse.
The Times employs language which
We submit is entirely Inappropriate IN
commenting upon the article to which
We refer. We have never regarded
the Reformers as, anniversaries" and
therefore there could be. no contest be-
tween them and us, nor could there be
any "surrender" on the part of either
But for the sake of illustration we shall
make use of the same metaphor. Now
we are not aware that the approach OF
the Reformers to the Democratic fort
ress has ever gone further than a mere
paper summons to surrender made from
a very respectful distance. The DEM
ocrats we're invited or required to dis
band, but they have given the same
answer as the Confederates. did when
when commanded by Mr.. Lincoln to
'disperse.m They have courteously,
but firmly refused. The language OF
the Democracy in declining this sum-
mons may be thus construed: Our de-
lenses are intact; the garrison is in
good condition; our men are in high
: spirits and eager for the fray; not a
gun has been dismounted and our sup
} plies of ammunition and food ale suffi'
Gent to last an ordinary siege. Why
then should We haul down our flag
We beg to inform the Times that We
have taken our position in the war un
der the Democratic flag, and expect t.
hold it until driven to change ou1
j ground, of which there is at presen
! no indication. The Bee, whatever may
:. have been its shortcomings, has neve
, been weather cock and does not pro
: pose now to point in any other direc
, ton than the one towards which it ha
invariably looked. The rise and fal
. of stocks on Carondelet street or else
: where We do not regard, nor have tn
movements of mere political tricksler
t the slightest influence on the conduc
f of the Bee, which aims to represent tn
: views of the conservative people Q
3 Louisiana who, fixed in their owl
;, principles, do not appreciate advocate
Q ready to plead any cause which ma
Q appear for the moment to be in the as
9 cendant. We. desire to possess tn
b confidence and tile respect of our read
: ers, who do not tolerate contradictor
q and inconsistent teachings, and if the
i did tolerate such teachings we have to
It much regard for them and respect fo
u ourselves to be guilty of trifing wit
J.: matters SO grave as those which no.
q occupy their attention.
u Our object in the article which elit
; it's these additional comments was
4 impress the Democrats of Louisian
20 with the seriousness and difficulty ,
: the enterprise which they had unde
g taken. We simply put in other Wort
- the ideas and suggestions put forth /
u the Democratic State Central Commi
Is tee, in their late address calling Sta
y Convention, which contains the follow
~ ing paragraph:
= This call for Convention is made
% Inc strict party spirit, nor to mainta
. or advocate the ascendency of polite
lpartisanship. Alta time when the m
be terial interests of the State have be-
made the object of tue Legislative al
no Executive robbery, when every hous
at hold in the State in afflicted by t
ne ruin which has resulted from the des
te latipg legislation of the past few yea
- when the poor man and the rich M
20 are alike made the victims of Legisl
n tive and Executive spoilation, when
We absorbing question is that of taxatio