The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-08-03
The Liberal Movement and it's
Ticket.

EPlyN GilN Il
communication, signed Liberal Demo-
in the New Orleans Times, of july
27th-from which we make some cx-
The most casual observer and the least
rejecting cannot fail to recognize the
fact that the Liberal movement, within
a very short space Of time, has assumed
gigantic proportions, and acquired Her
culean strength. From one end OF the
State to the other, it boasts of it's organ
lzatlons, thorough and effective, and
embracing the most intelligent, honest
and respectable citizens of Louisiana.
The great mass OF Il people seem now
to fully realize the importance and alb
sOlute necessity of forgetting the dead
issues OF the past, andOf granting a gem
eral amnesty to all of our former no
litical opponents who desire now to CO.
operate with us in the great work Of re-
deeming the Nation and the State from
profilgate rule, and Tescuing the govern
ment from the grasp of unworthy, cor
rrpt and ignorant officials
A lifelong Democrat myself, proud of
the brilliant record of that grand old
party, a participant in many Of its glOri-
Gus victories, | am indeed 10th to sur
render all that a consistent and lab0ri-
Gus politician holds dear. And it is on
ly after long deliheration, careful and
searching investigation, have reached
the conclusion that the day of useful
ness for the Democratic party, as a po-
llt1cal organization per Sc, has passed. IL
way. Its elementary principles no lon
ger exist; its cohesive power has been
destroyed; its mission has failed, and it's
tenets have been abandoned by its car
Hest and ablest advocates.
# II u II * 1t
1t is not strange, however, ofnd some
clinging, with all of the tenacity of the
bigOted and intOlerant, to the DemOcra-
ticIignis ,fNtHus. following its deceptive
light only to be swallowed up in the
vortex to which it is alluring its deludcd
VOtarieS. And yet these self-cOntidcnt
and Ove.Weening dcvOtecs, whilst they
are loud and vehement in their denun-
Citations of all who see proper to differ
with them in their policy, are unable to
sustain themselves in their own position
by a single argument, or even q Dlausi-
bic pretext. Whilst protesting adhesion
to the Democratic party and declaring
its i~nyiOlability, they are forced to adj
NIT that the time-honOred usages of the
party have been ignored by both the
National and State Conventions. Men
whose political record is one of lifelong
hostility to the Democratic party, have
been nominated and placed upon the
ticket, National and State, as its stand
ard-bearers. And we find them and
their platform defended and supported
as earnestly and zealously by these De
mOcrats, par excellence, as we are de-
1CtVpnnH for EO xrnYTTF n mud o1ynou41,p
the application of the same policy to Oul
State ticket as that adopted by the Ma
tional Convention.
The ticket to which the "Last Ditch
ers" yield allegiance, and for which they
claim the support of all Democrats, is
without the prestige even of a nominal
ton by a Democratic Convention, but
is the patched-up work of the fragments
of two State Central Committees Of II
val political parties. 1t is not even dig
nitied by the name of the Regular De-
m~ocratic State Ticket" but r~eioices in
the O euphOniOus title of the ''uni-
ted State ticket Its component parts
represent all phazes of political senti-
ment, except the Liberal Republican ele-
ment-the party indeed which gave ma
tional existence to the platform and pro-
yided the candidates who are so vOcif-
erOusly supported by these uncomprO-
missing Democrats. By what rule of con-
sistency, then, | ask, do these self-cOn-
Stituted censOrs pass upon the political
faith and integrity of those who insist
upon going n step further than they
have done in the way Of fusion, cOmprO-
mise and concession? Why object to a
combination with a political party of
such power and influence as enable it
to control, in a large degree, the desti-
MES OF the nation, and to command the
sympathies of the best portion of the
people of our own State? When we see
such rejoicing manifested over Il recon
ciliatiOn with the Reform party-an i'm
potent faction with less than two thou
sand yotes-hoW much more reason to
exult over the accession of an ally more
vigorous and potential ? Is it because
the handful of unyielding Democrats
are afraid Of complete absorption by
such an alliance /? Do they feel that
their Identification and personality
would be lost in the combination and
their respective chance for political pre-
ferment would be sOmew lat impaired
by an increased number Of tickets in
the political wheel Of fortune?
Before closing this too lengthy COM
municati0n, I desire to add n word
of caution to the leaders of the Liberal
cause. / am too much interested, as a
citizen only, in it's progress to see any
plumbers committed ut this stage of its
existence. But one thing now is want
ing to crown the movement with com
plete success. That is the nomination
blythe August Convention of a good tick
ct. Mel must be selected for the yari-
Gus offices not with reference only to
their ability and party claims, but due
regard must be had to the 0%rditdbilitl
and the political rs we'll as personal
strength of the individual. A cOmbina-
ton must be made of all the elements
| opposed to Grant and Radical rule, and
a proper representative of these ele-
ments should he placed on the ticket i'll
proportion to the vote each can secure
for the entire ticket. In spite of my an
tipathies and dislikestO some of the Re-
publicans who are prUminentin this Lib
eral movement, [ would beand am viii
| such as would add strength to the tick
ct through their personal, political OF
| official influence, and through whose as
sistance and support the election OF the
| ticket would be paced beyond all doubt
In glancing over the Crank and file" Of
all the old political parties, / find the
following list of names, which | believe
If nominated, would fully realize the
expectations of all who are looking tt
the Liberal Convention for q strong
| ticket. I know that in suggesting these
names some of them will he seriously
objected to; in fact, there are some t.
whom I am personally opposed myself
| but | recognize their power and lnttu'
ence, and to secure that | am willing tt
support them. Tn this ticket every ele,
ment and every section of the State i: