New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-25
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF LOUIS
lana.
HEADQUARTERS LIBERAL PARTY OF LOUISIANA,
Narr- OrInnr.- LII I'D

/ standard -DeareFS Horace Greeley Tor HFGSi-
! dent and B. Gratz Brown for Vice Presi-
| dent, and presented for the consideration
! of the people declaration of principles
| The Baltimore convention, concurring in the
| causes and reasons which gave birth to
| that great popular movement, Endorsed
their nominations and accepted the plat
form on which their candidates stood. 1t
has thus set an example to the country
which every consideration of political
safety and expediency requires should be
initiated within the States.
If the Democratic party has maintained
its national organization, 1t is only that the
alliance with Liberalism may be rendered
stronger or more effective. The delegates
VINO met at Baltimore for the purpose of
cemeDting that alliance could not have an
ticipated that fractions of their party, in
the several States, would set themselves in
opposition to the Liberal Reform move
ment, by using their organizations for the
purpose of perpetuating divisions through
the nomination and support of separate
electoral and State tickets. They knew
that without union on these points the &C
ceptance Of Greeley and Brown would be
only a mOckery, delusiOn and a snare.
In other States, as IN Illinois and Indiana,
the plain course dictated by common sense
and common honesty has been followed,
and close union with the Liberals has
been effected. In one JOINT State ticket
has been nominated, and in the other the
formation of the electoral ticket has been
RENTED to the whole body of Liberals. In
every State, except Louisiana, friendly rela-
tons have been established between the
Liberals and the Democracy, and efforts
have been made in good faith to unite the
Liberal and the Democratic vote for State
as well as for national purposes. In LOuisi-
ana alone different course has been pur-
sued. In Louisiana alone the Liberal
party-that party which first rallied to
the support of the Cincinnati movement,
which anticipated the decision of the
national Democracy, and which gave a
re Jistless impulse to the Greeley and Brown
ticket-has been treated by the Democratic
organization with cQntunely and scOrn,
and made the object of bitter invective and
denunciatiOn. And yet, in Louisiana, per
haps more than in any other State, a. thor
Ough union OF the Liberal and Democratic
vote is necessary to success. So evident is
this fact that on the adjournment Of the
Opera House Democratic Convention, thou
sands of Democrats in New Orleans and
throughout the State abandoned the Demo
cratic organization and joined the Liberal
party. These accessiOns are counted by
tens of thousands. They are so numerous
that we can assert as an indisputable fact
that, in at least half of the parishes, the
Democratic organization is without fol
lUNGIg anu IL INC JOl LIOu VI INC 1CSG
the Liberal party commands large ma
jOrity of what was once the Democratic
vote.
In the whole State there are but six jour
nails supporting the Democratic or united
State ticket, and Of the ffty-six parishes
not half a dozen are represented in the
Democratic State Committee. In spite of
these conspicuous facts, the Democratic or
ganiZatiOn, thus reduced to a minimum of
voting power, persists in keeping up a show
Of separate and Independent organization,
and the Democratic committee, thus cmas-
cuiated of representative character, has
nominated and presented a State and cleo
tOral ticket. No rational man believes that
they expect to elect either one or the other,
and hence the public can come to no other
conclusion than that they are running their
State ticket in the interest of the Baton
Rouge candidates, and their electoral ticket
for the purpose of defeating Greeley and
Brown, the nominees Of their own National
Convention. We distinctly charge this upon
them, because we have no right to assume
that they are so blind as not to see the facts
of the situation, or so silly as not to foresee
the necessary effects OF their own acts
1t is proper for the whole country, as
well as for the people Of this State, to know
that the Democratic rump organization,
while pretending to accept the decision of
the Baltimore convention, is in reality hos
tile TO the national Liberal candidates, and
that while it presents an electoral ticket in
tie name of Greeley and Brown, it is try
ing to give the vote of the State to Grant.
Whether this course is the fulfllment Of
the contract entered into last winter be
tween the CustOmlOuse party and the
Democratic committees whether it is the
result Of more recent and more secret bar
gains, having for their object the control of
local Offices and patronage, or whether it is
dictated by an unreasOnlng Obsunacy which
prefers a total ruin to success obtained by
concession and Cancellation, the public will
decide according to the probabilities Of the
case.
Whatever may be the decision, the Lib
eral party feels that, if unfortunately the
State should be lost, they Will at least not
be held responsible at tie bar of public
opinion. But they are convinced that the
good sense Of the people will avert the ca
lamitUus consequences which might other
wise result from the bad faith or the
irrational prejudices of the Democratic
leaders. They DO not believe that the PEG
pie will permit the State to be sacrificed at
the dictatiOn of men who have shown them
selves utterly incompetent to understand
the necessities of the times, and incapable
of achieving anything but defeat
The Liberal party appeals to all citizens
who are opposed to Grants administration;
to all who are sincerely in favor of Greeley
and Brown; to all who wish to defeat the
Vaccinations of the corrupt and wicked
faction represented by the Baton Rouge
ticket. Their convention, to be held on the
nth Of August, will represent a vast ma
jOIity Of the Liberal and Democratic voters
Of the State, and their ticket will be sup
ported by an array of numerical force,
backed ng an amount OF moral influence
which will reduce the Democratic bolt to
in sirniG nau+ and unrhons inaOOrncin hip
proportions. The people understand that
in this election the State must 90 either
fer the. Liberal or for the CustomhOuse
party. The success of the one insures our
vote for Greeley and Brown, a1d will give
us that practical reform in State affairs
which we SO much need. the success of
the other, with Mr.. Kellogg as Governor
and q version OF the executive office to
the notorious G. G. Antoine, will entail on
us peTpetuatiOn Of corrupt and venal leg
islatiOn and all the horrors Of q government
RENTED TO the hands Of the ignorant, the
vicious and the degraded. Fer any useful
purpose the present Democratic OrganiZa-
ton is poweriess. It repels rather than at
tracts popular sympathy. 1t appeals only
to a name which has become an empty
word; to memories which recall the divisions
and reseEtments of bitter past; to preju-
diCes and passions which are the legacy of
an era Of strife and blood; to issues which
have been settled, and to controversies
which are closed.
The Liberal party turns from the past to
the future it seeks to heal the wounds
which years of sectional hate and angry
conflict have inflicted on the country; it
strives TO release the people from the gall
ing letters Of party tyranny, and to com
bine in one great movement all the OppO-
sition to the corrupt and despOtic govern
70 al Iyv