The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1872-03-16
ADDRESS
OF THE
Democratic State Central
Committee
To- THE
PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA.
Rooms DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE,
New Orleans, February, 1872

The primary object in calling convention at
O date earlier than would have been done under
ordinary circumstances, is to secure and perfect
a thorough organization of the Democratic party
throughout the State, The accomplishment OF
this result as element OF snccess is too 1mp0r-
tant to admit of delay, and the necessity for its
immediate attainment is rendered the more ur-
gent by the present condition and probable oper-
alton Of the Registration and Election laws.
We have labored strenuously for a moditica
tion of these and cognate laws, and with the
single object of restoring to the people their
rights Of self-government. The extraordinary
powers with which the Executive had been arm
ed, the corrupt dispensatiOn of his vast patron
age the boldness and frequency of his usurpa-
tion of power to strike down those In his own
party who refused to become his personal adher-
ents, his repeated acts Of political treachery to
the colored race whose votes had elevated him
to Office combined to create in the minds OF the
Republican opponents Of the Governor che most
serious apprehension.
The Democratic members of the General AS
sembly were numerically too weak to cope. un
aided by Republican voters with the party of the
Executive in the General Assembly. Governor
Warmoth had had the article in the Constitution
rendering him ineligible for a second term abro-
gated, and in view of his political isolation, by
the detection of the colored voters, it became
manifest that his surrender of any OF his political
power or patronage would practically result IN
his abdication Easily or willingly deceived were
those who thought that he could personally or
interest of the people. The view first entertalned
by your Committee, that the maintenance OF all
these Infamous and oppressive laws were the
political life-blood of the Governor, has been
verified by the fact that, although the Leglsia-
ture has been with full houses legislating for
two weeks. with a majority obediently submis
siye to Executive dictation, the Executive, as ne
intended, has succeeded in falsifying his protes-
sions for reform by defeating every effort TO tnat
end that has been made in the Legislature. The
alternative was presented to engage in t1agrant
conspiracy with the Governor to fraudulently
defeat the popular will and impose upon our
selves the debasing humiliation OF electing him
Governor or to endeayor by honorable means to
obtain the desired relief to our people.
These views and considerations induced us to
approve and cordially indorse the temporary ar
rangement made with the anti Warmoth kepuo-
lieans tor certain specified remedial purposes.
It involved onl question OF voting IN tne tw9 1--WE
a common object. No compromise OF principle
was asked or given by either party: The great
est caution was used in the propositions agreed
to that no political significance could be predi-
Gated of this reformatory combination: IL was
to expire as it has expired by the very llmtatlon
of it's object and each party has emerged from
the combined effort with its political integrity
unimpaired, its political attitude unchanged'
and its aims unbiased by past action.
It is needless to recapitulate the revolutionary
proceedings to which she Governor resorted
such as taking armed possession of coordinate
department OF the government, calllng an extra
session when the General Assembly was In regu-
lar session and only notifying his personal ad-
Lerents, making repeated acquisitions upon
local commander of United States troops, ex.
pelling by armed violence the legal Speaker OIL
the House and many members. We refer 30 tnese
unprecedented acts, to REMIND the people thaC
the Governor did not and viii not hesitate to
initiate revolution in midst whenever he dis
covers that by legal and constitutional means
an attack against his autocratic prerogatlves is
meditated. If to-day the people have not a con
trolling voice in legislation, if their burthens
have not been lightened, if their political rights
| have not been restored, and they have the pros
pect of turbulent election in November, the
responsibility rests upon those who nave Pu5
/ their trust in Governor Warmoth, who has had
the time, the opportunity and the power, but
| not the intention, to accede to the demands OF
the people. We record the sad fact that the
proximate cause of our failure to attain those
| great benefeent results was the detection OF
those Senators and Representatives who. repre-
senting Democratic constituencies, allied them,
selves to the political fortunes OF the enemy OF
their people.
| This call for Convention is made in no strict
party spirit, nor to maintain or advocate the
aseendency of political partizanship. At time
when the material interests of the State have
been made the object of legislative and execu'
| tive robbery, when every household In the state
| is afflicted by the ruin which has resulted from
the desolating legislation of the past few years
| when the poor man and the rich man are alike
| made the victims of legislative and executive
| spoliation, when the absorbing question Ii tha'
/ of taxation, and the universal cry OF the people
is immediate redemption from local ana ota!e
misgovernment, the duty of patriotic citizenship
| is to silence the voice OF mere party warfare
The Democratic party being composed OF those
| whose material interests are deeply ana dlrectly
i affected by misgovernment ls by the very -1ac.
of its existence party of reform. Its ann, 1tf
| purpose, it's spirit, its cardinal principle, lts
platform, is reform. The vigor of its unceasins
attacks against corruption is the moving pr1n
ciple of its political action and it will mete on
it's stern rebuke to all corrupt officials whether
thev he Republicans or faithless Democrats
Its powerful organization can be efhclentiy usee
4 as an agency TO accomplish reform. 1t has nov
a vast political machinery which set IN motlof
will as it has done before, strike terror In tha
midst of the present supporters OF corrup
government, and it comprises the active earn
est, working and voting classes OF our people
The name in the approaching contest will be
mere symbol, it's rallying cry and poltiea
motto will be Reform, for though the Demo
! cratic party cherishes it's time honored princi
!, pies and viii pay due heed to national pohtles
it will appreciate its duty to the people by urg
ing them to consider as the dominant issue ths
overthrow of the present State Government
subordinating Federal politics to the redemp
! tion of our oppressed State from local mlsrule
The necessity for unity and harmony was neve
more imperative than at this time. The Demo
cratic party, conscious OF its political power
4
mission to restore to the peobie their rights Q
self-eovernment, will not hastily involve itsel
in sudden or Ill advised political experiments
nor will the people accept the suggestion OF 1t
dissolution from a party whose only record Is IL
ill.timed birth 50
Upon one question of vital interest to the pes
pIe the Democratic party will take determine
| stand. After registration and upon the eastln
| of votes means will be adopted to ascertain tn
result Every candidate, Democrat or kepub
can. white or eolored, is entitled to the office
!, which he has been elected by the people An
! ! section of the election law which leaves TO th
discretion of q board of individuals the epower
change that result is revolutionary la ITS aestga
lis operatioms aad its purpose, and must be trsate
bg die peopse as not upon the statute book II tn
q Legislature were to pass law that there Shout
I be no registration, no election, and that boar
: of FIVE persons was appointed to select you
4 Governor, Representatives and other ofncef
!, the people would hold an election anu inst;
: their officers, il need be by force, and their a
: tien would be clearly legal. The same dut
4 devolyes upon them and they will perform
: If Congress were to pass q law creating q part
4 san board to throw out of the count Presidentii
q electors would the people of the United Statt
i permit that board to exercise its reyolutionaI
! functions Can o board or individual partisa
! discretion supersede the constitution, the pc
J ple the State This is not question to be d
y ternined by the courts, but by the people in Il
! interest of popular liberty and republican 60
Y ernment otherwise this corrupt governmsl
~ can r,eruetuate itself in defiance of popular co