The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-08-10
THE EVIDENCES OF DEATH.

burial of the Democratic party are nu-
+ and unmistakable.
The Democratic party has elected no
President since James Buchanan, in
1856-sixteen years ago-and has beenin
the minority in Congress and in most of
the States ever since the end of his adj
ministration. No party has ever been
known to be, or can be, out of power
twelve years and live. Political changes
take place during such a period of time,
as necessitAte the change of political
principles and platforms; and every time
these are changed a new party is created,
whether the party name is changed o.
not. A party thatremains out of power
twelve years, and hangs ON to the old
platform of principles, SO unsuited to the
present exigency of political affairs, al
the Democratic party has done, is ipso
factO dead.
There has been no election ola DEM
~ocratic Governor in this State since that
of Thos. O. Moore before tho war. Hen
ry w. Allen was elected during the war
by those parishes underline Confederate
authority; but his administration was
cut short, and the acts thereof rendered
null and void, by the termination of the
war. He is not now counted among the
former Governors of the State. In the
fall of 1865 Gov. Wells was elected, not
as a D~emocrat-for he wasa Republican
but as compromise candidate. Ever
since that time the State has been in Re
publican hands, and the Democratic
party dead for all practical purposes.
It had o fair showing in the Presiden-
tial contest of 1868, but was oEerwhelm-
ingly defeated. It was evident then
that it could not stand another national
defeat, and continue toexist. The State
elections that took place last fall pres
aged this defeat; and the national lead
ers, of the party, wisely and periodically,
commenced casting about for combina-
tons i'll order to form q new party. In
giving up the old issues for which the
Democratic party had fought, there was
nothing to separate them from the best
men OF the Republican party such as
Greeley, Sumner. schurz, Brown, and
others. They did not invite these Re-
publicans, who were disguised with the
corruptions of their own organization,
to come to the Democratic party; but
they told them to hold a Republican
convention, adopt a good Republican
platform that all men could stand upon,
and nominate good men as candidates,
and that they with the adherents of their
dead party would go tothem. This was
carried out to the letter at Cincinnati
and Baltimore. It did not require the
action of the Baltimore convention to
prove to a sane man that the Democratic
party was already dead; but when that
convention adopted the Cincinnati plat
form and candidates, the funeral cere-
mony was performed overthe dead body
of the Democracy andi it was buried for
ever. This convention did not even take
time to discuss the principles of Demo-
craey, but made haste toadopt the action
of the Cincinnati convention, thereby
showing in a public and formal manner
that the former followers of the dead
party had embraced Republicanism.
Carl Schurz, in this connection, says no
party can do whatthe Democratic party
has done without dropping its historical
Identity "Tlle party that has done
this can not return to its old grooves. It
is impossible. The first attempt would
shiyer it to atoms How can 4 party
that has adopted the principles and can
didates of its opponent retain its iden-
tity? To dose, nitwere possible, would
be d distinction without a difference.
But notwithstanding the National De-
mocracy is dead and has been decently
buried, and Notwithstanding there is no
Democratic State ticket in the field in
Louisiana, some of the politically de-
mented assert that the party.is alive and
will carry the coming election. tits SUI
premely ridiculous to put Democratic
Ticket over the names of Greeley and
Brown, for they are not Democrats and
do not entertain Democratic principles.
The united State ticketn is no Demo
cratic ticket, for it was not nominated
by any Democratic convention, nor by
any other convention; but it was nom
mated by individuals, and IL has indi-
viduals on it who are not Democrats ;
and they viii not allow it to be called a
Democratic ticket. In the other States,
even, where the Democrats had a major
ify, since the action Of the Baltimore
convention, they are coalescing with the
Liberal Republicans, and giving them
places on the State and electoral tickets.
This union took place in Virginia, Mis-
souri and Tennessee. long ago, before
the Baltimore convention buried the
party, and these States have already en-
ioyed its beneficial results. Their ex-
ample has no doubt contributed largely
to the present favorable change in our
national politics; audit have been
well had it been followed sooner.
Some of Our parish Democratic COM
mittees, naturally following the action
of the Baltimore convention and the let
ter of advice, which we published last
week, from the President Of the national
Democratic committee to the President
of the Democratic COMMITTEES of this
State, urging the necessity of d union
with the Liberals, have disbanded 81
fused with the Liberal committees.