The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-03-06
ADDRESS
OLE THE ~
STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
OF THE
Democratic Party Of Louisiana.

|
Rooms STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, Z
New Orleans, February %, 1928
TO the Democratic and Reform voters Of
louisiana:
The primary object in calling con-
vention at date. earlier than would
have been done under: ordinary cir
cumstances, is to secure and perfect
thorough organization of the Demo
cratic party throughout the State
The accomplishment of this result as
an element of success is too important
to admit of delay, and the necessity
for its immediate attainment is render
ed the more urgent by the present con-
dition and probable operation OF the
registration and election laws. !
We have labored strenuously for a
modification of these and cognate laws,
and with the single object of restoring
to the people their rights of self gov
ernment. The extraordinary powers
with which the Executive had been
armed, the corrupt dispensation OF his
vast patronage, the boldness and fire.
quency of his usurpation of power to
strike down those in his own party
who refused to become his personal ad-
herents, his repeated acts of political
treachery to the colored race whose
votes had elevated him to Office, COM
bined to create in the minds of the Re-
publican opponents Of the Governor
the most serious apprehension.
The Democratic members of the
General Assembly were numerally too
weak to cope, unaided by Republican
votes, with the party ofthe Executive
in the General Assembly. Governor
Warmoth had had the article in the
constitution rendering him ineligible
for a second term abrogated, and in
view of his political isolation, by the
detection of the colored voters, it be-
came manifest that his surrender of
any of his political power or patronage
would practically result in his abdica-
ton. Easily or willingly deceived
were those who thought that he could
personally Or politically afford to mod
ify a single law in the interest of the
people. The view first entertained by
your committee, that the maintenance
of o1l +J,oeo ;pfornono on1 ov,proosiua
laws were the political life blood of
the Governor, has been verified by the
fact that, although the Legislature has
been with full houses legislating for
two weeks, with a majority obediently
submissive to Executive dictation, the
Executive, as he intended, has sue
ceeded in classifying his professions for
reform by defeating every effort to
that end that has been made by the
Legislature. The alternative was pre-
sented to engage in fragrant conspir-
acy with the Governor to rauduently
defeat the popular will and imposing
upon ourselves the debasing humilia
ton of electing him Governor or to en-
deavor by honorable means to obtain
the desired relief to our people.
These views and considerations in
duced us to approve and cordially in
dorse the temporary arrangement made
with the anti-Warmoth Republicans
for certain specified remedial purposes,
It involved only a question Of voting
in the two Houses by parties having
a common interest and common OBJ.
ject. No compromise of principle was
asked or given by either party. The
greatest caution was used in the pro.
positions agreed to that no politica
significance could be predicated of this
reformatory combination. 1t was tt
expire as it has expired by the very
Limitation Of it's object, and each party
has emerged from the combined effor
with its political integrity unimpaired
its political attitude unchanged, ant
its aims unbiased by past action.
1t is needless to rebapitnlate the rev
dictionary proceedings to which tn
Governor resorted, snch as taking arm
ed possession of a coordinate depart
ment of the government, calling an ex
ira session when the General Assembl.
was in regular session and only notify
ing his personal adherents, making re
peated acquisitions upon a local com
> mander of United States troops, OK
polling by armed violence tho lega
3 Speaker of the Honse and many mem
: bers. We refer to these unprecedente'
t acts, to remind the people that tn
8 Governor did not and will not hesitat
r TO initiate revolution in our mids
6 whenever he discovers that by lega
and constitutional means an attack
meditated against his autocratic pre-
negatives. If to-day the people hav
not controlling voice in legislation
: if their burthens have not been light
Q Eened if their political rights have nc
8 been restored, and they have the pros
;, pect of a turbulent election in Novem
: Der, the responsibility rests upon thos
t who have put their trust in Governe
It Warmoth, who has had the time, til
i opportunity and the power, but not til
!, intention, to accede to the demands {