The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-07-24
The Liberal Meeting on Saturday.

On Saturday last a very large and
enthusiastic meeting of the people Of
Rapides was held in the Town Hal,
in Alexandria. The meeting was call
cd Jointly by the chairman ofthe Dem
ocratic Parish Central Committee and
the chairman of the Liberal Parisl
Central Committee, and was intended
to embrace in q common meeting al
the supporters Of Greeley and Brown
and all those who are in favor of plac-
ing State ticket in the field which can
obtain the support Of all the Conserva-
tive citizens of the parish.
! The meeting was, as it was expected,
to be, mixture OF all tie elements
of opposition to Grant and Kellogg
The old Democrat was there, the new
Rcformer was there, and the enthusi-
satic Liberal was there. The white
man was there and the black man was
there. There was speaking, there were
resolutions and all the paraphernalia
of mass meetings of the good old times.
Every seemed to have embarked
in a movement which was expected to
win.
The chairman of the meeting, nomi-
mated by a Liberal, was T. G. Man
ming, who bad been the Chairman OF
the Democratic meeting which sent
delegates to he June convention.
Great unanimity prevailed, and full
delegation, some of whom were color
ed, was sent to New Orleans to nomi-
nate State ticket in August.
This movement, among old Demo
Gratis, may seem strange one. 1t
may appear strange that Democrats
should go into Convention to uemi-
nate new Democratic ticket, when
a regularly nominated ticket is already
in the field. But the truth is that
there is really no Democratic ticket in
the field. The State ticket nominated
in June, against the protest Of many
country parishes, is no longer before
the people. The State Central Com
mittee, in conjunction with the Reform
Central Committee, the representative
of an apparently mythical party, has
taken down that ticket, and has put
up another for the support of the peo-
pie of both these parties. Whence the
Committee derived this authority we
arc unable to understand. As at pres
ent organised the Central Committee
is unrepresented by moro than half Il
dozen OF the country parishes in the
State. Shall small coterie of indi-
viduals thus assembling, attempt to
dictate to the whole Democracy of the
State9 We would much rather take
the August ticket. forced as it was on
the country parishes in manner
which cannot be defended.
But tile main objection to the June
ticket and the Omitted State Ticket"
is that it affects to ignore an element
which is indisputably necessary to its
success. The Democracy support
Greeley and Brown, the Liberal Re-
publican candidates, in good faith. In
every State q perfectly harmonious
feeling exists between the two parties.
In Pennsylvania, the Liberals support
Buckalew, the Democratic candidate,
and in Illinois the Democrats support
Koener, the Liberal candidate. Why
should a different policy obtain in
Louisiana, where every vote is neces-
sary for the success of the Liberal
movement?
We cannot believe that the very res
pectable Democrats or the Omitted
State Ticket will allow their names
to be used any longer. Already gen.
tleman on that ticket, q Reformer, has
proclaimed that the members of the
Reform party are fully at liberty to
support Grant if they choose. We take
it that every Democrat feels himself
bound in honor to support the nomina-
tiOns of the Baltimore Convention and
cannot therefore associate with the
supporters of Grant. All supporters of
Greeley and Brown are compelled to
go for ticket which shall be in har-
mony with the ticket nominated at
Baltimore. Such a ticket the August
Convention will put forth.