The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1872-08-31
why the Liberals Should
Come Back.

The Liberal party of this State has signal,
failed to accomplish the objects for which i
was organized. By assuming the name Lib
eral," and omitting it's obnoxious counterpart
.'Republicans," it vainly thought to attract to
its support all the elements opposed to thu
election of Grant and Kellogg.
l. We were told that the negroes, who could
under no circumstances be induced to vote the
Democratic ticket because of its name, would
Instantly rally to the standard of this new par
IT, and combining with the white element fol
the common good, would thus insure the elec
tion of honest men to Office who would prove
acceptable to all parties. We had seen this
experiment tried before by our Reform breth
ern, and the recollection of their laudible but
unsuccessful attempt to propitiate the negro
Wag stlll fresh in memory. But no! Pinch
back and his followers, composing the disaf-
fected Republicans, were to be appeased, and
Success was certain to perch upon the new
banner: The starting event of the past week
Offers the best refutation of this delusien
Their recent Convention, although rendering
30 she LleatenanS Governor and those acting
with him more offices on their State ticket
and larger concessions than theysswere willing
to make to their Reform-Democra:ic friends,
failed to secure the cooperation of this much
needed ally Can any sane man doubt that
| the united State ticket will poll more negro
votes next November for McEnery and Jonas
than the Liberals can possibly do for their
| candidates?
2. The only Republicans now acting with
the Liberal party are those whose support has
been won either by nomination OF the prom
! ise of a nomination for office, Gov Warmoth,
| by the promise Of the United States Senetor-
| ship, Dumas, Sheridan and Sloanaker DIV non-
nations for State offices and for Congress- In
| fact the only way to convert Louisiana Radi-
cal Republicans into Liberals is by giving
them all the Offices. Such men are not WORTH
the price paid for their support. None of the
Republicans nominated on their State ticket
can command any votes from their cwn par
". They are mere otfice-seekers, REPRESENT
ing nobody but themselves, and instead of
strengthening, will only weaken the ticket on
which they are placed.
3. those who have gone into this new move
ment with the hope and expectation that
Warmoth will be able to elect their ticket by
lhe fraudulent use of the registration and cleo
tion laws, may as well cease ito lay this fat
terlng unction to their souls and forever ban
ish all such ideas from their minds The ad-
berents Of the united State ticket are deter
mined to have fair vote and an honest count.
geaeeGoty y possible, torcibiy if they must
Ihe Republican party represented by Mr.. Kel-
logg Is likewise bound by the most sacred
pledges to assist US in maintaining the purity
OF the ballot box. Their registration and cleo
tl0n laws of this State are as broken reeds in
the hands of the Governor since the passa ge
OF the enforcement acts and election law by
Congress. With United States commission
ICs
issue warrants of arrest, under these la ws,
against all who may attempt to perpetrate
frauds, either in the registration Of voters OF
at the election, with special deputy marsAals
10 execute these warrants and preserve peace
at the polls, and with two United States in
spectors to watch the registration and elec-
tlon, no stufing of ballot boxes and other NAL
nraitices need he feared;
Besides these preventives it may be well to
mention the fact that at least two-thirds of
the district and parish judges in this State are
opposed to the infamous manner in which
w armoth and his appoihtees have administer
ed these laws, and will, on the application of
any citizens, interfere by issuing the summary
VIRUS OF mandamus and injunction to correct
any abuses or usurpatiOns of authority which
may be attemted by his minions.
These considerations should be sufficient to
induce any sensible man who has Joined the
Liberal party solely for the purpose of success
to fOrsake Immediately the error of his yavs
and return to the fold of the Reform-D Demo-
cratic party. Let them at least manifest as
much good Judgment in this respect as the dis
anected negroes who have gone back to the
Custonl.H House party. Let them be we'll u.s.
sured OF one fact, that while the Reformers
ana !, democrats will cheerfully welcome them |
oack In their ranks, they will not under any
troy their organization to please any man or |
set OF men. Their own good sense should |
teach our Liberal friends that they are pow
eriess only for harm. Success with them is |
impossible. The supposed necessity for the |
formation of third party having disappeared, |
t Is high time that this political mushroom
should perch. Like Jonah's gourd, it sprung |
up in night, and like Jonah's gourti it should |
whittier and die in anight.-N. o. Pcayune