The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-09-11
GOVERNOR WARMOTH'S SPEECH.

that there are in this large and respect
able audience many, very many, gen
tiemen who have agreed with and sol-
lowed me in my political'course for the
last five gears. | know at the same
time that the largest part Of this audi
ence are gentlemen who have disagreed,
totally and radically disagreed with me
in the political views and policy which
[ have entertained and pursued for the
last five years, therefore, in appearing
before you so soon from the scenes of
or conflict, so soon from the fields OF
our discussion, so soon from political
stand-points, so divergent and so differ
ent, confess to yon that feel no little
embarrassment. But, when We consid-
er that in coming before you come be-
fore you, not as an individual, but as a
. member of political organization
which believe, which we believe, and
which | know you believe, is essential
TO the success of the redemption of this
State cheers II therefore have no
apologies to make for appearing before
this audience here tonight. / am to-
night as much Republican as l was
| four years ago. | am as much imbued
with the principles, the cardinal princi-
pies. of the Republican party tonight,
as ] was four years ago. I give away
none of my political views or principles,
and l ask no man in this fusion to give
away his political views. A voice,
''that's right.''l l stand here as one of
the representatives Of the Liberal party.
As a representative Of that part Of the
Liberal party which is known as the
Liberal Republican party, and as a part
Of that fragment of the Liberal party, 1
speak to you tonight, and urge you 20
unite with us-with rae, and ali good
citizens in one common warfare and one
common battle against the comm on
enemy.
l appear before you Tonight, too, In
support Of ticket which in itself gives
an earnest 10 the people OF this State
and TO the people OF shis country that
the great doctrines upon which | hare
fought you for fcur years shall be re-
cognized as principle, fundamental in
our government; and that is, that no
man shall he kept down or controlled,
or prescribed because Of the color Of his
skin, but that every man, black or
white, shall have q fair and free chance
in this country. You have ticket, at
the head Of which is q Democrat, and
distinguished Democrat-and not only
is he Democrat in the forum-not only
is he the friend Of your State in the To-
rum, but be has been the friend Of your
State upon the battle-iield; he has
fought the battles of the Confederacy,
and |, as Union soldier. take him by
the hand, and we shake haRds across
this bloody chasm. [Great applause.
You have upon that ticket Liberal Re
publicans and Liberal Democrats, and
besides, you have upon that ticket one
whose appearance there is like the rain
bow, the covenant between the white
people of this country and the black
people of this country-that the black
man shall have fair chance in the
State of Louisiana, and this black man
upon cur ticket is no mushroom black
man. He is no half white and half
black; so that if we swallow him, we
have TO take him black as midnight
darkness. [Cheers and laughter.] It
was thought that in giving yea this
dose, it should berone difficult to swal-
low at first, SO that when you got it
down you would be entirely satisfied.
Cheers aud laughter.]
Therefore, my fellow-citizens, I APP
pear before you and before the black
people of this State, who have been my
friends, and to them can say that [
have not gone with any political party
TO build up in this State a
white mans party, as against the color-
ed and white Republicans. Now, J.
know that l shall be subjected to--as
all Liberal Republicans in this move
ment have NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. I
know l will be charged, as i! have been
charged, with having gone over TO the
Democratic party. You, gentlemen,
who are in the Democratic party, and
who have fought me for four years, and
who have fought me more recently IN
another organization, know very well
that | have not gone over to the Demo-
cratic party. You know that I have
gone half way, and we have met upon
ground. [Cheers.l went to
the city Of Cincinnati, and [ led a dele
gatiou to that Convention. 1t was that
Convention that made the Cincinnati
platform, and nominated Horace Gree
ley and Gratz Brown; and whea the
Democratic party Of this Union came
forward and got on our platform and
took our candidates, / was ready to bury
The Ratchet with every Democrat in the
land and take him by the hand and
make with him this common fight
applause In relation to our local af-
fairs let me say a few words. Having
agreed upon the great natiopAl quesa
ion and supporting the same national
ticket, we had no fight there. But
when it came to State affairs the Demo-
Gratis were as bitter as they could be-
/ on were determined to have it all or