The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-04-24
The Democracy and the Old P0liti-
clans.

arises in certain quarters pretended
fear that the lead of the Demo
cratic party will be assumed by
the "old politicians aud that these
will monopolise the offices, to the neg
lect of tie claims of the young men OF
the country. We meyer heard that any
one, in the face of danger, ever advised
to take the leadership of an army from
an experienced General Caesar, a
Napoleon or a Iceland entrust it to
a tyro who chad never set squadron
in the field" We can see no better
reason why the leadership of a great
political party, in such crisis as the
present, would be better off in the
hands of one unknown to fame, than
in the hands of one who had in former
times lead it on to victory. We should
think that the people had had enough
of political Encouragement since the
disfranchisement of their political lea
ders, to make them cry out for their
restoration to leadership, instead of at
| tempting to supersede them by men of
whose qualifications they know moth
ing. For our own part we think that
the interest which old Democrats are
beginning to manifest in political af-
fairs is one of the encouraging signs
that we are on the eve of q splendid
political victory. They know tleyican
do nothing but cast their.-yotes, and
encourge othersto do so; hence their
motives are above suspicion.
But it is very evident that we shall
have to pass through another political
campaign with no other candidates
than such as can be found in the ranks
of the young men. No man who ever
held an office under general law be-
fore the war, and then took sides with
the South, can now hold State or
Federal Office unless his disabilities
have been removed. Congress is de-
termined to pass no amnesty law until
after the election. There are few of
our people, we are happy to know, who
have begged the Radical Congress to
remove their disabilities, and even
these are naturally looked upon with
distrust and suspicion by our people,
The many Offices, therefore, both State
and Federal, will have to be filed by
men who have never before held Office,
aud who must be comparatively young.
This is a misfortune, rs we have often
said; but it is still possible to find
enough men between the ages of thirty
and forty who are not disqual-
fled, with the requisite ability to
fill all the Offices at the next election.
Many man whose modesty has kept
him out of public life, and who has
shown ability in some professional or
industrial station, can be found, who
will fill creditab.y any office in the
State. The abolition of the test oath
will open the way to congress to all
those who arc qualified for the State
offices. So that, if prudence is shown
in searching out the men of merit.
there is no necessity for nominating
men whose only qualification is that
they opposed public sentiment during
the war, or got on their knees to the
Radical Congress, or assisted the Radi-
calls to rob the people in some of the
Legislatures that have sat since the
war. On the character of the men the
Conservatives shall nominate will de.
pend the chances of success at the No.
vember election.
We hope, then, that the grumblers
will get over their uneasiness on the
subject of the advancement of the old
politicians. If the old politicians can
put up with the change, and work in
dGstriously for success, we do not see
why everybody else cannot.