The Ouachita telegraph., 1873-02-01
COMPROMISE.
G.. w. NJ.

NEW ORLEANS, 2s Jan'y, 1s73.-The
Kellogg usurpation is certain failure.
New election or compromise will follow
probably the latter.
The above is telegram received from
the Editor on Tuesday evening, which,
while it cheered, did not inebriate with
gladness. Probably the Editor had in
view to temper too sudden JOY by
the enigmatic use Of the word compro-
mise. At any rate it served rs a dam
per to check our enthusiasm. We in
tend to await future developments be-
fore shouting pnans to conquering
heroes.
In the meantime we should dearly
like to. know on what basis a conpro-
mise can be founded. The issue is
madc-McEnery and the Fusion Leg
islature form the legal government, or
they do not. If they do represent the
expression of tho viii of Il majority of
the voters Of Louisiana at the Novem-
ber election, they can in no way tamper
with the trust rcposed in them. The
people who elected have not vested
them with discretionary powers to sub
serve principle to policy. If tho Nc
Emery government be right, the I<cl-
logg faction must be wrong-thcre is
no halfway ground on which to meet
to diyit1c tie s3oils. The Fusion electors,
throughout the State, demand and have
| the right to expect that their Governor
elect and Representatives do not jeo-
pardize their cause by any form Of
compromise with the kellogg ssusu,pa-
ton" and "Bayonet" Legislature.
This Is more than Il mere party fight
for the spoils of Office. The germ of
Republican government is to again
grow into a goodly tree or be blighted
in its first endeavor to take root since
our late unhappy struggle. Through
the men selected to represent them, the
citizens of Louisiana arc OH trial:
whether they be entitled to n Republi-
can form of government.
Only the timid, or those who arc
expecting to reap monetary advantage,
are willing to tcmporizc. Let us not
go backward. For what was the fight
Of 1872 nader Our journals thcn tccm-
| ed with the cry--Rcform How was
| this reform to be consummated-by a
I mere personal government: No! thrice,
No! The reform demanded by the in
telligent electors OF Louisiana, regard
less OF party, was one of principle to
permeatc every branch OF the State
government. They did not select GER
tain mon simply to raise Men, into posi-
tions OF trust and honor-but those
men pledged themselves before the
people, that, as chosen standaru-bcarcrs
in the greatest fight ever made on Lou
isiana soil, should they be returned
elected in November they would mako
for four long years had been slowly and
surely cnwrapping the ancient statue OF
Liberty (as representing popular gov
ernInenD in the folds of It new togu-
centralization-dcsp
And yet, We arc told that these same
mon speak Of compromise. Compro-
mise with that which they have within
the month solcmnly proclaimed to be a
revolutionary, trcasonable government.
Let our Representatives ut tho State
capitol pause. Friends, you arc max
ing history shall it be that OF the De
cline and Fall OF Louisiana 1t rests
with you whether in time to come you
shall be proud to read the pages You are
about to inscribc with acts which shall
decide the fate of Statc--;,yc. n,ayhap
of Nation. It is on such acts of
tyranny unrebukcl as these, that Il
despotisin rcars its NieduSan head.
We are now in the cruciblc. The
scvcn-f fold heat is being applied to re-
ducc the gold from tho dross. We are
at tho worry cutrnination of the epoch
for which We strovc in 1872. We owc
it to our cnnscicnccs, onr pledges madc
i'll tho heat of tho strife, to uii VIC hold
dear, to our beloved country-s'tutc and
reject with scorn any tcudcr
of COMPROMISE
-@@-@~"s
NM