The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-10
THE MISSION OF THE DEMOCRACY.
LETTER FROM JUDGE JERE BLACK.

|
of the Hon. Jere Black, read at the recen
Democratic banquet in Philadelphia:
We must bear it always in mind that the tri
umph Of Democratic principles means the re-
storation of constitutional government on 8
basis which will give absolute security to the
rights OF men against the nights OF men. The
broken walls OF the Constitution are to be
built up anew and made too strong to be
thrown down egain by the ruf1ians of the
"higher law" Our opponents themselves will
become reconciled to the principles of A-nerl-
can liberty when they pass into the minority
and find the msgnanimous Democracy taking
every possible precaution to guard them in
their weakness against the oppression which
they inflicted upon us in the days of their
power. Peace will come, too, sectional strife
will be ended, and the public robbers who now
| swarm over the Southern States will cease
their nefarious occupation when we revoke the
license which the Inappropriate legislation
of the last nine years has given them.
But we cannot reasonably hope to accom-
plish the object of our mission without much
labor and faithful exertion after the machinery
Of the Government shall be put into our
hands, Fifteen years of domination by an
anti-constitutional party, has utterly demoral-
lied every branch OF the public service.
These corruptions have become SO numerous
and so diversified, have sent down their top
roots so deeply, have been practiced so openly,
and have become, in certain sense, SO re-
spectacle, that tor many of them a mere
change of administration will not speedily
furnish remedy. But the abuses may be
ended by the impulsion Of the same moral
force which carries their authors out of public
life. When Hercules undertook the task OF
cleansing the Augean stable he did not use the
fork or the shovel, but turned the current of a
river upon it, and SO swept all its filth to the
sea. The stream OF public opinion, it rightly
directed, will in like manner aid Democratic
Administration.
This hydraulic method of reform being ne
cessary, the freedom of the press and the
untrammelled right of the people 70 speak
their sentiments everything that lets the
water on-should be sedulously encouraged
and securely guarded. So may it come to pass
in due time that We will remember the days
of the gag Law, the practice Of kidnapping
freemen, and the murder Of innocent people
by military commission as we remember the
years Of mildew and potato rot and cholera
to only shudder at them and try to prevent
their recurrence.
If | should close here you might misunder-
stand me. l have not the least idea that we
ought to unsettle anything which has been
fixed and determined, or take from any human
being right vested in him by existing laws.
We propose no counter revolution. While we
mean to be just, we are determined also to be
liberal in the broadcast sense Of the word.
The faith Of the Goyernmen no matter by
whom pledged, is irrevocable.
The whole civilized world knows that the
public credit is safer with US than with our
opponents, and this is shown by the fact that
since the November elections American secu-
rites have risen in every market. We submit
to the amendments Of the Constitution, though
they were carried by fraud and force, and the
two last were intended to take away our in |
heritance OF self-gove-nment and give it to
another race of men without right and with
out ability to hold it or to use it. But we will
execute the whole instrument, amendments
and all, in way that will save the tights OF
the honest white man as well as those Of the
abolitionist and the negro.
Another thing: large and most respe table
body Of men who, until lately, ected with the
Republican party, voted for our candi dates
last month. We a-e rot to forget how much
we owe them. The debt can be paid by sh W.
ing that we deserve their confd nee ~ cur
moderation and fairnes. toward all ,las5e. Of
the people.
am faithfully yours. etc.