The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1874-07-04
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

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We have been for some weeks
attentively scanning the political
horizon and we observe with SIN
cere regret that the signs indicate
a more than probable division 'oi
the white people in the coming
campaign, unless wiser counsels
prevail. The necessity Of fusion
Of discordant elements as in 1872
and the burlesque Of numerous con-
ventions, with conflicting Domina:
tions, Will he repeate d
unless some preliminary arrange
ment with all these elements is
made, by which these deplorablc
results may be avoided.
In logical sequence the first ques-
ton which presents itself for solu.
ton is: Who will be responsible fol
these divisionsi Before attempting
to solve the problem it is necessary
to make q cursMy review Of tue po-
litical situation in Louisiana, com.
mencing with the campaign of 1868.
In that year the Democratic par
ty was thoroughly organized, had
its Central Committee, it's Parisl,
Committees embraced within the
folds Of it's party nalnc-the rem
nants Of all pas: party organiza.
cations, was III strict union with
tho Democratic party in the. North
and had its Democratic candidates
for President and Vice President
Seymour and Blair. It invited all
to march under its banner to victo-
ry, and we marched under it to de.
feat. Grant aud a Republican Con
gress assumed the direction Of our
Of our national affairs, and War.
moth aad negro Legislature as
stunned the administration of oul
State affairs. This was owing to
the apathy Of the white people and
the inability Of the Democratic par
ty to bring them ont.
In 1870 we made another State
campaign; under the banner Of the
Democracy, and if we won, War
moth. counted us out, and we lost
the fruits Of our victory. This was
twice that the Democratic party
had invited. us to a banquet Upon
the good things which were to be
ours when we had marched with
banners flying, to:certain victory
and twice we had set down to the
table, and clad in sack cloth and
ashes, .liped of the husks that the
swine had left, us. ~.
Time passed on and in 1879 M
ATTEMPT was made to repeat the ex
periences of 1868 and 1870. Up to
this time the strict organization OF
the Democratic party had been
kept and througlAts regularly con
|stited authority, it called 4 con
vention to meet-in April at New
Orleans. When it met it had tc
CONTEND with two strong ideas
which had been growing in the
IN inds of tho people-an d
hi CHI finally brou.gh h
about the organization of the two
politicas parties. First in orile,
came the Reform Party, who want
ed nothing to do with National cam
paigns or National politics; and fol
lowing that came the Liberal Re
publican, or Liberal Party, who
differed from both the Democratic
and Reform Parties, and who were
going to win by strategy, who pro
posed to- accept tire overtures of tile
Arch-traitors Warmoth, and to meet
him half way. All these parties
were thoroughly honest and con.
scientious in their convictions, and
all proposed to achieve the redem,-
ton OF our State. from radical ras.
cality and negro impudence and ig
norance. They only differed as te
the means to be employ ed to effect
that "consummation most devout
eddy to be wished. for" Each o1
them had its disciples and lay mem
bers in all the parishes of the. State