The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-10-28
LAST WORDS


the thickest of the fight, always for
Democracy, the rights it guaranteed,
the pledges it enforced and the tenets
it taught, and now in the autumn of
its life, has gone through another
one in behalf of the same principles,
in the same cause, and for the pro-
lection and maintenance of the same
rights. However varied have been
the shiftings of the political scenes,
however changeable the cognomen,
however brazen the enemy, still we
have never lost sight of our sagacity,
nor for one moment have@we "aban-
doned the, rights of. home, Preside
and our people. Always recognizing
and watching him in all his assumed
garbs, we have always pitched in con
anaore, and never lost sight of our
plain duty, and above all have kept
in the same old beaten path. Start
ing out in the present campaign as
detailed volunteer, on detached duty,
we leave it to our honored cOnstitu-
ency to frame and render the verdict
in our case. - sa
Never before, however, must we
frankly admit, were we ever engaged
in home contest SO full of impor-
lance and life-like sustenance to our
people, their interests, their welfare,
their future happiness. And right
now, our last words Of parting and
greeting, whilst the tramp of SOL
diery is heard in our very midst, and
the CLEAN of Federal bayonets is seen
in every cross road, sent here on an
errand and mission Of persecution,
political persecution, by Govern
ment which should protect her peo-
pie all alike, we have naught but
good words, hopeful aspirations to
tender our people. With no apollo
gies to crave, no excuses to make,
nothing to retract, all we have writ
ten to emphatically endorse, we ad-
dress the same advice to our friends
in Rapides. You have done your du-
ty at the Registration table, now fol-
low it up and finish that thrice con-
secrated duty at the ballot box on
next Monday! Everything which
inspired and impelled you to register
now calls on you to vote, and under
no consideration to fail in that last
duty, which pyramids your patriotic
impulses and cements your pure, I'M
sullied instincts. Men of Rapides! !
your honor, your manhood, all which
you can claim as dear, your very
rights are at stake, and in the scales
of fortune, and with you, you alone,
rests the task to maintain and re-
trieve all we have been battling for
But a few days remain for you to
prepare to finish the good work, you
have SO nobly commenced, and our
last words to you are given in the
same kindness, in the same aim for
good, for your welfare, and that of
your wives, daughters and children.
You are get freemen, and nothing,
however forced or unexpected, must
intimidate you from the polls, the
place to strike the finishing blow for
freedom and freedoms boon. NThe
presence of troops at every Precinct
must be expected, and all under or
ders from Williams, at Washington,
Kellogg and Packard, at New Or
leans, to force arrests of our people,
who nave been informed against by
the vile and accursed leaders of radi-
calism right here in our midst. But
all this must not make you bulge an
inch in your registered and plain
duty; it is your right and fail not to
exercise it. Knowing this, you are
thrice armed, and victory is yours,
and our word, last parting word for
it, your duty, victorious duty, will
soon bring peace, real peace to you,
and end our prosecutions.
SARDoN1c GRINs.-Our bad men