The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1875-06-17
True Democracy.
From the Austin statesnan.l s


Gen. James r. Chalmers, the
"game cock" Of the Democratic
party in Mississippi, has lately
made a telling speech before the
assembled Democracy of his
State. Its full of the true ring
of patriotism, and if the doctrine
he expressed can be put into eff.
feet the American Union will
again be thoroughly cemented
through the instrumentality of
Democracy. Gen. Chalmers has
a proper conception of it's duties,
which are far above the nefarious
designs OF party demagogues and
trlcksters, men who combine to
divide Offices among them regard
less OF the dignity of party or the
grandeur of government. The
following extract from his speech
is too noble, too divine to find a
sympathetic chord in the struct-
nre by some who are even now in
Texas attempting to drive the
party to ruin in hope of personal
reward. We fully endorse every
word Of the following:
''The Democracy of to-day IS
not the Democracy of the past,
any more than the fashions of to.
day are the fashions of the past.
"The Wing party sleeps in the
graves of Webster and Clay, and
the secession Democracy lies
buried in the tomb of Calhoun
aud under the little hillocks y hich
mark the last resting.place OF the
Confederate dead. The Demo
cratic party Of today is composed
Of the liberal and conservative
men of all former party creeds,
and it swept in triumph over the
Northern States in last years cleo
tons. 1t is the party of the peo-
pie opposed to the officehOlders
who would perpetuate their power
and make themselves our mas.
tiers. tits the party of the tax
payers, opposed to the plunderers
who have converted places of
public trust into franchises for
embezzlement. 1t is the party of
honesty, intelligence and virtue
opposed to corruption, ignorance
and vice. 1t is the party Of local
free government, opposed to cen.
tralized despotism. 1t is the par
ty OF constitutional liberty oppos-
ed to the One-man power, whether
it comes BY inheritance, or the
usurpation Of q successful military
leader. Let Us not, then, bubble
about a name, but let us rally
under the National Democratic
banner, which Hendricks, OF Indi-
ana, Allen, Of Ohio, Tilden Of
New York, and CASTOR of Massa-
chusetts, have borne in triumph,
and if victory should pearch upon
our standard it will be all the
more glorious because none can
say it was won under false colors !;
aud if defeat comes we can meet
it'like men. Let us follow the
example of the glorious DemOcra-
cy of Massachusetts, who have
wandered forty years in the will
derness OF defeat, but whose faith
has at last received its meri:ed
reward. Let us cling to the hope
that our ancestors of 1776 did not
die in vain, and that Republican
liberty will be preserved /; and let
us still believe that 'struth is etern-
al and public Justice certain
But it we are mistaken, if corrup-
ton, ignorance and vice shall
take the place Of honesty, intelli-
gence- and virtue ]; ito property
is to be confiscated to enrich tax
gathering robbers; if military
satraps, are to strangle State Leg
islatnres ; if constitutional liberty
is to be destroyed, and a military
despot to usurp the crown which
Washington refused, then let the
old Democratic ship be set afioat,
and let us
Nail to the mast her threadbare flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the God Of storms,
The lightning and the gale" - &s@
The ROADss-A matter of great
importance, just at this time, is
the condition Of the public roads.
We hear every day, and have
heard ever since the overflow of
last year, of the miserable 5condi
ton OF the leading highways to
market. Ever since the war there
has been an inexcusable laxity in
the enforcement OF the duties due
by each citizen toward the con.
struction and repairing of the