The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-10-06
s NO. 8.
Lest Leaders.

Tie rnmors ofaa possible s,,rren-
der Of the Syracuse Convention to
the imitation conspirators. OF Ohio
and Pennsylvania were doubtless
nothing more than m expression of
the popular feeling that the country
is now. standing on the brink Of dan
ger All the signs Of the day point
to tho return of the Democratic par
ty to power. The vote of Maine
shows that the prevalent disgust
with the Administration extends
much further than the opposition
Imagined. It has filed even the re-
mote rural districts where the noise
of Washington scandals rarely penc-
trates, and beliefin the purity of the
Republican party has been held here
tofore with all the ardor Of religious
faith. Disafectionin the back coun-
try of Mime is q symptom Of a gen
eral breakup. 1t is no wonder that
men are beginning to study the poll
cy Of the Democracy on national
questions with the utmost solicitude,
and that ont Of their rascally pro
.cecdtngs in Ohio and Pennsylvania
has sprung crop Of the most alarm
ing and disgraceful reports.
Tae t nth is, up to this time the
progress Of the rag-money madness
has met with no earnest opposition
from any source whatever. The in
tlationists oyerpowcrcd tile Ohio Con-
yention by sheer cla,nor, and at once
every Democratic leader in the State
surrendered. They imposed their
policy upon the Pennsylvania Con
.vention, and there too was enacted
the same sceneaof cowardly and dis
honorable trucking. And what have
the Republicans doneS In Pennsyl-
vania they have put mp Ring ticket
so bad that the whole State will
laugh at them whenever they talk or
honesty in any form. In Ohio they
have tried, until within 4 few days,
to shirk the money question andlcad
the campaign into false issues, so
seeking to save Offices for themselves
az tile cost Of irrcparable injury to
the honor and prosperity of the ma
ton. From one end Of the Union to
the other, not q solitary Republican
of commanding Influence and recog
nized position lin the party, has ap-
Ipeared to lead the fight Of honest
men against the demagogues, rognes
and half-cracked doctrinaires who
are driving headlong toward ruin.
What has become OF the lost leaders?
The Republican masses may we'll
survey the situation with alarm when
they iintl that the mismanagement
and recklessness Of the Administra-
ton have left them at a crisis like
this without a commander. Who, Of
all their chief men in Congress on
Itle executive Offices, can strike the
key note Of policy for them, or rally
| their half broken ranks2 They had
nobody to send into Maine except
Senator Morton, who is more thor
ouglllY identified thansanys other man
| in public life with the odious meas
lures which have brought the party
Into t1isrepute. Boutwell, is involved
lin the same disgrace as Norton
Delano dare not take the stump for
| fcar.of damaging his own side. The
lid Is Of three years ago are politi-
caIly dead destroyed by Credit Mo-
bilier, or the Louisiana usurpatioI,
OF the Force Bin, or The Outrage
Fraud. The survivors Of a remoter
and purei generation of politicians
have been driven into exile. Mr..
lConkling could only help the cam
paign in New York by keeping away
from the Convention; and when tlie
party in this State undertook to
mike the best possible show for it.
self in desperate circumstances, it
could think of no better means than
sending all its leaders to the rear and
passing pointed condemnation Of
/ the course gifts own Administration.
! Here is the result Of six years OF
4 Grantism; the party is drifting upon
! 1.-THE rocks and there is nobody at tue
Ehelm. Where will it he In 1876.
4 IN. Y. Tribune.
a Il Z.