The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-12
sELF-APPOINTED DICTATORs.

One of the rights or privileges assumed bJ
the Democratic party in each of the States Ii
that Of choosing OF accepting their guides and
their leaders. There is as much difference o.
opinion as to the value and availability OF can
didates for Office as there is variety of charac'
tiers among those who aspire to Office. But
when it comes to the choice of party coun'
selIors Democrats are not inclined to follow
blind guides or selfconstituted orac.es. The
Warwick of our party must not be one who
bankers for the crown, nor must he be one
whose kinsman, whose favorite, whose cred.
itor, whose partner or whose sponsor may
happen to be the aspirant for place and
honors.
Our ideal of party chieftain is Q man Of
deep and earnest convictions, patriot, q
thorough devotee of the religion of right and
justice, gallant, clean-hearted, chivalric and
benevolent citizen who demands nothing for
himself, who requests little for his friends
and who invokes and enforces the strict rule
of merit and honor in ell promotions, all
nominations and all appointments. He is
sagacious and experienced; he is as kind and
tender as q brother; he is as careful of the
reputation of every public man of his party
IS if he were his nearest friend on the field Of
honor. He considers all, he is just to
all, he ostracises none and he never
suff srs O member of his party to be wronged
Full of the great aim which his party has in
view, entirely cognizant Of the tactics of his
adversaries, thoroughly informed as to the
merits and capacity of different aspirants,
knowing his party's strength as well as its
elements of weakness, knowing where the
seeds of discords have been sown and watch
full of their growth, he acts from higher
motive, he acts under great light; he acts
boldly and without assumption or arrogance.
Start not, reader! It's but fancy's sketch.
We have no such party leader and chieftain
in Louisiana. There are some who assume
to be leaders, but who are disqualified by be-
ing at heart candidates for high positions.
Others would be leaders. but are disqualified
by having favorites for public offices.
Others still would be guides, prophets and
who are disqualified by their bitter
and narrow prejudices.
We may safely assume that the Democratic
party of Louisiana will not accept as leader
any man who is not in the better sense of the
term gentleman. Nor will we give our ale
glance to any captain who is not true and un-
selfish in his purpose to lead the party to vic
tory in the path Of legality, rectituds and
be nor. We speak for the white citizens of
Louisiana who are unalterably opposed to
The Radical party, and in their name we de-
,lare hostility to all selfish aspirants and to all
dictators.
Jealous Democrats, young and old, will |
revolt against their arbitrary exactions and
mpositions. Regarding Democracy as the
gospel Of political freedom, we must claim for
Q democrats the free privilege of selecting the
proper candidates at the proper time Any |
.ttempt to forestall popular opinion for or
against candidates for nomination, we shall |
oppose.
We are we'll aware that there is large store |
# raw material for candidates for prominent
places, comprising half dozen candi dates
or the Governorship and twice as many more
or each subordinate Office To all these we
would whisper little admonition, and advise
hem to urge their too jealous and off ,ious
riends to wait with little patience.
Intent upon securing Democratic victory,
tate and national, in 1876, the BULLETIN fore
oes all choice amongst local or national can
dates; but yet for the sake of unity Of ac-
ion and complete harmony, we venture upon
hese cautionary remarks. The Democrats
,hom we represent, both in the city and in
be country, will be glad to receive friendly
ounsel; but any one who knows much of
uman nature need not be told that the DEM
Gratis of Louisiana will not tolerate the as
of self-constituted fuglemen. Who
ave right to rule we have only indicated in
eneral terms, but those in New Orleans who
ssume that function, without title or ap
will soon find that they "reckCn
vithout their host"