The Opelousas courier., 1875-08-07
. Liberty or Empire % Denaoc.
l-acy or NEOnfea Arfstocracy.


For twenty years a revolution has been
progressing. The struggle of 1876 will finally
settle the fate of this country. The issue is
Llberty or Empire. The Democratic party is
the only party now existing under whose ban
ner the friends of constitutional liberty can
rally. ls that party again to be divided2"
The above is an extract from recent speech
by Hon. b. H. Hill, addressed to old Wings,
he himself being an old line Wing.
These words were spoken to the people of
Georgia with that eloqusnce and impressive
ness peculiar to Mr.. Hill They fell upon the
hearing of men who had the intelligence to
understand their full meaning, the sagacity to
look ahead and to perceive their bearing, and
the patriotism to respond freely and fearlessly
to the appeal made in other parts of the
speech TO rally to the rescue under the banner
of the Democratic party.
The appeal is that of patriot, of sincere
and an honest man moved by sincere and
disinterested love of country. There is wis
dom, too, just in proportion as there is love
of country, in the utterances of B. H. Hill
Who is there possessing ordinary intelligence,
unclonded by the depravity of the dishonest
and demagogical seeker after office, that does
not perceive the truth and the wisdom that
lie in those utterances
The struggle that is to come off in 1876 will
truly be o struggle between those who desire
to forever annIhilate in this country the lib
erty here established by the men of the Revo-
luton, and those who desire to perpetuate it..
The issue to be decided is Liberty or Empire.
1t is no difficult matter to know who are fight
ing now, who have been fighting for years
past, who will be fighting in 1876 for Empire,
and who for Liberty
The Radical party by its plain and uncon-
cealed, its violent and usurping course, has
stamped itself forever, with indelible marks,
as the party of absolute rule, the party that
favors and practices bold and defiant viola
tion of the Constitution and an utter disre-
gard of popular rights secured by that instru-
ment The Democratic party has increasingly
stood up as the determined foe of usurpation
on the part of the General and State Govern
ments of powers not given them by the Fede-
raj aud State Constitutions. 1t has always
contended for strict construction of those
instruments, and opposed all loose construc-
tions intended and calculated to open the door
to usurpation and Capitalization of power by
the General Government.
The Democratic party 10 to-day, as B. HI.
Hill emphatically stated, :. the only party now
existing under whose banner the friends of
constitutional liberty can rally" With him
we ask the significant questions lis that
party to be again divided Is that party to
march out for the last great battle 9th the
II Sc dc frin0 inf 20
ranks, and with selfish leaders thinking of
nothing but the spoils they may gather9" We
answer that this will not be. We feel author
lied by the results of resent elections in the
Northern and Western States, to cay this.
In the coming struggle we shall realize, by
the conduct of the true people of the land,
how strong with them is the conviction that
the Democratic party must not and shall not
be divided. In that struggle men will be
forced TO join the ranks of one or the other of
the contending parties. They win be forced
! to fight either under the banner of the De-
mecracy or of the Radiealimperialists. Thcre
will be no room for third party, let it be
] called by whatever name the ingenuity of its
4 founders may give it. No true, honest man
will attempt to form such a party Nothing
but evil to the cause of the country can be ex-
/ pected from such measure it will have for
ITS legitimate effect division in the ranks Of
the Democracy. No independent party that
may be formed will create any division among
the enemy. They know and feel the necessity
of unity and have the wisdom to maintain it.
The people, the tax-paying people, who value
! the rights secured to them by the Constitu.
tion, should and we feel certain viii profit by
the example given them by their enemies and
maintain that unity of purpose and action
that will lead TO success.
i The worst enemies that the people have bad
have been those who professed TO be Demo
Gratis, but who were In secret league with the
4 enemy. Some of these have attempted TO con
i ceaI their treasonable purposes and objects By
protesting independence Of action and repu
4 liating or disregarding the discipline Of party
Others, whilst protesting to belong to ths
j party, and TO act with 1t, have for the sake
Of personal advancement, induced membert
thereof to wander astray. It is far better
chat all sl,ch men should be purged ont Of ths
marty. The man, then, who, In the campaign
Of 1876 advocates the organization Of an inde
pendent party may 10 cUAteAtt0AcN Ac 0sse " We
purged osss. The man who. though professint
10 be d Democrat, yet is unwilling to snbjec
himself 10 party discipline and to abide b.
the action of the properly constituted authori
ties Of the party, who repudiates aud will mo-
sustain party nominatiOns, properly made
may be considered one Of ne pi.rged oat Th'
man who viii stand aloof from the strnggi'
and take no part therein, neither assisting Y
with bis influence nor voting, would y
spewed out 4 BY any party. Such 9 charac
ter is neither cold nor hot, aud would sickei
any party ts which he might profess 90 be
long. Iii the coming struggle there tau be n
Il middle course for Al honest man. He who I
Il not for Us Is against us and those who ar
against Is cannot, if they are not ilnoeeiles
be honest.
We learn that there are some fifty visitor
III present at Che Pointe- -aHx- Loups Springs
Nj more pleasant summer resort can be foun'
Il, Ills parish than these delightful and salu
br;ous springs, where few weeks Of the hot