The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-02
4 MOTLEY MUSTER

Mr.. "A. II. LcOn6Tu, III Ills iee.ci W ob'
Shreveport Times. on the situation says
referring to the Radical party
"No honest man can indorse q part,
which has done 40 much injury to the
State, and which has been, and is nov
powerless for good.
And in another portion OF his epistle
Mr.. Leonard says, in the event OF the
organization Of his proposed Peoples
party :"
"Tbe electoral vote OF the State would
probably be cast for the Republican nom
| NEE for President, and the Republican
State ticket might. perhaps. be elected. :
The reader will observe that in one
paragraph Mr.. Leonard sharply afiirms
that the Radical party ia so corrupt and
Infamous that no honest man in Louis
lana can indorse 1t, and that in the
other paragraph he distinctly declares
that the very movement he proposes to
organize against the Democratic-Con-
servative party will result in the electoral
vote the State being castf the Repub-
iican candidate for the presidency, aud
the election OF me Radical State ticket.
Either Mr.. Leonard does not clearly un-
derstand his own position. and his po-
litical views are confused and unintel-
ligible. or the PEOPLES party movement
is a scheme 10 hand over the State TO
the Radical party.
There may be. nay, we have no doubt
there are. many true and good men IN
Louisiana who are not i'm the strictest
sense Democrats; there are many men
among us who still claim to be Old Line
Wings and Conservatives. But the old
Wings and conscientious Conservatives
hate Radicalism as bitterly as the Dem
ocrats do. because they are honest men
and hate corruption and misrule. None
Of these classes are apt to be captivated
with Mr.. Leonard's proposition to give
tho electoral vote of the State, and the
State government itself. to q party
which he himself declares to be
can indorse it. But there is, unfol-
tunately. u class of mon In Louisiana
who call themselves Conservatives,
because they are ashamed to call them-
selves Radicals. they are men who
Believe Warmoth is q wise, sagacious
and honest leader, aud who believe he
is the only man who can redeem Louis
lana, simply because he is the wiley and
plausible champion OF ideas as proili
gate rs their own, and again in power
would devise and aid rings and schemes
in which they would be the favored par
ticipants This class of Conservatives
will find wonderful wisdom, sagacity.
and common sense [of patriotism they
know nothing In this anomalous posi-
tion Of once trusted and honored
leader Of his people.
When Mr. Leonard's followers begin
to gather about the ensign of the Peo-
ple's party, he will be dismayed to flnd
who constitute his army. We think we
know who will be there from Northwest
others know better than we
who will join the squad from this sec
tion Of the State. But be they who they
may, the elements rallied for the pur-
pose Of handing over the State to
party, their leader himself declares is
too infamous for honest men to indorse.
will be a motley assemblage, and we
venture the prediction that, with the
exception Of our wayward friend, not
one man OF prominence will be there,
whose life, during the past eight years,
has been thoroughly identified with the
cause Of the people of Louisiana
against Radicalism. There will be
there professional office-seekers men
who have sought every opportunity to
Ioin the ranks Of our enemies men OF
morals and opinions; the Sir
Andrew Ague Checks and Capt, Dalget-
teys OF our troubles. When this wretch
ID muster is made, and Mr.. Leonard
realizes the true character Of the bands
his voice has rallied from the byways
Ind aroused from the slums OF Louisi- |
ma politicians to war upon the Demo
,ratic-conservative party, now the sole
'ellance Of tho State, his selfrespect.
We trust, will cause him to turn in dis |
,ust from the motley crew, to resume |
lis place in the ranks in which he was |
,nce honored and trusted. and which in /
IN evil hour he abandoned.
We refer our readers to the advertise