The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-08-02
PLATFORM
OF THE
DEMOCRATIC CONSERVATIVE PARTY
Oh
THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
PLATE OR NJ

WE, the representatives of the Dem
ocratic- Conservative party of the State
Of Louisiana, in Cor vention assem-
| bled, hereby declare administrative
and political reform to be the para
mount issue in the coming general
election, and we earnestly appeal to
our fellow citizens of every former po-
litic..l ASSOCIATION Of white and colured,
to zealoasly cooperate with us in our
pronounced effort TO effect such reform
We arraign the Radical party IF Lou
isi;.na for marked and frequent viola
tinrs of the letter and spirit of the
Constitution; for the resumption of H.
liclt powers fer the benefit of party,
and t" the great injury and almost to-
tai ruin of the State; for fomenting
dissensions between the races and de
liberately exciting strife aud turmoil,
thereby cruelty sacrificing the lives Of
colcred and white citizens, with the
intent of procuring unwarranted and
unconstitutional interference in our
State affairs.
We denonrce the usurpative and
bad government which Louisiana has
suffered for the last four years, a usur-
patton under which officers elected by
the people have been displaced, the
government arbitrarily overthrow by
Federal power, the Legislature inva
ded and dispersed by bayonets in time
Of profound peace, and such violent
and unlawful interference adds but an
other to the long list of crimes for
which the Republican party should be
held to account in November next.
We hereby proclaim that it is our
desire and fixed purpose under any
and every provocation to have fair
and peaceable election; but We demand
and will insist that there shall be no
violence or intimidation exercised to-
wards such of our colored fellow-citi-
zens "a may wish to cooperate with
Ills for the redemption of the State from
misrule.
We fully recognize the binding ef-
feet of the three recent articles of
amendment to the constitution of the
United States, and accept the same as
hual settlement of the contro versies
that engendered civil war, and We
pledge ourselves to protect every citl-
zen in the exercise of the rights &C
qulred and guaranteed by said amend
ments, whatever be his race, color or
previous condition.
We hereby pledge our party to the
satisfaction of all the legal obligations
issued by the State of Louisiana; to
the most strenuous efforts in the d.
rection OF reform and an economical
administration of the government, and
especially to the abolition OF all upuec-
essary public officers; to the reduction
Of the fees aud salaries of officers; to
the standard of q fair remuneration
and the consequent reduction of taxa
ton to the lowest possible limit COM
mensurate with the necessary expen-
SEES of the government and the preser-
walton of the public faith, and to the
curtailment of the dangerously large
patronage Of the chief executive of the
State.
We declare ourselves in favor of the
passage of the Texas Pacific Railroad
bill, now pending before Congress,
and recommend our members of Con-
gress to advocate it's passage at an
early date.
We advocate tho fostering of the
public schools for the benefit of all the
edncatable children Of the State,
and that equal advantages he given
t" all children, colorcd as we'll as
white.
We cordially approve of and endorse
the platform of the rational Democrat
ic party recently assembled iu conven-
ton az st. Louis. and feel inspired
with the hope OF a better Government
III the future; but the great question of
reform is brought before the people of
the whole country by great national
party, and we pledge ourselves to use
our utmost Efforts to secure the success
of those great opponents of national
reform. Samuel j. Tilden and Thomas
A, Hendricks. /