The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-05-10

guar letter for the statement OF
some reason why we should cut
adrift from the Democratic Conser-
vativc party, and for some platform
of principles upon which the new
party is to be organized. We are
told, it is true, that the Democratic
party is "reactionary, impracticable,
illiberal and proseriptive." But we
think we have heard something like
this before; we think we have heard
the same thing from Morton, Blaine
and Logan, and from Warmoth, and
Kellogg, and Packard, and all the
smaller rascals who follow in the
trains of these greater ones, and the
charge has lost its force. The only
platform we are offered by the new
party is, that the best men shall be
nominated. Is there anything novel
or tangible in this proposition?-
Nothing. 1t is the veriest twaddle.
Every party and faction affirms its
purpose to nominate the best men.
The Radical party promised this,
and it nominated Warmoth, and
Wicklifle, and Clinton and Lowell,
and all the other thieves and bum
mers who have made this State
their prey.
A politician who proposes to dis
solve great party, whose principles
ale rooted in the constitution, and
whose policy touches the popular
9 heart, and to substitute for it a
mongrel organization proclaiming
no platform but the nomination OF
the best men, is unwise and unphi-
. losophical-we might almost say,
ridiculous. A party thus organized
- out Of the bummers Of all the others
= would be in politics what Jack Fal
, STATS ragamufins were in the camp
and field. But waving this fact
), what sincerity is there in Mr.
~ Leonard's proposition to nominate
;, the best men? He is willing thai
n the National Republican party shal
!, carry the election, and that the Rad
= ical party shall elect its State ticket
- and many of the parish officers
Q Now. we submit, that honest Lou
:, isianians, with the history of tn
~ past eight years before them, canno
- believe that the best men for tn
!, State and parish offices can be foun
, in the Radical ranks; and they wi
receive Mr.. Leonard's propositlo
to elect the best men to Office, whe
:, that proposition is accompanied b
the expression of a perfect willing
ness that the principal officials
~ the State government shall be CHI
ID sen by the Radical party, with ve1
: marked and very just suspicion.
Thus Mr.. Leonard gives US I
-. sound reason for abandoning I'll
.ea Democratic party, and no sour
=. platform on which to organize Il
re Peoples party. He is equally u
ar fortunate in threatening that if tt
Democratic party conducts the ele
+o ton and carries it, the Returnll
IN Board will count out the candidat
+o elected. If this is true, and n
ma. Leonard's peoples party is r
onr designed to present candidates {
the tirely acceptable to the rascals "
nd compose that board, why will not
,.;h elected officers also be counted OF
,or Or, does Mr.. Leonard invite US
nor take our places in party which v
lion be entirely acceptable to Keilo'
me-. Anderson, Wells q Coz But
,dn Leonard should have considered
of fact that there have been so
i'm. changes in the situation since
ond last achievement of the Return
&c Board before he threatens the Der
the cratic party with its power. !
,,,,v decision of the Supreme Court
tho tho Enforcement Act; the expos
Tho of the rottenness Of the Admins,
.nst. ton; the revolution in public Of
nigh ion against carpet baggery and
out infamies, have brought about a s
ana. alton in which the Returning Be
are dare not again venture to dist
con. chise the whole State. .''
who Upon the whole, the people n
i'm look with grave suspicion upon
Grip proposition OF MI heonafu, AZ
,ions time especlaAy' 10 ulssoise
have Democratic Conservative party,
,e re. organize new one. All the 9
have of the times indicate the overtl
avery Of the Republican party; never
ve Of fore have the people Of Louis
alton been SO harmonious as now; I
= ~ before have the conditions bee