The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-08-24
Democrats Conservative Platform
ADOPTED AT BATON ROUGE.

We, the representatives of the Democratic
Conservative party of the State of Louisiana,
in convention assembled. do hereby declare ad-
ministrative and political reform to be the
ton, and We earnestly appeal to our fellow
citizens of every former political association,
of white or colored, to zealously cooperate
with us in our pronounced effort to affect such
reform.
We arraign The Radical party for marked
and frequent violations of the letter and spirit
Of the Constitution, for the assumption of
illicit powers for the benefit of party, and to
the great injury and almost total ruin of the
State; for fomenting discussions between the
races and deliberately exciting strife and tur-
mol, thereby cruelty sacrafcing the lives of
colored and white citizens, with the intent Of
procuring unwarranted and unconstitutional
Interference in our State affairs.
We denounce the usurpative and bad gov
eminent which Louisiana has suffered for the
last four years, q usurpation under which the
officers elected by the people have been dis
placed, the government arbitrarily overthrow
by Federal power, the Legislature invaded and
dispersed by bayonets in time of profound
peace, and such violent and unlawful inter-
ference adds but another to the long list of
crimes for which the Republican party should
be hold to accOunti in November next.
We hereby proclaim that it is our desire and
fixed purpose under any and every provoca-
ton to have fair and peaceable election; but
we demand and will insist that there shall be
no violence or intimidation exercised towards
such of our c0lOred fellow citizens as may wish
to cooperate with us for the redemption of the
State from misrule
We fully recognize the binding effect of the
three recent articles of amendment to the con.
stitution of the United States, and accept the
same as o final settlement of the c0ntrovers;es
that engendered civil war, and we pledge our
selves to protect every citizen in the exercise
of the rights acquired and guaranteed BY said
amendments, whatever be his race color O,
previous condition.
We hereby pledge our party to the satisfac
ton OF az the legal obligations issued by the
State OF Louisiana; to the most strenuous eff
forts in the direction of reform and an econoln
ical administration Of the government. and
especially to the abolition Of all unnecessary
public Offices; to the reduction Of the fees and
salaries Of officers; to the standard of fair re
enumeration and the consequent reduction d
taxation to the lowest possible limit commen
surate with the necessary expenses Of the gov
ernmcnt and the preservation Of the public
faith. and to the curtailment Of the dangerously
large patronage OF the Chief Executive Of thu
We declare ourselves in favor of the naasao ..
OF the Texas Pacific railroad bill, now pendina
before Congress, and recommend our member
OF Congress to advocate its passage at an early
We advocate the fostering Of the pnb,i,
SCHOOLS ior the benefit Of all the educable chill
dren OF the State, and that equal advantaO,
white. y = 0A'0n' c0'ofeo as well a
We cordially approve of and endorse til,
platform OF the National Democratic party "a
Gently assembled in convention at st. L5uis
and feel inspired with the hope Of . better gov
eminent in the future; but the great auesfio,
Of Reform is brought before the people Of til,
whole country by . great national party, ani
We pledge ourselves to use our utmost effort