The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-02-23
ADD R ESS

ADDRESS
AND RESOLUTIONS OF THE STATE CENTRAL
COMMITTEE.
RooMs OF CONSERVATIVE
STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE,
New ORLEANS, La,
Feb. II, 1875.
The State Central Committee of the
Democratic Conservative party met in
this city on the 10th inst, and organ
lied by the election Of Col. I. w. Pat
ton, of Orleans, as President, Judge
Albert VOORHEES, as vice President, and
Mr.. P. j. Sullivan as Secretary.
The Commute feel that the discharge
of the responsible duties connected
with these several positions has been
entrusted to safe hands, and to gentle-
men who are possessed of qua'ifica-
tions deemed highly essential in po-
litical campaign where so much is at
stake as in that upon which we are
entering.
This committee has endeavored to
divest itself of all personal consid-
erations and to begin the discharge
of the active duties devolving upon
its members with direct reference to
the political redemption Of our
State.
The State Central Committee, after
q full interchange of views among its
members, and consultation with lead
ing citizens OF the State, now ins this
city, find that nothing is required from
this committee to apprise the people Of
their danger, or to stimulate them to
action. All over the State, from the
country and city, from rich and from
poor, there has come tn this committee
the cry Of distress and the call for
succor. The gradual decay Of property
interests aud values, under u revenue
system equivalent to confiscation, aud
the certain ruin speedily to follow Ion
ger misrule, to say nothing Of the po-
litical issues involved, are matters de-
handing the attention, not OILY OF
Democrats. but of thoughtful men in
the Republican party. It is unfortu-
nate that this element in the Repnbli-
can party is in hopeless minority,
unable to accomplish needed reforms,
and finds honest efforts to restore to
the people intelligent, economical
government met with rebuke by that
party.
Nothing attempted by the popular
branch of the General Assembly, az o
correetion Of the abuses now affecting
this State, has received the support of
the Senate. Bills passed by the House
in furtherance Of reform and sent to the
Republican Senate for concurrence,
have been awaiting the action of that
body for days aud weeks, while it has
been absorbed in the momentous du-
ties of Incorporating villages, instruct
ing the people on parliamentary law,
and struggling with the still graver
Legislative duty of consuming time for
which the taxpayers of the State have
to pay. What fate an act in tire in
terest of reform, after having received
the sanction of the Senate, woulti
meet at the hands of the Ex
ecntive de facto, is not a matter o!
controversy.
The people have plofuse promises
from Mr.. Kellogg, beginning with the
campaign Of 1872, none Of which hav.
been fulfilled.
! This committee, speaking for the
Conse, vative masses of the State
would fail in it's duty did it not express
the belief that the party in power in
this State is acting in bad faith. 1t il
believed that there is a matured con.
spiracy to defeat all measures Of re-
form, by consuming the few days O
the legislative session remaining, il
idle, frivolous discussions, with the
purpose of leaving the coming election
in the hands of the Governor de facte
and the Returning Board.
i We have been rendered no substan.
tial measure Of relief--nothing in the
spirit of the Wheeler compromise
but with clownish jests and offensive
presumption upon the credulity of the
people.
1t is time this trifling with grav.
public questions should cease. TIL,
time for decisive action has arrived
The issues are few in number and sim
pie in their character. The course i
plain and straightforward. Their,
must be an honest government il
Louisiana-a State the fairest amonI
all her sisters-or Louisiana, burdene,
: with debt, exhausted by taxation, AM
suffering from the supremacy of igno
! rance over intelligence, will become
, COLONY for convicts, and the home O
depravity. Tho people, for whom thi
3 committee speaks, are resolved, in thi
! Centennial of their liberties, to test tn
. relative strength Of intelligence an
, ignorance. They will use no violence
: Int all tho meana in tho;r nn.vnr ~;