The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1876-02-25


this city on the 10th instant, and organ
izetl by the election of Col. I. w. Pat
ton, of Orleans, AS President, Judge
Albert VOORHEES, as Vice President,
and Mr.. =. j. Sullivan us Secretary.
The Committee feel that the dis
charge of the responsible duties con-
nected with these several positions has
been entrusted to safe hands, and to
gentlemen who are possessed OF quatiti-
cations deemed highly essential ina
political campaign where so much is al
stake as in that upon which we are en-
tering.
This committee has endeavored to
tlivest itself of all personal consitlera-
tons and to begin the discharge of the
active duties devolving upon its MEM
bers with direct reference to the politi
cal redemption of our State.
The State Central Committee, after u
full interchange of views among its
members, and consultation with lead
ing citizens of the State, now in 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 to this committee
the cry Of distress and tho call for
succor. The gradual decay of property
interests and values, under II revenue
system equivalent to contiscatiOn, ami
the certain ruin speedily to follow
longer nlisrulc, TO say nothing OF the
political issues involved, are matters
demanding the attention, not only OF
Democrats, but of thoughtful men in
the Republican party. 1t is unfortu-
nate that this element in the Republic
can party is III hopeless minority,
unable to accomplish. needed reforms,
and finds honest efforts to restore to the
people intelligent, economical govern
ment met with rebuke by that party.
Nothing attempted by the popular
branch of the General Assembly, AS a
correction OF the abuses now affecting
this State, hns 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 and weeks, while it has
been absorbed in the mOmentous
duties OF Incorporating Villages, in
structing the people on parliamentary
law, and struggling with the still
grnver legislative duty of consuming
| time for which the taxpayers of the
State have to pay. What fate an act in
the interest of reform, after having re-
ceived the sanction Of the Senate,
would meet ut the hands OF the Exc
cutive de ti'rto, is not matter Of contrO-
| versy.
| The people have profHse promises
from Mr.. Kellogg, beginning with the
cam paign of 1872, none of which have
been fulfilled.
This committee, speaking for the
Conservative 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 is be-
lieved that there isl maturcd con-
spiracy to defeat all measures of reform,
by consuming the few days of the lcgis-
lative session remaining, in idle,
frivolous discussions, with the purpose
of leaving the coming election in the
hands OF the Governor Hc. fn'io and the
Returning Board.
We have been rendered no substan-
tial measure OF rclief-nothing in the
spirit Ofthe Wheeler cOmprOmise--but
with clOwnish jests and offensive
presumption upon the crodulity of the
people.
1t is time this trilling with grave
! public questions should cease. The
time for decisive action has arrived.
The issues are few in number and
simple in their character. The course
| is plain and straightforward. There
| must DO an honest government in
Iouisiana-a State the faircst among,
all her sistcrs-or Louisiana, burdcncd
with debt, exhausted by taxation, and
suffering from the supremacy of ignOr-
ance over intelligence, will become 81
colony for convicts, and the home OF
depravity. The people, for whom this
committee speaks, are resolved, in thi,
| Centennial of their liberties, to test the
relative strength of intelligence and ig-
norance. They will use no violence,
but all the means in their power will be
employed to defeat tho further rule Of
the vicious and ignorant in this State.
\ Happily, the people are united in adj
vocatiDg these demands, and this COM
| mittee, as their organ, promises an ear
nest canvass to secure their rights.
| What remains to be done, is the per-
fiction of the Democrat ic-Conservat
organization in all the parishes of the
| State where action has not been taken.
Full reliance is felt in the Democratic
and Conservative members of the Gen