The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-10-04
THE FAIR pROPOSITtON.
EDITOR DEMOCRAT

last, will he ever memorable in the
! history 81 The United States. Til.
great Dpmnrrn ic Cons rvative Con,
& rn1ion assembled that day had man,
characteristics unusual in ordinary
MI avnDrd party assemblages. -
| notwithstanding it had many Of the
$50 Tctt leaders at til" Democratic.
Conservative party, yet it was pre-
e7ninentiy s. Convention of the peo
pie sn% not OF the politicians. II re
presented the popular sentiment and
not parry 1ealty, as was tlemonstra-
tea in it's refusal to surrender popu
lar sentiments to the behests Of par
t. leaders, and in its desire aud de
termination 20 make its nominee the
representative Of an idea rather than
the faTorite of q clique. Never il
the political history of the country
was the distinction so strongly sex
iiihited between strength and popu
larity That noble pair of political
nr"rhrrs, Col bless them! Hen1rickS
and Bayarl were there, and men
Irew hoarse when eltherOf them was
mentioned, eviicncing the great pop
nlrrl'y Of these two great men. On
The contrary, Governor Tiden was
NOT popular. There was nothing
about him 10 excite enthusiasm.
The mention Of his name did not en-
thnse and elecirify the people. -
There was no external, outward man
Hesitation To proclaim his merits to
he world. | repeat he was not pop
niar great refnrmers never are--for
til" ;ra he einbnliptl, the thought he
represented, wrre too serious for
th"u@htless and intenperate vo ife
ration, amt the Convention in its
a.'nie Judgment and political sagari
t., placed before the people the ma
Of strength in preference to the man
of popularity, aud this discrimination
Sa~ IN in pration. NJ forethnuyh,
could have provided for it and no
reconciliation cnuli have prevented
u. II ta'errmle an opposition unpnr
'Ieta,' for intensity anil strategy
'o,nhining wealth, intellect, olIi,iai
position, and in Il rare degree, puhIi.
wol%h and private repute. Its i'm
portuaitfe3 aud activities we're mar
pe!0n', an6 its organization and zen
eralshiI' admirable. NJ army with
uanners on the eve of battle was ever
manurvcre'l more ahroitlv, more
~kiitfu!iv; yet this opposition van
ishei under the domination IF public
opinion As n myth before reality. A
denominations thus gained means Veto.
r,--nnt the perenal triumph or Vie
tors of a IMAM, hut the gIorinns and
triumphant installation in the sacred
Temple OF Constitutional Liberty Of
III" granI l.'EA the man represents,
ln,i tina, i'lpa is REFORM. Not a su
pertici Il aud tfansitory reform, va
~ mt and unsteady in its move,
m,nts, sensitive to criticism and ODE
iipnt to party necessities, hut radical
and thorough, reaching the evil
wherever 1t may he found, whether
in RS,iical or Democratic practices.
The declaration of princi pies as
set forth in the Platform upon which
the Convention of the people placed
its candidate of stength. perfectly
outlines the form AMI pressure of the
evils that harass aud imperil the
"ou try; it pen"tratrS the subSoil in
which the top.ro"t of corruption is
rlapie.l. anil j. the living, hrrathin :.
ru,'n'iimrnI of che spirit of cnuSti'u
tionai government. 1t demands the
airiirstion Of corrupt parlr, which
seeks to live after its mission is enl
cd. anil the great issues that gave 1t
hrth have passed. into history. 1t
demands the old i,abits Of simplicity
AMI honesty in the public service
1t elemands purifiration oflhe whole
e,litice of government. from dome to
foun latiOn stone. 1t prOrlaims that
"refnrm is necessary tC rebuild and
establish In the hearts of the whole
,eopie--the Union.' Great as were
the evils of war, terrible as were the
sufferings OF our people. impoverisl-
e'l and bankrupt at its close, what
the country has endured from carpet.
.bas tyrannies. borne vi h heroic for.
titulr, appeals t" the manhood of II
great nation, with potent elnYuence
stronger than party allegiance or sec
tional estrangement.
This declaration means National
Government with restored ,ont'lence,
returning prosperity, home rule, re.
yivpd memories oi the glorious past,