The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-10-04
PRINCIPLES, NOT MEN.


and in the nation at large is one of
principles and not Of men, except in
so far as men are the embodiment Of
and pledged to the support of tliesc
principles. In Gov. Tilden we have
the personified idea or principle Of
reform in our national affairs, and III
General Nichols we have tue strong.
.ess Of guarantees that his adminisa
tration would both he honest and eco
n ,micar. In the conduct Of our ma
tional affairs we are sadly in need Of
reform, and in the management Of
our State affairs our most pressing
want is of honest and economy. In
both men we have the embodiment of
ideas. and except rs being the repre-
sentatives of ideas, the men are them
selves of little Importance. The
great questions at issue are whether
we shall restore our national govern
ment to its old line principles, and
root out the usurpations of authority,
the abuses of power and the contempt
for the will of the people that have
characterized it's administration for
eight years, or whether we shall turn
it over for four years more to the
same set of men who have made its
name bye word and reproach
among the nations of the earth, who
have made bride taking honorable
who have made the revenue Of the
government the source of private
wealth who have made corruption
in high places fashionable and scofFed
at honesty and reproved official in
tegrity. In Louisiana the question
is whether we shall have four years
NOR, of corrupt radical rule with its
concomitant evils of high taxation,
stagnation of business, shrinkage of
values, paralysis Of industry, oaieus
and oppressive laws, incompetency in
office holders, ignorance ruling intel
!igence, venality lording it over hon
esty5 capacity prescribed and inca
pacity encouraged as virtue or
whether we behold the glad spectacle
of Louisiana redeemed and regenera-
ted entering upon that career Of
prosperity and peace which is her
rightful heritage with her true sons
sitting in her high places, her rich
lands titled and pouring into her lap
the princely revenues that are her
birthrights, manufactures built up
to consume her raw material and ex-
act tribute from foreign capital, rail
roads traversing her fertile fields and
crossing her sunny hills to bring
here emigration of sturdy farmers,
with laws that shall promise protec-
ton to both white and black, ard
their execution in the hands Of men,
who will enforce them with equal
Justice to all, and with intelligence
and honesty as the basis Of every
!, mans claim to position.
In comparison with such issues, in
+. contrast with matters Of such mo.
ment, how insignificant become cav.
,llings at the choice Of this or that
"a man for any particular position. =
: And how trivial are oppositions &c
any one man or number Of men OF
:, our ticket! If. as We shall, we ge'
% possession of the government Of this
II State, AMI any man on our side fall
- to perform the promises made hy o.
~ for him, or to carry out the pledges
y. made b, the party, there are consti
~ lutional methods Of retiring him +
80 private life and its shades would 500
70 know him again. The fight we ar
h. making is one Of principle and nc
y men, and we will not again be led GU
at Of the line Of duty, in fighting tn
common enemy, to argue with, or az
a, peal to the few croakers left, VIII
to would be ranked as Of our party, bu
4. who refuse to obey it's behests.-
- Hereafter we shall class them as b,
H. longing to the enemy, and in biddin
i'll alden to them we wish our opponent
or JOY of their conquests and congrat,
no late ourselves on our happy riddanc
er There is no escape from the truth ,
mo- the fact that he who is not with u
to is against US, and while the DEM
ey clatic- Conservative party owes coul
i'd tenance and support to it's own, it
NO its houn'len duty to so battle with a
he who are against it.
so 1t is every mans privilege
it scratch his ticket, if he can reconci
3" that course with the dictates Of
he duty and if his conscience, and n
is petty spite, prompts him thereto; b
Of it stretches the privilege too far al