The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-07-23
A PATRIOTIC APPEAL.
TMr DkMOCRl TIc xxD THE c0NsEKvi
Tyrk ELEMER1Y.
Te the CONSERVATIVES Of Louisiana
MONROE. July 10, 1870.

EdjtOv Democrat - Will you kindly
consider the views Of one of yourselves
upon the course which we should pur-
sue In the selection of the candidates Of
the Democratic and CONSERVATIVE party
to be nominated by the Baton Rouge
Convention.
submit TO you that each one Of us is
entitled to the expression Of his opinions
on this serious and important subject.
It Ia only by the mutual interchange OF
opinions that those who sincerely hold
conflicting Views can intelligently I'M
derstAnd each other, and can determine
upon some course which all can approve.
am and have long been o Conservative
In politics.
While Tnever, In the slightest degree.
affiliated or sympathzed with the Re.
publican party, was an active Liberal
Ia 1874. and In consequence OF that
course, and because Of my position as .
Conservative since that time, . few ex-
treme Democrats have been inclined,
uniust!y. to class me as u Republican.
/ mention these facts, not 10 speak Of
myself, but only In explanation Of the
right claim to be heard by the Con
servatives OF Louisiana at this time.
To come straight to the point, think
that the Conservative portion Of the
\ Democratic and Conservative party
should accord 10 che Democratic portion
4 vi bDe DHTby tDt DIluHlIfHl tOubIOl VI hhv
nominations and OF the canvass.
In 1879 the Liberal Republican party
placed Horace Greeley In the field for
President. The great Democratic party
Of the United States adopted Mr..
Greeley as their candidate. and the can
vass was made as Liberal or Con
servative canvass throughout the Union.
In Louisiana, the Democratic party
placed State ticket In the field, com.
t.nund sr nj atvnIv al Detun and the
Liberal party put forth another ticket,
composed entirely Of Liberals. It soon
became apparent that both tickets must
inevitably be defeated unless some com
promise wos effected. The result was.
the formation Of the Fusion ticket, OF
which Col. HcEnery was the head and
Col. Penn was the second.
to the fret place on the ticket was con.
ceded by the Liberals, because be had
been FIRST nominated. Had Col. Penn
been nominated tirst he would have been
retained as the head OF the ticket.
The canvass which followed was clear
ly Liberal or Conservative canvass.
The right to lead was conceded by the
Democrats to the Liberals.
The Liberals took the lead every.
where, both In the State CANVASS and
the National canvass.
That powerful and compact organiza-
tion. the Democratic party OF the United
States, almost unanimously agreed TO
retire into the background, but still to
aid the Liberals with oil their strength.
They did SO. The campaign wns made.
Greeley was defeated. The Liberal
Republican party Of the United States
was destroyed. There remained no
hope OF overthrowing the Republican
purity through the organization Of the
IdberuI Rppub1icun pnrty
Then arose again, stronger than ever,
the Democratic party proper. In 1874,
this party made the canvass and elected
the Governors of many States, and %
majority Of the National House Of Rep
resentatives. i am proud to say that
they received the active support OF the
Liberals and Conservatives everywhere,
and OF very many Republicans In the
Northern States, who found the rule OF
their party no longer denfensible or en-
durable. In 1876 the Democratic party
held It's convention at st. Louis and
nominated Gov. Tilden as the Demo
cratic candidate for President.
This national canvass Is to be made
by that party, II Is true they expect
and entreat the earnest support OF every
Conservative and every Liberal, and
also Of every Republican throughout the
Union, who sincerely desires to see the
Government Of tho United States re-
formed.
/. Ii not the Democratic party OF Louis
lana now fairly entitled to name the can
didates and TO lead this canvass They
have not made demand to do SO. On
the contrary, they have organized the
party ~ the Democratic and Conserva-
tive party OF Louisiana, thus concediug
us al the rights they claim for them
selves as members Of this combined
party.
But shall not sce. In "a generous and
liberal spirit as tho Democrats dis
played In 1872, voluntarily retire into
the ranks OF the great army OF reform
and leave the Democrats TO appoint the
officers who shall lead us oil to victory
Are we not content to be OF the work
ers In this canvass Have we any selfish
ends to attain, any personal plans to
execute, an y ambitious designs To accom-
plish In this election i believe not /
hope not. Our one great and absorbing
desire Is to redeem the National and
State governments from misrule. That
the Conservative party has hundreds
OF able and ambitious meg In it,
who are competent to occupy places on
the State ticket, cannot be denied men,
too. who are as much entitled to these
places ut the hands OF their fellow citi-
zens as any otfrer men, viewed as mat
ter OF right. But true policy requires at
our hands a generous self-abnegation
in this contest Let us, OF our own for
bearance, yield to our Democratic
brethren Of Louisiana the same control
OF the canvass In this state which they
already have OF the National canvass
and OF the canvass In each OF the other
States OF the Union. Not for us TO be
strife makers but to be peace makers In
our own ranks.
The pafamount, overshadowing end
TO be attained in this contest Is, the cleo
ton of GererR0r 1iiden With the
National Government redeemed, the
redemption OF Louisiana could not be
long delayed But il Tilden Is defeated,
a Victory In Louisiana would be like
dead sea frait, turning to ashes on our
lips.
While the Republican party sits en-
hroned at Washington, the Returning