The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-07-23
GOD SPEED I

| We nave SPOKEN Will many vi chc",
and we now feel secure that the destinies
of Louisiana are In good hands. One
noticeable and praiseworthy fact Is
the absence OF selfish motives
among them. as general rule.
and an intense desire and de-
liberate intention Of selecting from
the numerous aspirants the man most
likely to win the fight in the interest OF
the Conservative Democracy, or, In
other words, in the interest OF peace,
good order, honesty, economy and re-
form. We must say that we were proud,
as we saw the steamer, after
backing from the wharf and gracefully
turning It's sharp PROV up stream, dart
with it's intellectual freight toward the
former capital Of Louisiana, to think
that those citizens on board, who are
delegated to the sacred mission Of chos-
ing leader to marshal our hosts to vic
tory, all felt the weight Of their respon'
sibility and were actuated with the
single and divine thought Of
doing their duty, AL their duty,
and nothing but their duty. On
the other side, another and not inferior
sentiment of pride pervadtd our heart,
when we thought that among the nu-
merous candidates who, obeying the
spur of noble ambition, were seeking
the highest honor that the citizens OF
Louisiana could confer upon one OF her
sons, none were unworthy Of the
| 1, In 81
deal. It Is much to say that,
amidst the corruption which Is rampant
throughout the whole Union OF States
overshadowed by the starry flag, and
when the Chief Executive OF the coun-
try Is not free from suspicion, none OF
the asplrants to power in Louisiana,
willing to submit to the decision OF the
State delegates assembled In conven-
ton, are unworthy OF the votes OF those
who are entrusted with the welfare and
| honor OF the State. But there are
other qualities to be considered, apart
from personal merit and individual in
tegrity. The man who Is to fight the
decisive battle of the war which we
| have been waging for the past eight
years, the forlorn champion who is to
combat for our last hope and for the
life or death OF the country, must be not
simply a good man, not only an honest
man; we require more than that he
should be intelligent and brave. Intel
| ligence and courage are the well known
attributes Of all Southern, and to par
ticularize, OF ali Louisiana gentlemen.
He must be good, honest, intelligent,
brave, and strong. A good, honest,
intelligent and brave man may be weak !;
we want strong man. We want a
man whose record can show, not
simply the commonplace virtue of being
incapable OF stealing; not only the
vulgar strength Of nerve which enlbles
one to face danger without trembling !;
not alone the heavenly gift OF charity
which entities man to be called good
We want a man who can turn back to
his career and show that all those quail
ties are his, and at the same time can
command the respect, admiration and
enthusiasm Of the masses by inspiring
them with the living idea OF strength.
We are fighting the Hydra, we want
a Hercules. The odds against us
are strong; we must have knight to
fight our battle whose sinews can stand
the weight OF impenetrable armor.
whose arm can WELD the sword Of a
Charlemagne or a Plantagenet, and
whose eye, when turning, in the event
| full moment OF charging, towards his
faithful, because confident, legions can
inspire them, by single electric glance,
with that ardor which renders defeat
impossible and victory certain.
Our delegates, then, are entrusted
with task requiring the greatest ezer-
ton OF mental acuteness. The gentle
men awaiting their decision, as we have
said before, are all good, honest, intelli-
gent and brave. Let them select in the
sacred phalanx the strongest man. Let
no intimate friendship, let no family
tie. let no political aspiration, let no
private animosity interfere between
duty to the country and the means Of
its fulfillment. We think that re-
ligious awe, full OF inspiring light,
| muSb, III Tue pIeooH1 oNoHhul VII
sis, and with the life Of the
country at stake, pervade the
souls OF our delegates as they
are about to make the choice 80 fraught
with good or evil.
Let them remember that Louisiana
has staked its all on their good faith
and Judgment; that he is an imbecile
who cannot understand, and a recreant
who does not fulfill the sacred trust ;
and let them act as il the heavens
would fan ~ Hhey proved untrue or in
adequate to their mission.
Full of confidence in the delegates
who are now on their way to Baton
Rouge, where they are to determine the
destinies of Louisiana, we follow them