The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-07-18
THE RIGHT AND THE FarT

Oh the rourth, and chose as his
theme the subject that heads tbia
column, and thus dealt with it:
"The honor bestowed in seleetino
me for this occasion is enhanced hv
the gravity Of the questions which
have arisen since the last anniyersa.
ry. Men viii. regard this year 1877.
as grimed with the blacklist fact and
the greatest wrong, because repress.
ing the greatest right pertaining to
our history. They will never cease
to wonder at the forbearance of the
people and the goodness of God
There is a time when, if injury be
inflicted, it cannot be forgotten.
There is no Lethe for the outrage.
The barbed shaft rankles remediless.
ly, and poisons forever. The season
of Democratic memory will ever be
the Centennial year. This metropo.
lis, with its $4,000 majority, associa.
ted in this hall under the Democratic
banner, determining greatly by its
influence and members the political
administrations, Federal and State.
was not and is not insensible tn tbn
relation of right and fact. New
York is nothing if not hospitable.
She welcomes all men no less than
their opinions. Within her walls she
has lately honorad even the simulac.
rum of Federal power-the mockery
of magistracy. Some of her mer.
chants have recently feasted the &C.
ting President; but her people have
honored the select organs of their
thought in the last elections. The
heartiness Of the greeting from the
people to their choice was in remark.
able contrast with the emptiness Of
the Commercial" reception. Had
not the Democrats the true majority
in the Electoral College2 1t is argued
that the Electoral Commission deci-
ded otherwise. However doubtful
the right of Congress to delegate to
such a body the duty delegated to
them, however unwise to give the
power away to third body, even il
the power to devolve it existed, new
ertheless the answer remains, that
the question of who was or was not
the choice of the Electoral College
was never decided. The truth was
never declared nor pretended to bs
declared. 1t was ignored, deliberate
ly and Intentionally. 1t was avoided.
That commission ostensibly passed
upon the title, only upon certain pa.
pers furnished them by the Presi.
dent of the Senate. The very law
yers laughed before the commission
and tainted its members with seorn.
full sarcasm for the pitiful part they
were playing for party supremacy.
The Supreme Court itself was disor.
ganized to practise these s.tricks by
sleight of hand, which to admire ono
must not understand" It was
claimed that we were estopped by
State rights from inquiring into for
geries and false pcrsonation Of a
State; that the election for electors
concerns the State only, and not the
band Of States. What specions
pretext from those who hold States
in thrall by returning boards, United
States Marshals and Federal troops,
and who at the same time assumed
to be the advocates of free suffrage!
The Democracy which for many
years has contended through shadow
and shine for the enlargement Of the
South finds itself morally victorious
after being counted ont. 1t has been
shorn of power to execute the will
Of which it was the elect trustee. 1t
arose after the storm of civil war TO
lift up the conquered, 1t gave cheer
for dependency; good tidings to the
broken hearted; beauty for ashes;
the oil of joy for mourning, and the
garment of praise for the spirit OF
heaviness. 1t nerved it's stalwart
arm to build up the waste places and
raise up the former desolation. It
prepared the way Of the people-a
highway and a standard for the peo-
pie. 1t bore the standard high adj
vanced. 1t assaulted the citadels Of
revenge. 1t won the victory Of
peace. But in a night the sappers
and miners of radicalism displaced
it; but they dared not lower it's white
banner Of Cancellation. Like :
mountain, Democracy is stripped Of
it's garniture; though its heart is
full Of precious mines! Is such q par.
ty to be satisfied with the moral tri-
nmnh of it's dnctrinea hecanaa an.