The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-06-20
GOVERNOR s. J. TILDEN TALKS.

The Manhattan Club, New York,
gave parting reception to Governor
on his departure across
;he waters. Among the many invi-
ted Democrats and gentlemen who
participated there and made short
talks, Saml. J. Tilden, the President
elect of these United States, deliver
ed the following:
Everybody knows that after the
recent election the men who were
elected by the people President and
Vice President Of the United States
were counted out, and men who were
not elected were counted in and
seated.
/ disclaim any thought of the per-
sonal wrong involved in this trans
action. Not by any act or word of
mine shall that be dwarfed or degra-
ded into personal grievance, which
is, in truth, the greatest wrong that
has stained cur national annals. To
every man Of the four and quarter
millions who were defrauded of the
fruits of their elective franchise, it
is as great wrong as it is to me,
and no less to every man of the mi
nority will the. ultimate consequences
extend. Evils in government grow
by success and impurity.
They do not arrest their own pro.
gress; they can never be limited ok
cept by eternal forces. If tks men
in possession of the government can
in one instance maintain themselves
in power against an adverse decision
of the elections, such an example
will be initiated. Temptation exists
always; devices to give color of law
and false pretences on which to
found fraudulent decisions will not
be wanting.
The wrong will grow into prac'
tice, if condoned. In the world
history changes in the succession Of
governments have usually been the
result of fraud or force. 1t has been
our faith and our pride that we had
established mode of peaceful change
to be worked out by the agency o.
the ballot box; the question now il
whether our elective system in The
substance as we'll as it's form is to b.
maintained.
This is the question of questions
until it is finally settled. There car
be no politics founded on inferior
questions of administrative policy
1t involves the fundamental right o
the people. 1t involves the electiv,
principle. 1t involves the whole sys
tenn of popular government. TIL,
people must signally condemn tn
great wrong which has been done t
) them. They must strip the exampl
of everything that can attract imita
. lions; they must refuse prosperou
immunity to crime. This is not al
1 the people will not be able to trus
the authors or bene6ciaries of tn
wrong to devise remedies, but whe1
those who condemn the wrong shall
have the power, they must revise tn
4 measure which shall render repeti
ton of the wrong forever impossible
If my voice could reach through
out our country, and be heard in it
r remotest hamlet, l would say be Q
r good cheer; the republic will i've
r The institutions of our fathers ar
z not to expire in shame; the sove,
eighty of the people shall be rescue
from this peril and re.establishet
e Successful wrong never appears 8
triumphant as on the very eve of it
Il fall.
Seven years ago a corrupt dynast
s eliminated in it's power over the mi
D lion ofpeople who live in the city {
d New York. 1t had conquered Q
j. bribed, or altered, and won almos
! everybody into acquiescence. It ar
T pears to be invincible. A year q
q two later its members were in th
q penitentiaries, or in exile. Histor
q abounds in similar examples. W
p must believe in the right, and in th
e future; a great and noble nation wi
S not sever its political from it's NOR.
b life.
81
y SHERIFF. Robinson and Deput
Sheriff Taylor left for Baton Roue
! and New Orleans, on the last trip {
! the Bart. Able, and had in charge fe
! the Penitentiary the prisoners sci
fenced at the late term of the Di.
% trict Court. These were Alfre
If Richardson, colored, sentenced
,r two years for horse stealing, and Jill