The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-03-28
THE TWIN SISTERS.

MOES dllhc LII VIC ShtsA esSSSs 70 'N'S'- |
people, both noted for their lmpul'
siveness and high strung sense OF
honor; in their general characterls-
tics of climate, soil and products, and
their fate than any other two of the
States of the Union, South Carolina
and Louisiana have suffered more
from the effects of the war than any
of the others, and we would probably
be within the bounds of truth if we
were to say, than all the others
the one the very first and the other
among the first to sever their connec'
ton with the Union in 1861, they are
now the only States not enjoying all
their rights; we might say, any OF
their right in the restored union OF
the States in 1877. Four years of
war and twelve years Of carpet-bag
rule have bankrupted their finances,
consumed the substance of their peo-
pie, and now that the accumulated
miseries of sixteen years have left
them both impoverished and unable
to longer endure their sufterings
they are both struggling with might
and main to secure the blessings Of
self, government which are alone de-
MED to them of the thirty eight
States whose representative stars
adorn the "Star Spangled Banner"
The "Palmetto" and the pelican"
shall henceforth be emblems of their
woe and mementoes of their political
degradation under the iron heel of a
power they had sworn to respect and
we're pledged to obey and which they
were without the means, as they
were wanting in the desire, to resist.
While the other States were cele-
brating at Philadelphia the centen.
NAL of American liberty and sound
ing the praises of free government
these twin sisters were engaged at
home in a life and death struggle
with their oppressors backed as they
E we're by all the force of that same
Republican Government. WIFI | e
, others paraded their liberties these
two daughters of sorrow and part,
; ners in affection had every muscle
strung to its utmost tension, every
nerve strained to uttermost limit and
g every energy concentrated on one
mighty, despairiDg effort to regain
, for themselves that freedom Of local
government for which their fathers
had fought in those same battles
, with the British Lion, the recital Of
which so stirred the hearts and
5 quickened the pulses of the throngs
I at the Centennial. While thirty six
!, of the sisters sat round the festive
board and rehearsed the deeds o.
E daring and the heroic suffering O.
their sires in the cause of liberty
two of the sisters went out and chung
, their harps on the willows" and wep
as they mourned for the liberty tha
r had been theirs but was no more, anf
sighed for the humility and shame
that was theirs through no fault o
their own.
And they are yet continuing the
struggle under the leadership of two
, as gallant, noble and pure men as ev
er raised lance in defence of the right
or drew knightly sword on behalf O
the weak and oppressed. Hampton
and Nichols! What noble pair
Fit champions are they to the cause
of the twin sisters, and if they SHOULD
fail to win the battle it will be al
everlasting shame to the American
government and with them would &C
down the last hope of constitutions
y rule in the United States. No two
men were ever more loved than the,
by their people, and neither NORTH
nor South can furnish two other mer
! as able and willing as they to restore
, peace and prosperity to their dis
tracted States and to protect every
q citizen, no matter how humble, in al
3 the rights now guaranteed to him b,
, the law as it is. The battle is be
tween two such men with the RICH
on their side and two carpet baggers
5 Packard, from Maine, aud Chamber
! lain, from Connecticut, with no char
Y acter at home and no reputation
: abroad, with no interests in common
! with the people they would rule
D with no capacity to appreciate or de
t sire to understand them and withou
: the inclination to please them if the
had the power to blot out the fou
record that would make them usurE
ers and the people vassals if the
- submitted to their rule.
- This is the issue presented to tn