The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-01-23

before afforded and would probably
never again afford during the globes
lifetime, to leap from the humblest
plane of life to the most exalted
niche in the temple of fame, and to
elevate by one sublime act of devo-
ton to constitutional liberty that
race which but yesterday emerged
from bondage. But, sir, they too,
like the Senator from East Baton
Rouge, could not rise to the dignity
aud grandeur of the occasion, and,
like him, they CROPPED and crawled
amidst the vapors and clouds of par
ty passion and race. prejudice, too
weak of wing to vault into the upper
air Of light and sunshine. Sir, the
most poignant reflections of an ILL.,
spent life are the vain regrets for
lost opportunities, and I might be at
loss to determine whether the Sen
ator from East Baton Rouge was
suffering under a pang of remorse
for the single neglected opportunity
to achieve the greatness of his life,
or whether there lay heavily upon
his conscience his participation in
the crime, and he desired to purge
himself by some confession of what
the world is yet ignorant. If the
latter be the case, then I advise him
to disburden his soul, and that spec
Oily, Of the damning secret. But,
sir, the SO called elector, as we'll as
his predecessors, the Returning
Board, in an evil hour for themselves,
but in one fraught with every bless
ing for the country, "builded wiser
than they knew" and whatever may
have been their intention, the God of
our fathers so shaped it to His end
that, by their works they gave to
the land ruler who has shown him.
self to be statesman above the sell
fish interests of section and a patriot
above party, whose wide and liberal
grasp Of mind has seized and served
the best interests of our whole com
mon country; and whatever may be
the origin of his title, he sits to-day
enthroned in the affections of the
people. Under his beneffcent policy
the white winged angel of Pc ce has
once more spread her broad pinions
over the land, and grateful people
mingle his name with their prayers
as the instrument and Inauguration of
a new dis,ensation. To disturb this
blessed work, to undo this happy
consummation, a band of conspira.
tors, who, by their own confessions,
were the aiders and abettors of the
work of twelve months ago, have
linked together to pull down that
man whom they find they can not
use to foment sectional strife, and
who will not bow in humble subser-
viency to the behesl of a cabal of
corrupt partisans. And, sir, who is
the witness upon whose testimony it
is sought to impeach the title of the
President and to inculpate him and
his friends?
A man who in the purlieus of the
lobby about the national capital is
known as among the vilest, who, by
his own admission, was one of the
chief intriguers in the events of a
year ago. A man who, with the in
stlncts of vulture, flew to Florida
in quest of any congenial corruption
that was to be found at Tallahassee.
and who, only few days ago, in a
convention of his own party was, by
his own partisans, publicly stigma
tized as a political trampw If a
quasi elector Of this State, with his
title known to him to be based upon
fraud, is the proper person to intro
duce here these resolutions to as
perse the President, then it was fit
indeed that his chief witness should
be a man of the character which II
have described. I apprehend, sir,
some more reputable witness must
appear in the witness box before this
Senate will lend an ear to his char
ges, and apprchend, also, that our
Senators-I mean our Senator-for
we recognize but one as representing
the Stat, and our Repr sentatives in
Congress can amply discharge their
duties in the premises, without in
strdctions from US, especially upon
such authority as I have already
mentioned.
Sir, for myself, do not hesitate to
say here and now that whatever diff
terencas existed hafnra thu Tina of