The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-10-31
THE MUsTER1NG or THE FACTIONS.

Tuesday next November 81 the people Of
this city will cast their votes In very i'm"
portant election. This election is Of especial
Importance because 1t will secure to us tht,
fruits Of that Of 1876. or surrender the hard
earned position we now hold. AS early as last
spring 1t was well known In political circles
that the Republican leaders would make
Louisiana one Of the chief battle-fields Of the
canvass Of 1878, The effect Of tho over
whelming and damning exposures made by
the Potter committee can only be counter
acted by Radical victory in this State,
which would vindicate the Returning
Board and silence the cry Of fraud. Hence.
we find either as National, or Radical nom
lnees, or as independents, the chief members
OF the Returning Board, their lawyers and
the Chief Justice Of the court that sustained
tho board, running for Congress and the State
Senate. This spectacle Of itself should be
sufficient to prompt all Of our citizens who
ore Interested In civil order and an honest ad-
mfnistration Of tho government to close up
their ranks. aud stand and vote solidly
for the Democratic nominees. But unfer-
tunately, OF this critical iuncture of affairs,
with the great work Of reform but just begun,
we find revolt Of the most serious nature In
our camp. A large and formidable division
Of our forces has raised d now banner,
marched Off with beating drums and words Of
defiance, and now threatens to unite with tho
enemy we have for ten years fought in COM
mon,
The Citizens Conservative Association as o
force within the Democratic party served an
excellent purpose, But when the nominations
were made 1t should have fallen into line or
given tho public some substantial reason for
tho perpetuation Of Its existence as distinct
and, to the Democratic party, antagonstic Or
ganlzation. Favorably disposed to theCtizens
Association, and believing firmly In the patri-
otism OF It's managers, we have scanned It's
ticket and watched for some distinct enuncin-
ton Of It's principles or some explanation Of
tho plan or policy by which it proposes to &C
complish results which will justify dis
ruption of the Democratic party at this
timo But In vain. The address the
Association has published is an elegant and
vigorous piece Of rhetoric; but it does not
lay down o single clearly y-detined principle;
1t does notprovide q single guarantee of any
specific reform; it Is 50 general and inexplict
In Its terms that NIL the various factions Of
the city-parties Of the most diverse and an
tagonistic views-may accept it without being
bound to anything. We submit that tho
Democratic party which, hampered and em-
barrassed as it has been since it came into
powers has nevertheless established reforms
which are saving the people three millions per
annum, ought not to be and cannot be dlsband-
OIL fyF Mt ,x4
nation, platform or address as our friends of
tho Citizens Association 50 ostentatiously
issued. II the Citizens Association desire to de-
feat or supersede the Democratic party, they
must tell the people what they mean to do;
they must map out In detail the great work
of retrenchment and reform they propose to
and they must be explicit, for
their party as yot has no record.
Scanning the ticket of the Association we
find nothing In 1t to justify the perilous and
extraordinary course the Citzens' Association
has adopted. That it embraces number of
most cstimable gentlemen, we cheerfully con-
cede. But 1t Is simply ridiculous for any man
to pretend to say that the personnel OF that
ticket ie 50 exhalted, that It's election is OF
paramount Interest to the preservation Of the
organization and discipline Of the Democratic
party. Indeed, II the Citizens ticket were
ten times better than it is, 1t would be tho
height of unwisdom to hold that upon It's
triumph rested the prosperity of this city, or
It's rescue from debt. Subserviency to men is
one Of tho first steps In the decline Of sound
Republican government. The salvation Of
New Orleans and Louisiana does not depend
uY "A RI rf inI IiuiI
ual or set of individuals, but upon tho
in their government OF Dem
ocratic principles and policies. This truth
cannot be too deeply impressed upon
the public mind. And yet we find the Citi-
zens' Association, the Nationals and the Gus
tomHouse bosses higgling over O. combina-
tion to defeat the Democratic Ticket and in
their negotiations the matter Of principles or
policies has not been mentioned; the negotia-
tiOns are advanced or checked solely on tho
question Of the distribution of the offices.
What principle Is there in common between
the Citizens Conservative Association, tho
Native Americans or Nationals, the Custom
House Radicals and the Mechanics and La
borers Union2 There Is not a single one; and
yet 1t Is q we'll known fact that these multi
tudnous factions are negotiating with each
other for the purpose of forming common
ticket on which the fayorites or politicians Of
each faction shall have representation and
. share Of the spols Of victory.
Now Ia not this fine showing for the seve-
ral parties which propose, In the name of re-
trenchment and reform. to overthrow the
Democratic party2 Radicals, Citizens, Ma
tive Americans, whites and negroes Red War
riors, Workingmen and Property Holders all
Joining In crusade against the Democracy.
And for what end? What Is the cohesive prin-
oipe which has drawn or Is about to draw
,hese discordant and antagonistic elements
5ogether2 We understand the accommodate
ng spirit Of the Radicals and Nationals;
5hey will sacrifice anything; do anything;
anything to defeat and demoralize the