The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-11
THE CuUN ray PRESS.

THE COUNTRY PRESS.
The Necessity for Calling Democratic
Eta e Convention.
Mind Democrat
The anti-constitution newspapers, of which
there are only thres or four in the State, are
beginning to show their hands already as to
their position in the coming campaign. The
first feeler Is an nsdious one, and plausible
holding State convention. on the ground
that no necessity exists therefor arguing
that only one State officer CPrrasurer) is to be-
nominated this year, and that the party has
already decided to renominate Mnjor John
9. Moncure for that position. The advo-
cates OF this indefinite policy say that the
Democratic party is going to vote for Mon
cure and he don't need ~ nomination. Now
this is all bosh. Any sensible man
ought to know, If he does not, that no
ton, and this kind OF procedure would make
the party laughing stock for the nation. 1t
would simply be absurd and ridiculous. We
believe we know Major Moncure well enough
State to submit his name to the people under
any such programme The story Of the Irish
man who sw,oped his gun around the bend Of
the bayou in the hopes of killing all the ducks
all flew off after he fired, will be good Illus
tratlon OF how the people would feel when the
votes were counted aud it discovered that
their candidate had been defeated. The party
will find it best to adopt the surest method
take deliberate aim; in other words, hold a
convention and nominate their man in the old
way; then they will know what they are about
The Democratic party owe it to the people
that the vict'ry So dearly and hardly won
by them should not be jeopardized by any
milk and cider policy, calculated as this is,
to dsorganize and defeat the party when the
State is not yet half redeemed. The differ
ences of opinion in the Democratic ranks can
be better healed by Q convention than by not
holding one, and il there are dissensiOns not
healable they will proceed from men who
have no strength whatever with the people
The Democratic party we hope, has yielded
to this fear the last time. Ii these dissen-
SiOnistS cannot agree with the Democratic
party in its policy they can seek some other
party more coDgenial and in accord with their
peculiar views. A convention must be held
and our party must be solidly organized as
at any regular election. Let any other policy
prevail and the chances are i'm favor of a Re
publican majority in the next Legislature.
IMarksvile Buletin.I
The Alexandria Democrat does not think it
necessary that the Democratic party of the
State should meet at all in convention the
present year. 1t seems to think that the
whole business OF the convention will begin
and end with the nomination OF State Treas
urer, about which it thinks there can and
ought not TO be- any difference of opinion
among Democrats Col. Moncure, of Caddo,
being on principle entitled to he nomination
We have not the slightest objection to urge
to Col. Moncure; we know him to be. q Demo-
crat, and q Democrat OF the right stamp,
which Is high eulogy Of any man in times like
these. But when the Democrat proceeds still
further, and intimates that this will be the
only business before the convention we beg
leave respectfully to take issue with it.
We beg the Democrat to believe that there
will be other issues before the convention and
it is we'll that it should understand them
Most prominent and conspicuous among these
will be the calling OF a convention to remodel
the constitution Of the State, and declara-
ton OF principle with regard to those monster
monopolies which have fastened themselves
upon us, and which many honest people are
ercse controlling voice in legislation.
The Democrat thinks it would be i,nprudent
for the convention to meet and advises the
State Central Committee not to call it, and
INDUCES in the old stereotyped twang about
the cost, as though that would fall on the
public and not on the patriotic gentlemen
who would attend the convention as dele
gates. Ne tell the committee now it may or
may not call the convention but the conven-
ton will meet, and il will proceed at once to
lay down such plat of principles as will
meet the approval of the Democracy of the
State. Democratic Legslat ure gagged the
voice OF the people once, but it never will do
for the committee t. attempt this same thing,
unless it would have its authority condemned
and destlsed.
We call upon the State Committee to order
the assembling Of the convention for as early
O day as possible. There must be no daily
ing or delay about it; the party must speak
out. If it has principles or a policy which it
is ashamed or too pusilanimous to avow, we
want the people to know it. We call too upon
the good people OF The State to see to It that
they are properly represented in that conven-
ton. 1t is high time they were putting on
their war paint, unless they propose to be
trampled under foot by lot of scheming pol
itCianS.
The English crown diamonds have arrived
at the Paris Exposition and are valued ut S.
100000. They are in thick iron chest, and
are guarded by sentinels day and night. There
is a diadrm OF eight y-six diamonds of various
sizes, In the middle Of which is the celebrated
Koh-i-NoOr, alone valued at $780, 900; also
collar OF l08 diamonds, IN the centre of which
is an emerald, said to be the purest and most
beautiful extanr A second diadem il q blend
ing OF diamonds and emeralds. In the centre
Is the large Kandavassy diamond, valued at
100000. 1t would be rated at higher sum
were it not for a slight defect. These, and
many other valuables Of the kind, belong to
the English crown. A portion are used by
the Princess Of Wales on special occasions; the
others are reserved for the Queen. The Kan
davassy WAS formerly he eye of a one-eyed
Hindoo delty, and has been but lately added