St. Landry democrat., 1878-01-26
State Politics.

both State and National is now III the
throes of dissolution.
The lower house of the national leg
islature is thoroughly Democratic. The
Democratic party will soon control the
Senate. The President himself though
nominally Republican is really Demo
cratic, SO far as the Southern States are
concerned. The most stunning blow
the Republican party has received since
it came into power, was the prescription
DR.. r. B. Hayes administered, when he
withdrew the .. s. troops from the
South fell back ON the constitution of
his country and declared himself the
President not of "the jacabin faction y
of bis own party but OF the whole peo-
ple. ~ This was equivalent to signing
the death warrant of the party in the
South. 1t was dissolved as it by en-
chantment. The rank and file were
demoralized and the leaders lately 80
arrogant, with their ill-gotten plunder,
the result of ten years of spoil, COM
PEELED either to become supplicants at
Washington for crumbs of official pa
tronage or to go to work to make au
honest living. They had mercilessly
duped the negro they had represented
that the white people Of the South were
his natural born enemy and only wanted
an opportunity to hang, draw and quar-
ter him; yet when the negro looks
round and surveys the field what did hi
obtain for furnishing the votes to fOist
these men into power. He got merely
the leavings of these greedy cromorants.
He got nothing substantial. Scarcely
| an Office worth having. Pinch back the
ablest man of his race was elected to
| the Senate, but when lie went to Wash
ington he was unceremOniously y snubbed
and sent back, though Kellogg, whose
case was not half so good as his was
Immediately seated and made Senator
to misrepresent the State in that august
body the u. S. Senate. We all recollect
the apprehension and misgivings of
many of the colored people when Nj
clolls finally forced Packard to step
down and out last spring" They were
naturally alarmed. They remembered
what the carpet-baggers had told them
Of the enmity of Southern men against
their race. But actual experience was
soon to bring demonstration to them,
that they had been dnped and made
fools OF by designing men. NICHOLS
has been in possession of the govern
ment nearly a year. The negro has
gotten as much official patronage as
ever he got from the carpet-bagger
when he had no claim to any. He has
seen the laws mercilessly inforced
against all offenders, white and black.
He has found his life, liberty and prop
erty far better protected than in the
Dalmiest days of carpet-baggery. He
finds peace and law and order prevail
ing everywhere, and fewer murders
committed than in any previous year
since the war. Instead of the Southern
man being bis unrelenting enemy he
has found him his friend, ready to give
him employment, and if need be to
protect him in his rights, and liberties.
The consequence of this has been, that
the hold Of the carpet-bagger, Oh these
people has been broken and forever.
They will not again be made the dupe |
of designing rascals, who excited their
fears and raised their antipathies against |
the people with whom they had grown
up, in order to fill their pockets with |
ill-gotten plunder.
The effects of this breaking the spell |
of the carpet-bagger" over the negro
in Louisiana has been to destroy the |
Republican party, for nine-tentlls OF
its strength was included in the colored |
vote. The cohesive power, not of pub
lie plunder, but Of fear and distrust OF the
Southern people, which welded these
people together, under the teachings
and ISLANDERS Of the carpet bagger has
been dissolved. tllas left the leaders
Of that once powerful organization
without q following. They may call
When the time comes upon the rank and
file OF the party to rally to their sup
port, but it will be like calling spirits
from the Vastly deep;" they won'tcome.
This disruption and breaking up of the
Republican party leaves but one rec
osnized organized political party in
tip State and that is the Democratic
Conservatives party represented in the
administration OF the State by Nichols
and Wiltz. On what future basis a
party can be organized to oppose that
which is now in power and which has
already given such patent proof of its
ability to control the future destinies
Of the State, time alone must determine.
There are We know some disaffected
elements in the Democratic Conser-
vatlye party; some who condemn and
sppose Gov. Nichols for hi. wise, pa
triotic, manly and conciliatory course
since he assumed the reins Of govern
neIlt. They are as yet few In number
and insignificant in influence. Would
e not he well for these few to pause and
reflect before they undertake q crusade
against the Governor. Has he tleyiated
10 inch from the principles of tho plat
'orn on which he was nominated and
elected ] Win not bis policy il pursued
without interruption for the next few
ears, fuse the voting population Of
louisiana into one grand conservative
nass, whose aim and object will be not
he success Of party, but the good Of