The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-03-14
TO THE REPUBLICAN, VOTERS OF
LOUISIANA.

TO THE REPUBLICAN VOTERS or
LOUISIANA.
Low-CITIzENs-You are called
upon to assist In choosing, on the 18th
of this month, delegates to represent
you in a convention to be held for the
purpose Of framing anew the organic
law of the State.
Not content with having expelled
you from all share in the administra-
ton of State affairs, with the annihila-
ton of your party representation in
rights the nation had given you, 1t Is
now feared that your political oppo-
nents will seek in the convention to
restrict or qualify suffrage so as to prac-
tically result in the political extermi-
nation of a large portion of the Repub-
lican voters of Louisiana.
In this emergency the Republican
State Central Committee has deemed it
its duty to organize the best resistance
which, the limited time and means
allow; and for this purpose have ap-
pointed a campaign committee COM
posed of one member from each con-
gressional district, with three from the
State at large. Upon this committee
AtS9 uONOASON uAl HO"CA "a GuS
State Central Committee during the
| short period of the present campaign.
1t is this committee which now ad-
dresses you a few words of exhortatiOn
before entering on the impending con-
test.
In all cases in which the election of
an Intelligent tried Republican is pos
sible, we counsel you to concentrate
your votes in his support. When no
such occasion presents itself you should
offer your votes to any candidate,
without regard to his political antece-
dents, who shall pledge himself to
resist any attempt to impair its guar
antees by any constitutional or legal
provisions whatever. These rights
secured beyond question, your repre-
sentatiVes may assent to any reforms
tending to the simplification and econ
omy of the government. They may
indeed we'll afford to disable tho posi-
bility of oppression, by repeating a
power and patronage which constitutes
the chief motive of the fraud and vio-
lence from which you suffer.
The measures of amendment which
we would enumerate In the convention,
are to separate rigfdly the powers OF
Republican government to take from
| tho Governor all other than Executive
power; remitting to the people as the
source of all power, the choice of all
municipal officers by popular election.
TO restrict the power of the Legislature
to create debt or impose taxation, both
of which must he in part liquidated by
your labor. 10 recognize and provide
for the payment of the existing debt of
the State, in such manner and at such
| current rate of interest as may be sat
isfactory to the creditors of the State,
| and within the impaired ability OF the
present generation to pay.
The planting and other interests OF
the State should clearly understand
that while we intend in good faith to
advocate every measure of economy,
| official and representative responsible
ity, we have determined to resist any
Idisparagement of our written rights
! by all lawful means accessible to our
| efforts, and that among these means
| may be mentioned the following:
1. An appeal to the National Repub-
lean party to aid the colored people of
the State in withdrawing from under
Jurisdiction which shall have proven
itself inimical to their enjoyment of
| the rights which the nation has con-
ferred upon them.
=. An appeal to the property interests
Of the State, reminding them also that
the sugar, cotton and rice crops of Lou
isiana were worth last year $50, 600, 900,
that other plantation products would
have increased the amount largely,
that labor connected with the navi-
CATION of the rivers, with the re-
ceipt, storage and shipment of cargoes,
has been performed with mechanical
and domestic services of which no esti-
mate can be offered in money, but
which are not the less indispensable to
the State. You may leave to planters
and merchants to say what values
should be placed on the aggregate of
these productions and these services,
and how much thereof may have been
due to the faithful, efficient and accli-
mated labor of the colored Republicans
of Louisiana.
You may accompany these sugges-
tons with the possible danger to their
political rights which may result from
the denial of your own in this: