The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-06-27

But, HGHtlCLACl "a ehS SoAA |
this question of dollars and
cents, and admitting that the people
ought to pay all dishonest debts, or
ought not to pay their honest debts
and, construed honestly, we are unable
to say which is the more dishonorable
let us meet the Obstructionists on
their chosen ground. It will not be
by the most stupid lawyer in
your body, that, supposing the people
did sell and bind themselves over to
the holders Of fraudulent bonds, and
solemnly agreed to pay those bonds,
they reserved in the sale the RIGHT
OF REDEMPTION. Neither the del
egatc from Orleans, Mr.. Semmes,) nor
the delegate from Plaquemine, (Mr.
Warmoth,) nor the delegate from st.
Mary, (Mr. Caffrey,) nor tho delegate
from Richland, (Mr. Wells,) nor the
learned counsellor from Madison, (Mr.
Pinchback,) will, or can deny, as law
yers, that, when this sale was made by
the people, Of themselves to the brokers
in State credit, the people made the
sale with COUNTER LETTER.
This, gentlemen of the Convention,
cannot be denied by these able and
learned counsellors, because it is both
law and fact, two things that seldom
travel in this life pari 2otsssu. If there
is an African in your body, or a mem-
Der of African descent, even though his
musl<-box be wide open, who will say
that the scltite people of Louisiana sold
out, without the Right of Redemption,
this office may be considered a bank
and he may call and get value received.
1t is this Right of Redemption, gen
tlemen, upon which the TELEGRAPH
insists. You, who are Democrats, will
remember that the only debt discussed
pie owed thcmselvcs-their wives and
their children. 1t was debt of human
rights; debt Inherited from n glorious
ancestry of intelligent beings;-a debt
due posterity. 1t was not debt TO be
computed in dollars and cents, but
debt purchased, if you please, with toll
and blood. We cannot think, cannot
believe, you have SO soon forgotten
this sacred debt, or the responsibilities
you voluntarily assumed in satisfying
1t. Give these men their shckcl5; give
these Shyloclks their pound of flesh;
satisfy all the vultures and cormorants,
if that be the price of CONSTITUTIONAL
LIBERTY d! Two more priceless words
were never spoken, written, or print
Cd! Buy Liberty and a Home, gen
tlemen; if there be no other means to
secure them. Our children may be
left impoverished by the purchase, but
they will have heritage invaluable,
nevertheless, and, we are bold enough
to say, they will bless you FOR it-and
the more, because you had to purchase
it arith money!
Let this bargain and sale be under
stood, gentlemen. Tho Right of Re-
demption remains. Upon that right,
the hopes Of the people were built.
Did they build wisely? Shall they
go back to the trcacherous sands OF
Reconstruction? Live and die under
the so-callcd Constitution Of 1865:
Probably, gentlemen, you have no.
ticcd that the National Democracy is
not can anchor sure and stcadf;,st."
Have you thought that Of all the eleven
States, Louisiana is the
only State yet unrcdecmcd We have
noticed your resolutions, amendments
and dHationS, and tried to keep up
with their spirit and intent, and still it
strikes us, that, with Il dcmoralized
National Democracy and with State
worse than woe-begone, you arc failing
in your duty to n Iong-suilcring people.
We have said wo would trust you to
redeem the State and would ratify
your acts in advance. We repeat it.
With this expression of the fullest con-
we now demand, rs one OF the
first who gave you existence, that you
redeem your State forever, before ii is
too late, from even the possibility OF
Radical misrule, cost what it may
NOT RESPONSIBLE.