The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-10-18
The Democracy.
IN. o. Democrat1

The resolutions passed by the Mas
sachusetts Democratic Convention,
which met at Faneuil Hall on the 18th
inst, arc worthy of careful perusal on
the part of every democrat in Louisi-
ana and in the country. They are re-
sonant with the principles of true de-
mocracy, and should arouse the people
of the republic to sense of the dan
ger which threatens the very founda-
tion of our government. There is no
pandering to policy in them, but each
declaration is clear-cut and ringing
enunciation of.those living truths and
principles upon which repose the SUI
perb fabric which was reared by the
fathers with infinite labor and thought.
They denounced the republican par
by "for the great public crime by which
the people were defrauded of their
right to be governed by arulcr of their
choice, and by which the elective prin-
ciple was wounded in its most vital
part" and favor "strict construction
of the constitutional grants, which shall
prevent encroachments by either State
or Federal Legislation on the rights
granted to the other, or on those on
which are reserved to the people indi-
vidually or collectively to the end that
we may remain free and sovereign
people,
They denounce restrictions and
abridgments of the right of suffrage as
Z" dangerous to liberty, and .sribservient
of the supremacy of justice and reason
in affairs of State"
They are in favor of "free thought,
free speech, free education and the free
and equal rightslof every man to the
protection and enjoyment of his own
religion" They denounce the repub-
ilican party for the destruction of our
ship building, and for making foreign
ships the carriers of our products, a
policy which they truly declare "has
banished our flag from the seas and re-
warded Great Britain with spoils she
never could have conquered"
The following enunciation will find
response in the heart of every Southern
man who has witnessed the evil at
which it is aimed, and in the hearts of
all true democrats everywhere:
We believe in self-government by the peo-
pie, and desire that polls shall be free from
the interference of Federal bayonets, directed
by the intrigue of Federal partisan executive
We believe the purity Of the ballot-box can
be better preserved through State authority
than by Federal interference.
We protest against laws which authorize the
arrest of citizens at the polls without warrant
or hearing, and the suppression OF their votes
by imprisoning their persons until after the
election, rs upturning the foundation OF free
government, and we call on Congress to aid
the people and rescue the freedom OF cleo
tions, unfettered by republican clamor and
presidential vetoes
This is bold language to be used in
Massachusetts, the hot-bed of radical
ism and Capitalization, the home of Ben
Butler; but the democracy Of the Old
Bay State has since the war been as
true as steel, never finching or swerv-
ing from the right, but doing always
heroic service, whether confronted by
victory or defeat. They do not hesi-
b3StG ~ ftlCuOuuSC WV FlfCh VIM
ted the greatest political crime ever
in this country, and to de-
mand that the people of the Union
shall never again be subjected to such
an outrage, and with the indignation
natural to freemen they proclaim their
unalterable aversion to having ballot
boxes surrounded by bayonets, and to
those infamous statutes which authorize
the arrest and incarceration of. citizens
at the polls without warrant, thereby |
the right of suffrage and
making elections by ballot farce and
scandal. All honor to these men of
who have sounded an
alarm which may yet save the imperiled
liberties of this country. Let demo
,rats everywhere stand firm and true
n the coming contest, which is big
With the fate of the Union.