The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1880-11-13
The z.ase Desnecr.ssici 1srfsss .-
Has Caases aad tsn~e'l usnes@.

Inc smoke OF tDe late haftle Tor IN
presidency has cleared away, and W
have read, with absorbing interest, tn
comments Of leading democratic, re
publican and independent Journals, i
the north, east, west and south, on tia
result of the struggle between the tw'
I great political parties which has eyi
IDENTIFY surprised both, and which ha
probably determined the fate Of on
lrepublican form of government
u The causes of Hancuekls defeat ar,
fisefold.
i lst A groundless but settled fcai
q IN the north, east and west, that tn,
success of the democratic party would
lgiye the south control of the admins
4 tration of the government.
4 2dly. A similar fear that,a change
IN the administration of the govern
Ement would disturb the present pros
tperous condition of the commercial
and financial interests of the country.
3dly. A general feeling Of appre-
Ishension in the north, east and west,
that even if Hancock were elected the
Republicans would repeat their bluff
game of 1876, inaugnratc their defeated
candidate, and ask the democrats what
they proposed to do about it; and that
| the latter would and could do nothing
about it, except to resort to arms-an
issue dreaded by both parties.
4thly. A general feeling of conf
dence by the republican party, founded
on a long lease of power, and on their
success in the employment of force and
fraud, and general want of confidence
by the democratic party, founded on
its uninterrupted defeats in similar con-
tests for twenty years past, and on its
consciousness that its surrender of the
presidency fonr years ago was base
and cowardly surrender TO defeated
and clustering enemy.
5thly. A preponderating public sen
,timent in the north, east and west, in
favor of "a strong government; that is,
a government in which the federal au-
thorities will regulate and control the
State authorities without any restric-
lion whatever, constitutional or other
Mise.
/. The consequences of Hancock's de-
feat are bound to be disastrous to the
republic in general, aud to the southern
states in particular. Disastrous to the
republic, because it meaus that no man.
no matter how illustrious for his devo- |
ton to the Union and the Constitution,
and no matter how pure in heart and
spotlcss in character, can, in the pres
ent temper of the American people,
be elected to the presidency over
any candidate, no matter how
soiled in reputation, who may
be selected by that party whose
chief distinction is its relentless pros
cription of "tlie SOUTH" its determine
tion to keep forever open and bleeding
the ghastly wounds of the civil war of
1915, and its avowed policy to sub
,stitute Capitalization of power in the
federal government for the system of
government created by our fathers
and founded on our Constitution;
disastrous to the southern states,
because it means that the policy
of the incoming administration
towards them is to be shaped and con
trolled by such "stalwart" republicans
as Conkling, Logan, Cameron, Sher
man, Sheridan and Grant, whose hatred
of southern white men never slumbers
nor sleeps, and whose ideas Of the fiji
ture government of the United States
were expressed just before the late cleo
tion, by Gen. Grant, in a speech at
Buffalo, New York, when he said "Wc
do not want to see this country gov
erncd BY rebel brigadiers. We want
TO see it governed bym Of the North
while we live"
Tho democratic party is again de-
feated, but it is very far from being
destroyed. 1t carried as many states
as the republican party carried, and its
received majority Of nearly |
100000 Of the votes Of the people. III
was defeated only in the electoral col
lego, which polls only 500 votes, and
not ~ the peoples vote. It will'liye
as long IS the republic and the consti-
tuition live, and If they fall at last, the
old guard Of the democracy viii be
fonnd trying to shield their sacred
forms from the reasonable and mnr-
dcrons daggers Of the republican party
nthc meantime let every southern
democrat see to itthat in aIlthc de-
pariments Of his state government, and