St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-08-14
The Two Parties Compared.

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two great parties before the country
On all political questions, while hui
man nature remains what it is, we must
expect diversity of opinion, and in
countries where this diversity of opinion
is allowed to express itself in words, but
especially where there is representa-
tive form of government, the natural
consequence is the formation of politi-
cal parties. These various parties form
check upon the government, and cause
every question to be thoroughly and
publicly sifted, SO that every citizen has
all means necessary to enlighten himself
on points concerning which he might
entertain any doubt.
But when, especially in government
like ours, composed of free and equal
States, any party is formed, not upon
principles affecting the welfare OF the
whole people, but upon local prejudice
and sectional hatred, it becomes a great
obstacle to the union of the people in
favor of a government whose chief OBJ
ject shall be the greatest good to the
greatest number"
Such, however, is the Republican party
of to-day, and such has it been through
its entire existence. Nursed in a cradle
of hatred for the South and Southern
institutions, it waged bitter war with
pen and sword against those institutions
until had effectually overthrow them.
Then when the South had surrendered
her arms, and when the Southern peo-
pie had candidly and honestly accepted
the changed condition of affairs, and
were preparing to rebuild their waste
places, then this same Republican party
proceeded, by false representations and
rr,I,, IF fhn SnrJfh md hnf
people, to inhame the minds OF the
Northern people and to arouse the race
preiudices Of the negro, tearing open
wounds which were just beginning to
heal, and meeting with the cry OF
" treason" every effort to unite the in
terests of the blacks and whites and to
restore the Union to its normal condi
ton.
The Republican party is the party of
Capitalization, not the national party. 1t
embodies many of the principles OF the
old Federalist and Wing parties. Yet
there is no doubt that the great source
of life to the party has been, not the
principles which it inherited from those
parties of former day, but the waving
of the bloody shirt" the widening Of the
breach between the North and the
South. So long as the minds Of North
ern people could be kept poisoned with
the falsehoods constantly poured into
their ears, SO long could the Republican
party hope to remain in power. But
since the people OF the Southern States
have had possession Of their own gov
ernments, the consequent restoration OF
good feeling between the races, and
return of prosperity throughout the
entire South, have had a telling effect,
and the bloody shirt" has long been
losing its magnetic effect.
Now let US see how the Democratic
party stands in that regard. Can it in
any sense be called sectional party y
The Republicans do say that it is the
party of disloyalty and disunion, that its
strength lies in the "solid South" and
that its policy is dictated by the "rebel
but they falsify the facts.
If the Democratic party is hostile to the |
Union, then in 1876 a majority by $780,
600 of all the voters in the United States
was hostile to their own government. |
Can any sane man be induced to believe
that?
While large proportion Of the re-
strength OF the Democracy |
is drawn from the Southern States, the
strength of its voters lies
very largely in the North. OF the a. I
9S4 ,265 votes cast for Tilden in 1876,
/ ,600,819 were cast in the fifteen South
ern States, leaving 2, 6S3 ,446 to be counted
for the Northern and Wetern States.
IS per cent Of the Northern and Western
votes, and more than 81 per cent of the
entire vote cast in the Union. Under
this aspect, how absurd the assertion
that tile Democratic party is working
N the interest of Southern rebels. Its
pervade and are deeply cher
shed among the masses OF every State
n the Union, and it can truly be called
! national party; not in the centraliZing
sense of the Republicans, but in view OF
he non sectional catholicity of its prin-
,iples. :
And now, as final assurance that
his great Democratic party is, as it has
,ver been, still the party Of union, OF
,eace and of determination, comes the
nomination as it's standard bearers in
he presidential campaign Of two men
Who have always been consistent Demo-
rats and conspicuous in their devotion
0 the Union. The name OF Hancock
specially, man who shed his blood in
'ehalf of the Union, and then refused
o become an instrument of oppression
o a conquered people, has aroused an
uuSudl culNuSidSul AMONG GIlc people
9th North and South. His mere nomi-
alton has almost drowned the voice Of
and his election in No !
ember will put an end forever to this :,
ane of statesmanlike political discus {
ion.
Let the people unite in giving such a
ousing majority in favor of Hancock
nd English that the questions of Sec :
on and of race shall be forever oblit-
rated from the politics Of the Union. '
let them teach our political leaders that t
ne time has come when they must turn {
leir attention from the pernicious dis 7
lssions OF the past twenty years, and '
evote themselves to the development p
the agricultural, manufacturing and 9
resources of the Union. :
his is a result which must follow the 9
lection of Hancock; for his election t
ill put an end to those questions which u
lonopolized the attention of politicians, G
nd in looking for new questions to G
,cnpy their time, they will necessarily
3 led into the consideration of meas
res in which the masses of the people
e showing an interest.
Then will follow, during the next i
ecade, development of the material r.
sources OF the country such as will be q
'tonishing even to those most CONVEX i
mt with the rand nro0raSs already =