St. Landry democrat., 1882-08-12


innta. TO which he is sure to belong.
Perhaps some OF the democrats In the
Senate and HOusee, did not scrlitlnlZe
this bill before voting for it; perhaps
others were driven by the caucus 10
vote against their better Judgment.
Either excuse would be but a poor one
in so important a matter.
The complaint formerly was that the
republicans did this sort OF thing; no"'
the democrats have done the same
thing. and have done it in a manner
unite as injurious and offensive to the
rights of the people as were the cleo
tion devices Of the radicals.
The legislature in this instance, ana
in that bad bill by which it took away
from the people the right to- elect thelr
own police jurors, has taken long
step towards naturalization. The ldea
! is, that it is better to trust the cover
nor than to trust the people. Let tne
people have as little to 90 as possioie
With the appointment of the ot1lclals
who are to do their business for them,
for. every time a new official 1t to De APP
nointed by the Governor, it is an addl-
tional sourse of power and patronage
to the Senator or local politician,
thr0uph whom these favOrs are always
TFhe election bill, and the law depriv-
ing the people of the right to choose
their own police jurors are two meas
ures which the party should repudlate
quickly, or cease at once to claim t,1e
rpsnect and confidence Of the people.
They are both bold, bad measures, to-
tally indefensible, and at war win
every platform, principle, Or tradition
of the democratic party.
1t is difficult to make a dlstlnctlon
between the party and the men VINO
control it, but there Is a VIDE dlstiilc-
ton between the principles OF genuine
democracy, and the conduct OF tnose
who now govern the State. Inc Tree.
dom and purity OF elections, ana strict
observance of the rights OF the people,
as Guaranteed by our form of con-
stitutional government, constitute True
democracy. Let us hold to these prln-
ciples. and repudidiate the men who
have concocted these measures, IN the
name of democracy. Let the masses
of the democracy depose from power
the INSCRIPTIONS office-holding ollgar-
chy which thus tramples upon the peo-
pies rights, whenever they stand III It's
wav. There is but one explanation OF
these outrageous statutes. The siaIe Is
already made for the next general eiec-
ton and these laws are the instrument
talities by which the present State al
ministration is to perpetuate It's contioi.
That some good men who did not con-
slider their scope and desi On, gave their
vote for these measures, is to pc re,
eretted. Let them repent OF it, and
make amends by confessing their error
If the democratic party is no longer a
party of principles, it does not deserve
the support of the people. But the
body of the democrats of the State are
not responsible for these measures.
They are the work Of selfish, ambitious
men, who care not a grot, how much
oblouuy they bring upon the party, so
they attain their personal ends. A re-
publican Congress would want no bet
ter pretext than this law, to exclude
the entire delegation from this State,
if demanded by party interest but
, what do our local statesmen care, 81
they continue to control the politics ana
offices in this State
The democrats of Louisiana ought to
, show their condemnation OF these
things by public, and by private
utterances. And they should at the next
election, depose from power the men
who have so loaded the party down
with their corrupt and selfish schemes
OBSERVER.