The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-07-15
TO THE CITIZENS OF THE FIFTH
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF
LOUISIANA.
My EELLOW-CITIZENS

MY EELLOW-ClTIZESS:
You will soon be called upon to select
Il candidate for the seat now occupied
by noe in Congress. There are other
gentlemen looking eagerly toward this
distinction, whose honorable aspira-
tions I cannot condemn. It becomes
me, therefore, frankly to present what
ever claims / may have, and TO rest
satisfied with your decision.
1t viii be urged that two terms in
Congress ought fully to satisfy any ambi-
| ton. So far as the mere personal as
! poets Of the case are concerned this is
| true but there are other considerations
to be kept in view by both you and
| myself.
You will remember that when you
first did me the honor to choose me as
your standard bearer, could not bar
gain for an easy time. Some OF the
gentlemen now most anxious to sup-
plant me might then have had the
| chance, SO far az l was concerned, for
the asking. Let that go. If it was a
difficult and dangerous task, l had no
desire to shrink from it, for it was the
peril and toll of the undertaking which
made your nomination then a greater
honor than you can ever confer upon
me again. 1t is easy to find find q
leader in "the primrose path of DALI
ance," but in the rugged road we We're
then forced to tread to be chosen as
captain of the "rorIorn hope" and to
win and wear its laurels is a prize
higher than you can ever again bestow
upon 4 candidate for Congress. Tar be
it from me to walnut myself upon the
work of those days, except as the peo
PIES choice Mcn. Never did Cove
nanter encounter more dangers for his
faith or Christian Martyr in the Cata-
combs endure more suffering than the
true men of that day who stood forth to
redeem the State. 1 was of them.
You remember well, fellow citizens,
that the election did not end the ordeal.
When open force and bribery had failed
in the hands of the desperate alien
adventures who had been crushing us
into the dust the Republican party in
en- ployed 4 Russian terrorism to drive
back the Democrat who should have
the audacity ia claim a scat in Congress
from North Louisiana. The altcrna-
ton was q cell in some Northern peuit-
en- tiary, with tho chances in favor of
that many Southern represen tatives
met in Washington. IT was situation
which brave man need not be ashamed
to acknowledge as appalling. 1 did not
quail; and my friends can say to those
who now dcpreciatc my abilities that
in the fall Of Il hostile and unscrupulous
maj ority, Predetermined to unseat all
Democrats they could reach, | am as
FIRMLY fixed in my lawful position as a
member from Boston.
The line Of duty which I marked out
for myself was follows: The first thing
was to get that seat and hold it. This,
as have said, l have done. The second
point was, without forfciting the in
alienable right OF local self-govermcnt,
to secure every possible, material adj
vantage for my State and district. In
doing this, I have tried, without for
feiting my right to independent judg-
mcnt, to act with the wisest and most
faithful Of our Southern representatives.
Tho result has proved, L am confident,
that the interests Of my constituents
have been we'll served.
To recapitulatc in detail my labors
here would be 4 long story. My worst
enemy will hardly charge that [ have
been indifferent in tho smallest matter
that concerned my constituents. In
deed, fault has been fuuud with me for
au energy which has been termed rest
less and n pertinacity which some NAV
have found tiresomc, in tho pursuit of
objects involving the welfare of Louis
lana. These objects were public. not
personal, in character. The liberation
of our people from unjust and oppres-
sive political laws, and their representa-