The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-11-21
LETTER FROM JUDGE E. H0RTH
CULL0M.
cola, La, }
Nov. II, '83. !
Editor La. Democrat

Nov. II, 'ss. !
Editor La. Democrat
Some Of my friends appear not to
understand my political status, and !
address you this communication for the
purpose of briefly defining It. And
right here let me say am not can
didate nor do l ask to become one. !
intend to cooperate with the Demo-
cratic party and to unity myself with
It henceforth, for the following reasons:
First, it has, after many years OF
open opposition, become in favor Of in
ternal Improvements.
Second, 1t has become, under pru-
dent limitation, protective tariff party.
Third, Its views on Banking have
yielded to financial expediency and a
well-defned public policy.
Fourth, Its primitive views Of the
suffrage question have vanished in the
blaze of severe experience, until on
this as on the other questions l have
mentioned the party stands SO nearly
shoulder to shoulder with the once glo-
rious Wing party, of which / was de-
voted member, that / would have to
abandon the palitical faith Of my life
to keep out of the Democratic party.
This I will not do. In my opinion the
party has almost completely taken the
Stand of the old Wing party, with re
ference to these questions, as all the
tests of governmental expedients have
resulted so far in attesting its wisdom,
| l most cheerfully claim a membership.
There was one question between
these parties which had to be settled
by wages Of battle. l allude to the
doctrine of State sovereignty, which
was stoutly maintained by the Demo
cratic party, and as warmly resisted by
the Abolition, and afterwards by the
Republican party Of the North. l al.
ways regarded it as a political beresy
promising no good to the confederacy
of the States, and as being pregnant
with countless evils to the dignity Of
the individual States, and ruin to the
peace, happiness and prosperity Of the
people.
| have never believed that the
States were sovereign, for the simple
reason that by an express abnegatiol
of all authority they, as States, coulc
not coin a dollar, enter into treaties
form confederation, etc, nor do sew
eral acts, to do which is an inherent
right of sovereign power or State
These poweas were delegated by then
to the Federal government. Sover
eighty is necessarily unit, and tina
instant it is divided it is annihilatet
in toto. In entering into the Uhiol
the States delegated these powers ant
bound themselves not to exercise
them. They therefore ceased to b,
sovereign. On the other hand I look
ed upon the asserted sovereignty of til,
Federal government as being equal!
as heretical, for it is a government pos
sessed of only delegated authority AM
power, and is therefore one of circum
scribed and limited sphere of action
My opinion was and is that neither th'
State nor the Federal government il
sovereign. The sovereignty Of thi
country is in the people and nowher'
else. Therefore, when the Democratic
party contended for the doctrine o
State sovereignty, I rought it, ant
when tie Republican party endeevor
ed to give to our national politics
tendency to Federal Capitalization,
denounced it as the harbinger of EN-
pire and the destruction Of our Repub
lican form of government. On thes'
questions conceded with neither par
ty. By wages of battle the Democra
tic party was forced to abandon it's pc
sition, and the Republican will as Ger
tainly be routed all along the line @
their march to Capitalization. Muol
confusion has, in my opinion, prevail
ed throughout touching State sove1
eighty and States rights. Very man
thousands of patriotic people know no
that the distinction is radical, and tina
they are as entirely different as trut
and falschood, as wisdom and insanity
, as earth and sky. On the question q
: States rights barring the asserted doc
, trinc Of State sovereignty, the Demo
cratic party was always sound, and
was with tam with it now. Th
States have all the rights which the
have not delegated to the general go,
$ eminent by the Constitution. l vii
| not elaborate further, although til
subject is pleasing one, as l trust
have said enough to make my positio
ineligible to thinking minds. Lastly
| l have unified myself with the Demo
cratic party because it has within it
, membership a basis OF intelligence an
interest in the former slave States ur
on which reliance may be placed in al
experiments looking to good govern
, ment. The Republican party of tn
State has not. There are many goo
well-meaning and well-informed me
J in it, but they are powerless to do goo
because the masses sustaining ther
{ naturally gravitate to plane of ignt
rance and venality to revel in misgoy