St. Landry democrat., 1883-12-01
senator Marstosa's Address.

Garland who referred in the strongest
terms of commentator to Senator
Marston's valuable services, not only
to the people of his own district, but to
the whole people of his native State.
We have not space to give an ea-
tended synopsis Of the Senator's speech.
He charged that the administration of
Governor McEnery was mdemocratic,
and instanced his course toward the
Lottery and Slaughter House monopo-
lies, the Fiscal Agency, the Peniten-
tiary Lease he also denoudced as di-
rectly violative OF Article 45 of the
Constitution what is called the COVER
nor's levee policy, that article being
prohibition against pledging the credit
of the State or making any contract
without legislative sanction.
The speech was a severe arraignment
of the administration and carried con-
viction to the minds of the audience, as
was evinced by the frequent and hearty
applause given him during its delivery.
DR.. Robertson came forward at the
conclusion of the address and made
what seemed to strike the audience as
a very lame attempt to reply to Mars
ton. He seemed to think that the
speech was an arraignment of his whole
political course, though his name had
only been mentioned incidentally in an
extract from the proceedings of the
Senate which Senator Marston had read
while commenting on the Fiscal
Agency.
The Doctor. made some curious
lvowals, the most notable of which
was that Charles Howard
had saved the Democratic
party, that he had gone to him during
the Nichols crisis aud got enough mo-
ney to buy enough radical Legislators to
give the Nichols legislation quorum,
that Howard stipulated nothing but
that lie should not be interfered with,
and he for one intended to stand by
that agreement, though he was lie said
opposed as much as any man to lotter-
les, and had voted at one time to repeal
the Howard charter.
This speech had at least the merit of
boldness and frankness, and we leave
it to the public to make its own com
ments.
Suffice it to say that an opportunity
,roe ,r; van fo Mnreton fnr n ,.,3,, x,,,,;.,,
he made in most effective aud over
Whelming style.
One interesting feature of the discus.
sion was an interrogatory put by the
doctor as to whether Senator Marston
would support McEnery if nominated.
After the conclusion of the speaking
some private discussion took place as
to whether Senator Marston's answer
upon this point had been sufficiently
explicit, when he again took the stand
and expressed himself viii, great en-
phasis in these words as nearly as we
can repeat them:
IF McEnery is nominated fairly and
squaloly by Democratic con-
vention, then will support him but if
he is nominated by fraud and by Radi-
cal votes, then, so help ME God! I'll
fight him to the bitter end"
After this no more questions were
asked-it was explicit enough, and Sen
ator Marston was congratulated by nu-
merous persons in the warmest terms
upon his address.
The Senator expressed himself as
much gratified at the reception given
him by the people Of this community.
Ae had no acquaintance here previous
~, outside Of one or two persons, Sena-
tor FOntenot being one, to whom he
referred in his speech as the watchdog
of the Treasury.
We were pleased and gratiied by our
acquaintance with Senator Marston.
He is not the man which the admins
tration people and press describe him
to be. He is an accomplished, level
headed, quick-witted and effective
speaker and better than all this, he is
backed by principles that no one will
assail, and by a record as Il man and
a Democrat thatis equally unassailable.
We think it proper to say this much in
this connection in justice to this patri-
otto and high spirited citizen while at
the same time, our position upon the
gubernatorial question remains, as
heretofore stated in unequivocal terms.
We are glad to learn that our old
time friend, Mr.. C. C. Duson, Sheriff of
st. Landry parish, has succeeded, as he
alwaya does in ANYTHING he undertakes