The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1884-11-21
THE DEMOCRACY TRIUaPHs.

the battle won. After twenty-fou
; years of misrule, of arrogance, o
bad faith. the Republican party i
ANONYMOUSLY expelled from pow
er; torn from its high seat and cas-
J into outer darkness by an outra
ged and indignant people. In Tia,
memory of man there has not beer
so close and so exciting an election
Even in 1876, when the two force.
seemed to be so evenly balanced
the result was not kept in doub!
for such time. The fruits of oul
victory were wrested from us, but
the actual verdict of the ballot
box WAS known to all the world
much sooner then than now. For
sixty hours we have been kept in
suspense over the New York re-
turns. Tuesday night it seemed
certain that Cleveland had swept
the State. Wednesday morning it
seemed beyond question that Blaine
had carried it. There was a change
IN the afternoon; another tiuctua-
ton at night; and SO on, up to the
moment of this writing, a series of
MISUNDERSTANDING hot and cold
by turns. The peculiarity, how
ever, Is that out of eleven hundred
thousand votes cast in New York,
the majority for Cleveland should
have been so narrow, and up to
the last minute, SO uncertain. This
fact. and the equally close figures
in Connecticut, New Jersey and
Indiana mark the present as the
most intense and striking contest
on record.
No matter, though; the struggle
has been nobly pressed. The free
men of America have made a me-
morable assertion of their patriot
ism and intelligence. 1t has been
demonstrated that Democratic in
stitutions are the best safeguards
of a nations manhood. In this
contest, the issue of honesty against
corruption has been sGuarely made |
and the integrity of the suffrage |
has been vindicated in the result. |
If we had decided against Mr.. |
Cleveland, the fact would have
proved our anworthiness of the
priceless gift of self-goyernment.
Deciding as we did, we furnished
the world with overwhelming evi-
dence of our deserts.
We enter, now, upon new and
brighter chapter Of American his
.ory. For the first time in a quar-
.er of century, the dcstinies of
me nation are confided to the pco-
Die themselves-to those who give
he country all it possesses of vigor,
# courage and of honesty. For
ne first time in twenty-five years
he government is truly represen-
ative-the administration the di-
ect creation of the masses. For ,
his result we have striyen long S
nd patiently. Through indescri- {,
able adversities, under discour-
gemcnts that wouldhav appalled, !
,ss devoted hearts and in the face !.
f obstacles almost insurmountable !
e have adhered to the principles b
allowed by every honorable mem- a
ry and observance, and at last we {
avc-seen them triumphant. 1t is !
glad and glorious day which sees
lie final announcement of the 9
verthrow of RepubIicanism and a
le installation of the party which s
lerishes the philosophy of the
of the Republic. We y
ecd not say that the Democratic !
arty takes up Its responsibility in B
reverent and humble spirit. In n
lese long years of waiting and v
,pression, we have learned, not a
tterness and vengeance, but love
country and an honest ambition :
express that love in useful and 10
emorable deeds. There is no v
ed to make any promises any
ore than to gloat over the van q
Iished- The victory is ours and re
e duty also. Let US show the is
,rld that we can discharge the br
tya aintelligently and conscien- b
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