The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-06-06

UspitoliansAdyocate.

d We're itnot that the persistent harp,
+ ing of the patriotic" press upon the
: 'The Two Madison Negroes" whose
/. votes are said to have given the Sena-
torial nomination 10 Mr. Eustis in the
z Democratic caucus, is becoming mo
Botonous, we would not have had the
/ cruelty of throwing any obstacles to
i its strenuous efforts TO make alIeap Of
political capital ont of the participa-
: tion of these dnsky legislators in the
!, Democratic caucus. But really, the
: f'feariess and outspoken journal" have
E ridden the subject to such an extent,
that ont of consideration for theread-
ing public we have been tempted to
! give the narrowing tale its gstietaS.
Z We will lead off with the observa-
tion that the admission of the fcTwo
Madison Negroes into the Democratic
caucus, is charged up to the account
of 'the ring" the administration,
etc. Let us sec how far this tallies
with the record:
The CdpitoliGR- Adbocate, which, on
account of its support of Governor
McEHery's nomination is frequently
classified as d ''rIng' or ''administra-
ton" organ, in its issue of May 10,
1884, in an article headed "Principles
Not Men" said:
awe feel it onr duty on the eve of
the meeting of the General Assembly,
to remind the Democratic members of
the dangers to which they will expose
their party and the good people of the
State, if they admit into their caucus
men who have been elected in opposi-
tion to the regular nominees of the
Democratic party.
&Our readers all know that for some |
years past the opponents of the Demo
cratic party have been striving to SOW
discussions in its ranks, by encourage
ing independent movements upon the
fiimsy pretense that the time had
come for men to disregard their party
affiliations and to vote for the man.
ait was with that tempting idea that
the people of Virginia we're lulled into
MahoHeism-that species of half breed
politics that the Republican party
even, has not dared to own as its fos-
ter child.
ITO admit into the caucus men who
have triumphed over the regular nom
inees of the party is to offer a pre-
MUM to those who do not feel bound
by the decisions Of its constituted au-
thorities its rnles or nominations.
X
Those of that category who have
exercised their privilege to vote and
TO act as they saw fit before their cleo
tion, will not find il strange, if their
colleagues elected on regular Demo
cratic tickets, hold that the csucuses
shall be composed exclusively of regu-
lar Democrats who not only profess
Democracy, but practice it by abiding
the mandates of their party to the
letter.
''There can be no question that all
matters relating to the welfare Of the
Democratic party should be handled
by strict party men, who believe the
maintenance of its organization essen
tia to the happiness of the people.
ave believe that if the Sanctitv of
the Democratic caucus is not decreed
al this juncture, powerful combina-
tiOns will seriously threaten the supre
macy of the Democratic party at the
next elections, and throw the State
into the same turmoil that has signal
lied the reign of the Mahonites in
Virginia.
personal considerations should not
deter our representatives, from perform
ing what we conceive to be their i'm
peratlVc duty. We are confident that
their constituents expect it of them"
This, surely, was square Democratic
talk; but strange TO say, at that period,
we do not remember to have seen in a
single one of the fearless and out.
spoken" "anti-ring," "anti-administra-
ton "anti-everything' journals, one
word in endorsement of these senti-
ments Il
On the 18th of May, two days after
theis publication in the Capitoiiar-
Aoltocate, the Democratic eancns was
organized, and everybody sohO chose to
enter it aeaS admitted soithout objections
from either faction, and the officers of
the General Assembly were nominated
by the majority of the participants. r
On the 18th of May, the eaneus, in
whose permanent organization and sub
segment proceedings "The Two Madi- (
son Negroes had been allowed to par
tieipate, proceeded 10 ballot for U. S.
Senator in the manner directed by the
caucus on the previous night, and Mr.
Eustis received a majority of the votes
cast
The "anti' papers contend that
without ''The Two Madison Negroes"
the Democratic friends Of Mr.. Jonas
were in the majority. If that was the
case and they were DESTROYS to pre-
serve the sanctity Of the caucus, why
did they not use that majority TO ex-
clude HThe Two Madison Negroesg'
Therefore, is not that alleged majority
responsible for their participation, in
stead of the minority?
Bnt it suits the purposes of the
'antis" at this jnneiure, 10 raise this
howl.
Bearing in mind the fact VIC have
related, is it reasonable to suppose
that our aconfreres would be singing
this same song, if the votes of 'sThe