The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-08-11
O&cio1 Journal Of the Town.
Our Agents..
Mr.. E. G. Hunters Letter,

We give SIace III our cOluthItS to-tav
to quite lengthy communication from
Mr.. f. G. Hunter in defense of his resolu.
ton at the recent;Conyention to re-organ-
ize the Executive Committee of the Dem
'ocratic party Of the Parish, and in reply
TO an editorial in our last issue, in which
we commented on the action of the Con-
vention in passing said resolution. Party
measures, being of a public nature, admit
of q fair ind candid criticism, and if in
making such criticisms or structures any
of our party friends differ with us in any
particular we shall cheerfully accord
them a hearing in our columns. The
DEMOCRAT, since it was founded some
forty years ago, has been the steadfast Or
. gan of the Democratic party in this Par
isl, and it can justly lay claim to the cred
it of advocating what was deemed to be
for the best interests of the party, and not
to crafty any personal or selfish motives
In common with many others of the party
we deemed the action of the recent Parish
Convention in authorizing the chair to
appoint new Executive Committee for
the Parish, as an innovation and an unau-
thorized proceeding. This opinion was
based on the fact that the Convention was
called for q certain purpose, that of elect
ing delegates to the Congressional Con-
hai =
functions ceased. Had it been their bus
mess to elect or select new Executive
Committee, it would have been necessary
80 have its expressed in the call which
brought them together.
Heretofore the Executive Committee
has been appointed at Mass Meetings. A
Mass Meeting is supreme in the matter,
from the fact it is an assembly of the peO-
pie themselves, and they act therefore in
their sovereign capacity. A Convention
is a body representing the people, having
only certain delegated powers. When po-
litical conventions exceed these powers
such action is usurpation and revolution
airy. We are willing, however, TO leave
the matter to the arbitration Of the people.
One or two words in reply to Mr.. Hun
ter. He says he wishes to reply to our
insinuations that it was not representa-
tive Convention. We said it was not a
full Convention; that not only were sew
eral precincts not represented at all, but
that several of those represented sent on
ly partial delegations. He argues the re-
suit would not have been changed even if
the Pinewoods precincts had all been re-
presented and voted solidly against his
motion, basing his argument on the vote
actually cast, which was 60 votes-3S for
and 22 against-and II being not repre-
scented, could not have changed the result,
Now we will show the sophistry of this
argument. All the delegates from the
precincts that were represented were not
in attendance. For instance, Cheneyville,
which was entitled to II votes, only had
we believe, one delegate in attendance,
who cast the vote for the entire IL, which
no doubt, he was authorized to do. But
if the delegations had been complete nc
doubt they would have been divided on
this question, as Alexandria was.
The reason there was no larger repre-
scntatiOn was because as we stated in last
weeks issue, the Convention was called
specially for the purpose of electing dele
gates to the Congressional Convention,
and for no other purpose.
Mr.. Hunters charge of the "dear peo-
ple' in connection with "cattle," does not
apply to this paper. So far as his re-
marks about Mass Meetings in Alexandria
for the whole Parish, as not being a fail
test OH account of the distant wards not
being sufficiently represented, we agree
with him there.
He says further that we do Judge Ryan
great injustice, and refers us to the pub
lished proceedings of the Convention in
the same issue of our paper. We said that
Capt. Whites motion was not voted on
at all. There was good deal of cOnfu
sion at the time Mr.. Hunters motion was
being voted on, many delegates having
left their seats, and we distinctly remem
Der Mr.. Jas. Andrews asking the chair
when his name was called to vote, upon
what motion was the vote being taken,
whether Mr.. Hunters or Capt. Whites tc
lay on table, and on being informed it was
the former, he voted "no.' Had Mr.
Whites motion been voted on there would
have been no necessity for his asking this
question. We never criticised the action
of Judge Ryan at all. We simply stated
what occurred in the Convention, and we
would be the last to do Judge Ryan an in,
justice, OF any one else, Intentionally, SC
far as that is concerned.
Mr.. Hunter saysin conclusion he is ''not
an advocate Of rings" but if we must
have one, let it be new one" We feal
it will be "brass' one, and very con
tracted at that.
BY the death of ex-Gov. Samuel J
Tilden, which occurred at Ionkers, N. Y.
on the 4th inst. at a m, the Democrat,
of the Union loses its principal man an,
greatest leader, and the country a states
man of whom they might be proud. Hi
death will be mourned for a long time
and to replace him will be no easy tasl
for his party.