The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1888-01-21
The Democratic Party.
N. o. Daily States, Jan. Ia.

N. o. Daily States, Jan. IA.
Late Yesterday afternoon the Democratic
State Convention at Baton Rouge nominated
General T. T. Nichols for Governor. The
name of no other gentleman was placed bs
fore the Convention, and the friends of Gov.
McEnery and Judge Moncure, after voting
blank on the nominating ballot, on q motion
of Mr. James ID. Houston, made in dIgnihed,
well timed and excellently worded speech
voted to make the nomination unanimous:
Messrs Jack, Caffery and Rogers seconded The
nomination of Gen. Nichols in eloquent
speeches, characterized by IL true Democratic
spirit, while Gen. Nichols himself, expressed
temperate and conciliatory views III thanking
the Convention for his nomination, reiterat-
ing his promises made during the campaign,
to recognize all Democrats as members OF u
common family, between whom the hohors,
emOluments and cares OF Office should he I'M
partially distributed.
Gen. Nichols ia now the nominee OF the
Democratic party, its leader and representa-
tive in a canvass pressing close upon us, pfeg'
nant witl& fnomertOus interests, and IL is the
dht and determination Of the States to give
him its cordial, earnest and unfaltering shp-
port We would be guilty of gross sycophan-
ey if we did not say that we do this, not be-
cause we are gratified at the nomination OF
General Nichols, but in the interests OF the
Democratic party at whose head he has been
placed.
For reaso1s we have clearly given during
the preliminary canvass, we preferred any one
of the several eminent Democrats, whose
names were mentioned in connection with the
.dbernatOral nomination, to the gentleman
upon whom it has been bestowed. But, bit
ter as this canvass has been, the States has
never failed to recognize in Gen. Nichols tho
brave and loyal soldier and the stainless gen
tleman. Such atman, warmly as we opposed
his nomination, we can as warmly support,
now that he has the endorsement, and, quite
clearly, the affection of our common party.
We express our own sentiments; but we
earnestly hope that, as similar ones were ex-
pressed by the opponents of Gen. Nichols III
the convention when they voted to make his
| nomination unanimous, they will find ring
ing echo in the breast of every Democrat with
| in the broad limits of this fair State. Let
| those amongst us, in whose hearts the bitter.
| burning words OF the canvass still rankle, ana
who are disposed to be rebellious, remember
that the fight before us is not for Gen. Mich
| oils, not for this or that man. but for
| the continued supremacy Of the Democratic
party in this State, and that upon that con
tinued supremacy here may depend the
mighty issues of the national canvass u few
months hence. Base is the traitor who fees
h-~<-szzssE- and listlessly beholds the battle
against the foes of his home and country be-
cause, forsooth, he preferred some other chief
| than the one who leads.
/ This battle is to be for the Democratic par
/
/ fore two-fold battle for Louisiana and the
constitution of our fathers. 1t is for LOnisi-
ana first, wherein ar our families and our
/ homes, threatened b. the old radical gang it
is next for the Const tuition, the hope of the
/ Republic, threatened by the Republican party
| in every State in the Union, and to be storm
ed by the brains and money of the enemy at
our gates first, and ih few weeks Should
the Radical party be able to carry Louisiana
/ in April, the Republican party will in all pro
liability carry the country in November, the
| solid South will be broker and the brief reign
of the Democratic party, which has accom-
plished so much and promises so much more,
seriously imperilled and perhaps ended.
1t is no answer to this to say, that -four
years ago, the supporters of Gen. Nichols re
fused to make the nomination of Gov. McEn
/ cry unanimous; that his organ in this city
then advised his friends to bolt the namina
ton that thousands of them did do so and
voted for Stevenson, the Radical candidate
That is q thing of the past. The friends OF
| Gov, McEnery were able to defeat that un
holy movement, but the friends of Nichols
could not now carry the State without the
vigorous backing of the mcEnery faction
hence, what in the Picayune and its disgrun
tied followers, in 1884, was a mere puerile ar
ridiculous manifestation of spite wouid be-, II
J the friends of Gov. McEnery, in 1888, detesta
bic treason well calculated to destroy tht
! prosperity of our State and again trample up
on its civilization. The friends OF Gov. Nc
Emery cannot afford to be bolters. They hays
no need to be. They will not be. Ii they
have not their choice for candidate, the!
have a candidate whose name is identified
with much that is glorious in the history Q
i our State, and whom, personally, any and NJ
men may follow without apologiziDg for thei
course aud with perfect confidence that h
will do all for Louisiana that he conceISes T.
, be for the best interest of Louisiana.
] Then, Democrats, let us stand together
shoulder to shoulder, in this hight J; and let tn
+ Radical chiefs, Whose hearts have swelie'
5 high with hope during the past months, ut
f derstand that though d one faction OF Louis
ana Democracy may temporarily triumph owe
another. never, in this generation. will Rad
! calsm triumph over the Louisiana Democraey
|, These are our eounsels to fellow Democrat
The States will act upon them, cordially an
! Increasingly, until the battle is won. We 10y
: the Democratic party more than we love Mt
. Emery or any other man, or all other mel
|, | and we shall not break our sword and slim
: out of the fight because we have not bcel
: able to dictate the standard bearer.