New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-01-04
NUMBER 228.


4tn uiumo, the following committee Of
twehty- y-nye was appointed to carry out the
oDJeots OF that assemblage and take
measures y Ssls calculated to secure the election
o. General Grant for president:
William B. Astor, Hamilton Fish.
9anes lanes Brown, Jshn @. Jones,
eter C9oPer, Henry Hilton,
James Il. Banker, Jonathan Sturres.
Robert L. Stuart. Moses Tavlo1.
WIN. 7. Bl0dgett, Samuel Wetmore. n
So1u Socnrane, John e. Williams,
Pm, p; ~; OnlIJitenden, Frederick S. Winston,
nlllla9 L. Dodge, William II. Webb,
y Salies W harper, BENZ. B. Sherman,
y. A. Harrison, F. B. Cutting.
Moses II. Grinnell, C.Vanderbiit
Alexander I. Stewart, Chairman
ne hrst meeting of this committee vas
neld on Thursday evening, at the res 4
aehce OF their chairman, and was attehu H
py nearly all the members. After org
izing' oy the appointment of Henry Hiskoa
as secretary, the chairman proceeded teA
cali the attention Of tne committee 70 h
practical discussion of the most teasible
method to secure, as far as possible the
object for W. ich they were aR5ointad. In
| doing so, he said that tbs meeting. Of the
committee although preliminary, was very
important, as 1t was necessary AT this tihae
to settle upon a course otaetil4 for adop-
tion tending to carry into efeB the views
Of the meeting at Cooper Institute, from
which the committee emanete9. The main
object being to secure the election off7en,
eral Grant, the first thing to consider Was
how the committee could aid in bringing
about such result. He then gave brief
outline Of what he regarded es necessary
for the committee TO do.
First-He would avoid all conflicts with
politicians, who might seek to use the COM
mittee in behalf of candidates for vice
president, or any other position, giving all
their efforts in aid of General Grant alone,
upon the platform laid down by the meet
| ing; that is, his past record Of services to
! the country, and a confidence that his juGg-
ment in the FUTURE as in the past, might be
safely relied on to carry the government
through the many difficulties the country
must necessarily encounter during the COM
| ing four years.
Second-He would issue short business
1 circular to all commercial men in the coun-
| try urging them to come out and do as
had been done at Cooper Institute, not
waiting for the politicians to lead, but give
in advance Of them such an expression Of
the public opinion in every locality as
would leave no doubt as to the choice Of
the people for president, and thus, as it
were, give embodiment to the general
public sentiment outside Of party men, and
force the nomination of General Grant up
on any political convention that might be
held, either by Republicans OF Democrats.
The names of the various persons to
whom he would address this circular could
be obtained from the list of the business
friends and connections of the committee
throughout the country, so as to embrace
every person or firm of Importance, eXelu-
sively of business character, adding sneh
others to the list as might be deemed useful
with whom to open correspondence.
Mr.. Stewart, in expressing his views Of
the course to be adopted, remarked that it
would be perceived he avoided all connec-
ton with mere politicians, while at the
same time no cause was given them for
complaint
In thus acting like men of business they
would be showing their fellow-citizens
everywhere that they had a decided prefer
ence for General Grant as safe man to
trust as chief magistrate, and then, as busi-
ness men, ask their commercial friends to
come out in public meetings and do like
wise. In this manner it seemed to him they
would lead and eventually control those
, who now control the people, and produce
a lasting benefit to the whole country, in
addition to setting an example for the
future which might well be regarded as
: the beginning of system to end in the
! people expressing in all cases, in advance
e of conventions, their choice for leading pHb-
: lie offices and officials.
n In accordance with these views,
Judge Hilton submitted the form of cir
: cular letter, which, after earnest speeches
by Messrs. Grinnell, Sturges, Garrison
Cochrane. Hilton, Cooper, Dodge, Chitten-
den, and Winston, received the approval ot
the committee, and was referred for adop
J tion and circulation to an executive com.
! mittee Of five members, composed of Henry
Hilton, Moses II. Grinnell, G. K. Garrison
! William E. Dodge and John CochraRe, who
were also authorized to proceed in the
/ manner suggested by Mr.. Stewart, by en-
gaging headquarters and committee rooms
! opening correspondence throughout the
! country with the business connections o
I the various gentlemen comprising the com
l mittee, and all others disposed to join il
popular demonstrations of like character
to that had at the Cooper Institute, so as to
: present the name of General Grant as tfs
] nominee of the people.
: Mr.. Stewart was made ex-oficio member
! of the subcommittee, a meeting Of which
= for immediate action. was called for Friday
Until suitable quarters can be rented the
! executive committee will meet at the Office
! of its chairman, Henry Hilton, No. 26.
y Broadway.