New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-12
THE TWO TICKETS.

There are two formidable Richmonds
in the municipal field in New Orleans.
The stragglers, suffers, bummers, etc, of
the Republican and Democratic forces
have taken upon themselves the names and
assumed the functions of the respective
armies which they have been following,
and regularly nominated candidates for
city Offices. There is such marked SINH
laiity in the two factions in point Of per-
sonal responsibility, political influence,
and ability, that it is exceedingly difficult
to determine which is the worst. The
more intelligent and upright members of
the true Conservative or Democratic party
are willing to concede the palm OF superb
GRITTY to the Republican nominees, while
the Republicans of the same social stand
ing, not wishing to be outdone in magma
nimity, insist upon conceding it to the
small squad Of political workers who have
put on thin mask Of Democracy. The
similarity of the two tickets is also notice
able in the fact that what little compe-
tency and responsibility there are in either
comes in near the end, among the subor-
dinate and inferior nominees. So far as
we are able to understand public senti-
ment, the election of the candidates of
either faction would be regarded as a great
misfortune to the city.
Happily, however, this calamity will be
averted. or postponed for the present, by
the bill, which has been passed, to post
pone the city election until fall, as we'll as
the new city charter, which has also
passed both houses of the Legislature, but
was somewhat amended in one house,
and will, therefore, have to be reported
back to the House in which it originated.
If an election for city officers were to
take place on the day named in the old
law, Monday fourteenth, the result would
be that the corporation and its govern
ment would be taken possession of, with
but slight exceptions, by as precious set
Of political scamps as any we have ever
yet had. This is calamity which all
good citizens should endeavor to avert.
The effort has been made for more than
twenty years to prevail upon the better
class of the people to take more interest in
elections, but without much
success. A few wealthy gentlemen have
met occasionally in Parlor P, or some
other room inaccessible to the masses, and
devoted an hour or two at a time in dis
,ussing what ought to be done. A dozen
Dr. more bottles of champagne were con-
'umed, a half hundred of cigars ordered,
ind the whole thing ended in smoke. For
10 determined, organized efforts were
made, either at tie primary ward meet
ngs or at the polls, to select good men for
he positions.
In 1858, when Beauregard was candi-
late for Mayor, many decent citizens COM
'ined, and by force and arms attempted |
o put down the thuggery which was then
ontrolling our pretended elections. Blu.
heir organization was SO respectable
7eak and defective, that it accomplished
10 good.
The city is to-day, probably, more CON-
letely in the hands of the worst classes
han ever. Bad men have organized their
orces, elected their delegates to the nomi-
ating conventions, and now publish the
ames Of those selected as the representa-
YES and choice of the two great political
art;es. Two of the delegates to one of
ne conventions were detained in the Par
ii Prison to answer for ofenses against
,e laws. They had the effrontery, how
Yer, to send proxies, and demand right
, vote. For a wonder, considering the
aaracter Of the convention, this strange
,quest was denied A sarcastic gentle
IAN remarked yesterday that if Captain
ain and his police had been active, they
ould have been able to break the quo
I'M. BIT the gent was little excited,
I'd put the case rather strongly.
But the lntelilgent, the honest, and the
rtuous people Of New Orleans, Jeffer-
n, and Algiers, rich and poor, white and
'lored, Republicans and Democrats, ear
'stly appeal to the Legislature and the
overnor to save their cities from the
predations of these spectators. Wheth- q
they come in the name of Democracy or s
epublicanism, so far as we are able to
dye from the published names, they are
fit for the positions they aspire to, and
e unworthy Of public trust. There is
It one way to circumvent them, and that
to give Us the proposed new charter,
th its bureau system, and the prospect it
ords Of responsible men in the impor-
ut positions.