New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-13
THE DEHOCRATIC MOUNTAIN.
Lusus Nature Brought Forth.

Lusus Nature Brought Forth.
There has never been recorded, in all the
annals of medical and surgical science, an
obstetrical case of such peculiar difficulty
as the one that occurred at the Democratic
Convention, assembled yesterday in Odd
Fellows Hall.
Not only was the travail portentOus, but
the result produced was so monstrous as
TO unsettle all belief in many natural phe-
nomena and scientific dicta, heretofore con
sidered as beyond question. Who Will be-
lieve, hereafter, that oil and water Will not
unite, or in the natural antagonls'n OF cat
and mouses Henceforth let us take mo-
lasses with our oyssers.
Long before the hour fixed for the meet
ing of the Democratic State Convention,
groups of ernest- looking. and some anx-
ious-looking, men were standing grouped
around the pavement, in grave discussion,
frequently mixed with vehement gestlcuia-
ton, all ominous of some marvellous event
on the eve Of trahspiring.
At noon precisely the large room Of Odd
Fellows Hall was well filled with delegates
and citizens, and the convention was called
to order.
Ex-Lieutenant Governor Voorhies was
called to the chair, and Colonel SmailW0od
and Dir. S. l.. DupeiIe were named secreta-
ries pro TEN.
It having been resolved that the char ap-
point nine delegates as a committee on
credentials, a recess of ten minutes was
taken to enable the chair to appolnt sald
committee.
And now little cloud appeared. Dir.
Briant, of St. Martin, offered the following
resolution
BE II rssolrcd That, inasmlch AZ the
question of admitting cOlOred delegates to
seats in the Democratic Convention OF the
State. contrary to precedent, has never been
passed upon and determined by any duly
authorized mandatory of the party, the
Committee on Credentials Is hereby i'll
structed to report specially the names OF all
such colored delegates as may have been
returned from the different parishes and
sections of the State.
Mr.. H. McCaleb moved to lay this on the
table. and his motion was reechoed by an
avalanche of seconds.
Quite an excited debate at once arose,
and, after lasting for sometime, the chair
ruled the resolution out OF order, SO that
rock was safely avoided
A recess of half an hour was then re-
solved on, to enable the committee on ere
dentials to examine and report,
The half hour had long expired, and the
committee came not. It was understood IN
the hall that the difficulty was about the in
eyitable, the indispensable colOred man.
committee at length brought forth report,
the result of three hours' wrangle. The
report made favorable mention OF the dele
gates of the colOred persuasion who had
been sent from some OF the interior parishes.
Now arose q war of words of learned
length. banded freely about from side to
side. The cOlored delegate was evidently o
bitter pill but it was equally plain that a
majority Of the delegates had made up their
h nnH tI.t h.,-
ciples of the Democratic party would cease
to be the principles OF the Democratic par
". past eNGerience having shown THAI it
would be destructive of the principles, in
teres. and existence Of the Democratic par
tv should the principles of the Democratic
party continue TO be the principles OF the
Democratic party.
The names CT the various delegates IN
whose favor the committee on credentials
reported. were read, and among them Were
the colorcd Men sent from various parishes,
fifteen delegates in number.
The exciting discussion continued long
enough To convince the cul0red men, who
lad been sent az delegates, that they were
admitted not in candid, frank recogniZance
of their rights. but for the present, at least,
as a necessary evil
Ex-Lieutenant Governor Mouton de-
prccated and protested against the
manner of sagginS the question.
and advocated full discussion He
ii common with many others, acknowl-
edged that the colored man. as delegate,
was q new question with TIE Democrats, but
IF we understood him correctly he would
vote against the colored delegates, but sub
nit to the cOloced delegates if the majority
of the Democracy willed 10 have them.
1t was too evident what the result would
be: so after talking all around the matter
the report of the committee on credentials
was adopted, ard fifteen colored gentlemen
are now members of the Democratic State
Convention. at present sitting il the Odd
Fellows Hall.
So, after years of vi-tuous Indignation
against the Republican party. fer admitting
the principle OF coiored franchise, the Dem
ocratic party admit the principle Of colored
franchise. This finished the main business
of the sitting for after the election of Mr..
Voorhies as permanent president of the
convention, and further progress in organi-
zation, the convention adjourned.