New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-06
THE NEW POLITICAL ORGANIZATION.

THE NEW POLITICAL ORGANIZATION.
The differences and disagreements which
have obviously existed for long time IN
the Democratic party have, at last, culmi-
mated in decided spill. in its ranks. "A
convention of the editors of newspapers,
representing the party heretofore opposed
to Republicanism, recently assembled IN
this city to devise some plan by which the
political power of this State can be wrested
from the Republican party, and secured TO
themselves and their adherents. The re-
suit of the deliberations of these gentlemen
has been the issue of two manifestoes.
One by the Old Liners, or the Democrats
who adhere to the old name, stock in trade,
practices, ETC., and the other by the more
sagacious gentlemen, who despair of sue
cess unless they assimilate their platform
more nearly to that of the dominant party.
The debates were highly interesting.
If we are to take the speeches of the reg
ular old stager, as an index of the senti-
ments of the great mass of the people who
are opposed to Republicanism, or, as they
please to term it, Radicalsm, we must
accept the conclusion that the DEM
ocratic party is dead, and the fact has been
officially announced by those who, how
ever reluctant to admit it, are peculiarly
we'll qualified to know. The old concern
having been, therefore. dissolved, by a
maio.r....y, vote of The late partners, it be-
comes necessary to establish a new party,
in which the adherents of the former are
to be provided for. In the new organiza-
ton, all the old party leaders (sic) are to
be excluded. How the division is to be
accomplished, or who shall designate to a
nicely the dividing line between the old
political hacks, and the solid, substantial,
intelligent citizens, who are eligible for
membership, are questions which may
excite our curiosity, but are not for us to
solve. Both wings of the late Democratic
party come out of the convention with
powerful and determined supporters. The
breach has been widened perceptibly since
the adjournment, so that the Conservatives,
lately marching under the banners of the
Democracy, are now further removed from
the lines of their late friends than they are
from the common enemy, the Radicals. It
is hard to separate from old ties, and turn
ones back upon old traditions and memo
ries. Nothing but the imperative and ur-
gent necessity for change of front to Sc
cure success could have prevailed upon
many of the veteran patriots in the late
Press Convention to break with the old
party. But as it was impossible to breathe
life into the old dead body; as none of the
eighty thousand colored voters could be
prevailed upon to affiliate with their hered
itary enemy, and the Germans showed I'm.
mistakable signs of establishing a reform
society, an abandonment of the wreck is
resolved upon. A new party is to be
formed, with a stock in trade-a new
name - Conservatives - new principles,
taken chiefly from the Republicans, and new
men to hold the Offices, selected judicious
ly from the ranks of the late Democracy
It is to be remembered that all that was
said and done in the convention had ref
erence only to the conservative press, and
intended. only for the future guidance Of
that powerful institution. But it is not
difficult to see that very general expecta.
ton prevailed that the main body of the
party, or at least preponderating major.
ity, were to be carried in the movement.
To this end a declaration of principles
well written and carefully considered, has
been put forth, pledging the Conservative
press:
1. To stand by the people firmly and hon.
estly in battling against political corruption,
etc.
3. To oppose and denounce corrupt
schemes and corrupt measures.
8. That neither OF the present political
organizations, as represented by men in
office, satisfies the expectations of the edi.
tors in the convention.
4. That the history of New Orleans, I'M
der john Conway's management, and the
intrigues of Democrats in and out of Office.
prove that bribery, corruption, intrigue,
ETC., are not confined to the Radicals.
5. Declares, in general terms, against GER
tain proposed laws, such as the election
bin. the militia bill, the constabulary
bill, the levee bill, and the school
bill, as being oppressive and insulting, and
some of them calculated to give too much
power to the Governor.
6. Declares that an overwhelming major
ity of the voters of this State are honest
men.
Z. To demand of the rulers, in every in
stance, fair election for white men as well
as for colored men; to urge upon the people
the necessity of protecting the rights of the
colored men at the polls.
s. To call upon the people everywhere to
organize. and ut the proper time select hon.
est candidates for Office.
The above declaration, although full Of
platitudes and generalities that either
mean nothing or are capable of various in
terpretations, is, with the exception Of the
fifth, pretty fair.document. Enough has
been borrowed from our party to redeem
it from the obscurity of an old-fashioned
Democratic platform, and even to make it
rather creditable programme OF princi-
pies.
If these same gentlemen had sooner
been ready to acknowledge that the thir-
tenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments to the Constitution of the United
States were fixed facts; to demand of the
rulers fair election for colored men, and
to urge upon the people the protection Of