New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-11
Atfhe CustOmhouse.

Eighty-five delegates marched in body
to the Customhouse with tickets of admis-
sion, but were refused admittance into the
hall by deputy United States marshals,
supported by two companies of United
States troops, stationed near the door of the
United States courtroom, selected as the
hall of the Convention. Governor War
moth at the head OF the delegates asked for
admission Of himself and delegates to the
hall. The deputy marshals refused to adj
NIT them. The Governor again demanded
admission and was again refused, but was
told that he, if he chose, could enter the
hall. The Governor replied that he would
not 90 into the hall unless tie balance of
the delegates, having tickets, were ad-
m1tted.
The marshals still refusing to admit the
delegates, they retired to the head of the
Customhouse stairs, right in front of the
line of United States troops with muskets
stacked.
A chair being brought, the Governor rose
and said:
Fellow Republicans: We have submitted
to the dictation of the State Central Com
mittee thus far. We have consented to
meet in convention in the United States
Customhouse. although that building is
without the jurisdiction of the State of Loul-
siana. We have consented TO come here, not
withstanding the fact that the hall was
surrounded by an army of United States
deputy marshals. We have consented to
take such tickets as they were willing to
give us; but we have come here to-day, the
legally constituted delegates of the Repub-
Iicans of the State, to represent their wishes,
and to express their will. We are refused
admittance to the hall of the convention,
and these deputy marshals, hacked up by
these companies of United States troops,
seem determined we shall not have fair
| expression of our opinions and thai the Re-
publicans here assembled shall have no
part or lot in the public deliberations of
this convention.
GJust here Captain Smith. commasding
the military, pulled the Governors sleeve,
and whispered something to him, when the
| Governor continued.
We bow in respectful obedience to the
mandates of the military power, and having
been refused Abundance to the hall deslg-
| mated by the State Central Committee as
| the place for the convention to assemble, |
propose that we now adjourn to the Turner
| Hall and hold the convention there.
The delegates then followed the Governor
| down the stairs, rolling up cheer after cheer
| for Governor Warmoth. They were met at
| the door of the Customhouse building by
| thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, who
echoed their cheers till the granite building
rang again, and called upon the Governor
| for a speech. He began to address the
| crowd on the steps ia front of the main
entrance, but was forced out of the build
ing by the pressure of the crowd inside
striving to get out.
At this point Mr.. Blanchard, brother
| of State Registrar, B. Ply Blanchard,
Esq, says he saw a man wearing the badge
of deputy United States marshal, draw a
pistol and present it at the Governor, but
that Mr. William Roy, the deputy marshal
in command told him to put it up.
The Governor then mounted his carriage
and addressed the people, informing them
at the close of his speech that the conven-
ton was adjourned to the Turner Hall.
On sudden and electric impulse the in
dignant populaee unhitched the horses
from the Governors carriage, and with one
| huge cheer started at firemans run for
the Turner Hail. Their ranks augmented
at every step by numbers Of enthusiastic
supporters, whose cheers were only limited
| by the supply of oxygen in their lungs
| Thus borne, in a sort of prophetic tn
umphal procession, the Governor and his
| friends reached the place of meeting.
Tn Turner Hall.
| The eapacious hall of the Turner'S, eapa-
bic of holding four or five thousand people,
| was crammed to its utmost capacity.
| Cheers for the United States flag, the sing
| ing of John Brown, with an extemporized
parody, indicating the suspension of some
body other than JEFF Davis to sour apple
tree, and the soul reviving strains of the
| Star Spangled Banner made the time pass
| lightly until the hour of organization came
The formal proceedings of the Convention
will be found officially recorded in another
part of this days paper. The business Of
the present reporter is simply to record the