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

State Senator A. B. Harris called the
meeting to order. He said:
Gentlemen of this Convention: You Will
now come to order. We have assemoieu
here in pursuance of an adjournment at the
Customhouse this morning. Lit is well known
that when we reached that building we
found it filled with United States marshals
and three companies of United States sold
iers on guard We found the United States
courtroom, in which the Convention was TO
be held, closed, and upon going to It's doors
we were refused admission. Finding that
no convention could ever be held there we
adjourned that convention to this hall and
it is my pleasing duty as member OF the
| State Central Committee to call this con-
vention of the Republican party to order
Mr.. Masters, of Carroll parish, having 4
been nominated as president pro TEN, and
Mr.. w. +. Blanchard secretary pro tenn,
committees on credentials and on perma-
nent organization were appointed
A recess was then taken, but the inces-
| SAINT calls for Governor Warmoth brought
| the Governor to his feet.
Governor Warmoth said: I thank you for
| the kindness and for the affection you have
| shown me to-day. 1t is to me satisfaction
| which | have not language to express, when
| | consider that the Republicans of the
| State of Louisiana have stood by me in this
| contest with usurpation OF authority-in
| contest with men who have tried to pack
Republican convention. We did not raise
any contest with this State Committee. con-
| trolled and owned by a pack Of United
1 States federal officials. who keep themselves
| in the United States Customhouse, and dare
not come out to the people and allow them
| selves to be seen. We raised no contest
| with them. We raised no contest with
-Garp xxrl,ny, tbax- aallaI convention
| in midsummer, without any purpose
| whatever but to perpetuate their own
| existence. We Immediately went to
work to elect delegates to represent
us in this convention. No sooner
| did we do that, than throughout the length
| and breadth of this great State letters were
| sent to every leading Republican, attempt
| ing to set our friends, both black and white,
| against the leaders of the party These men
| did not hesitate to send letters in which
| they said: "You must not trust any white
man but must send only black men to the
convention" They did not stop at that,
| but they circulated every plausible false
| hood against the officers of the State gov
| eminent and against the men who have
kept together the Republican party in this
| State, and have led it to victory so many
| times. [Cheers.l The result is this, that
a convention is called in this city,
and notwithstanding that the resolu-
ton calling the convention indicated
| the place of meeting, Marshal Pack
ard, with Collector Casey, struck out
the name of the hall indicated in this
resolution. and published it without any
| place of meeting named. We raised no
| question even on this point, but we said
when they give us notice of the place OF
meeting we will be there. [''Good y and
applausel. They gave us notice YESTERDAY,
! morning. What notice did they give US
That they would hold the Convention in
the United States courtroom in the United
| States Customhouse, and that no man
should pass the door of the hall who did
not have a ticket from the United States
Marshal daughter and cheers.l We
did not even contest that. Not only
told us that if we "inade any
fuss" by asserting our rights,-they
themselves being the judges of whether we
| were making fuss or not-that they had
| plenty of United States marshals to arrest
u.s. We even submitted to that, and this
morning assembled together and went down
to the postotfice and got our tickets-at
least some of us got tickets, and some did
| not Postmaster Lowell told gentlemen
that Marshal Packard had no right to indi-
| cate the postotfce as the place OF giving out
| tickets, and that he would not give them.
To others he said there were no tickets,
and many had to apply two or three times
| before UHey got Entu lApplduSc.J
| Some of us that had obtained tickets
went to the Customhouse and found
all the great doors closed and barred.
| We found that even the commercial men of
this city were not permitted to enter that
| Customhouse to transact their commercial
| business, unless they had a ticket from
Marshal Packard. The government of the
| United States has seen tit to suspend the
business of the Customhouse of this port in
| order that its peculiar friend and champion
NAV be. THE remainder of the sentence
was drowned in ringing burts OF appiauseJ.
| After waiting some moments at the door OF
| the Customhouse, the United States Marshal
| had concluded to allow me to enter. | was
| followed by ninety delegates, the large ma
| iOrity of whose seats are Oh the record OF
| the State Committee, without contest We
went in by the great door and mounted
| the main stairs, and when we got to the top
what did we find Right in front of the
door of the hall which these people had
selected as the meeting place OF the con-
| vention, stood two companies OF United
| States troops, with muskets, and lightning
rods at the end of them. Laughter and
cheers.l What did that say to usl 1t said
| that United States Marshal Packard United
| States Postmaster Lowell, United States
| Assessor Joubert, United States Collector
Casey and United States Deputy Collector
| Herwig and the balance of the crowd were
| determined TO nave lucI CohNcHtloH W
| themselves, and that if we interfered with
them or dared to protest they would arrest
us by United States marshals, or, if not
strong enough, they would turn us out
of the hall by the aid of United States
| troops.
A friend of mine once in Cuba had con
yersation with prominent citizen of that
island. native of Spain. He told him that
there was a great contest going on IN the
United States at that time between the
Democrats and the Wings for the election
of President. Said the Spaniard to him:
ssSir. on which side of the contest is the
army In Spain, as the army goes SO goes
the election" l. has been our boast, up TO
this time. and our pride. that the army OF
the United States has nothing to do with
the election of candidates, or the control OF
the people when they assemble III pubic
convention. [Cheers.l This is the first in
stance in the record of our great republic
when it has been otherwise. [Cheers.l
Nav it be the last Renewed cheering
There has not been throughout the length
and breadth of this State up to this day
one sincere Republican that has net been in
favor of the denomination of General Grant
If there should be any difference on this
question in the future. he must attribute it
to the conduct of his federal officials and to
| those who control his army here at the pres
ent time loud cheers May we hope that
this conduct has been without the knowl-
edge of President Grant. A voice, mo
doubt of it'll l am disposed to say be-
lieve there is no doubt of it. Applause. ]
But if it should go to the people of this
country that he has sanctioned the
calling of a Republican Convention in
the United States Customhouse to be con-
| III l,,-+ Init +o%a cIoi