New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-24
ADDRESS
OF THE
REPUBLICAN STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
OF LOUISIANA.

! Rooms REPUBLICAN STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE,
| New Orleans, December ~, l81l.
To the Republicans of Louisiana:
The gratifying intelligence received
from all parts of the State Of the unani
nous Endorsement of the action Of tn
Senate in the recent election for Lieu
tenant Governor, induces this committed
to present to you a resume of the facts
precedent thereto:
During the two campaigns Of 1870 {
few ambitious men, principally fedora
of1iceholders, organized boiling factor
in our ranks. Notwithstanding an over
whelming defeat, these dissentionists
determined to ''rule or ruin," indus
triously sought to spread discomfort by
asserting that the policy of the State ad.
ministration would be to exclude from
Office every colored man, and gradually
the Democracy. Unfortunately the bolt
ers obtained control Of the late State
Central Committee, and under their aus
plces convention was called to meet IN
New Orleans in August last 1t is, per-
haps, needless to recur to the outrages
then and there perpetrated. This So
called convention met in the federal Gus
tomhouse, outside the jurisdiction of Lou
isiana; the legally elected representatives
of the people were excluded by armed
| federal deputy marshals and federal troops,
and bogus organization effected. although
not quorum was present until sixteen ad-
ditiona! bogus delegates, principally fed
eral employees were appointed, on motion Of
federal office-holder, to ell the places of
excluded regularly chosen members.
These gross usurpations necessitated
the holding Of the Republican convention
at Turner Hall, not secret conclave,
guarded by armed sentinels, but open and
free to the whole people. The proceedings
Of that convention were scattered broad
cast, and everywhere met the full and
hearty appreciation of Republicans at
home and throughout the nation.
Coming to the next scene in this polt-
ical drama. The outcry against the State
administration was vigorously maintained
by the, tactionists, but how much truth
there was in the charges of antagonism to
the colored people, and secret affiliahon
with the Democracy, can best be deter
mined by the events of the sixth of De-
cember. Upon both parties practical
test Of their sincerity was suddenly and
unexpectedly forced. The lamentable
death OF Oscar James Dunn ere
ated a vacancy in constitutional
office, to FIJI which the State Senate was
convened The cloven foot of treason
could no longer be hidden. Their mask
of deceit and assimilation was ruthlessly
torn away, and the boilers exhibited in
their true colors One of the foremost
colored men OF the country-one excep-
tionly devoted to his race and advanced
Republicanism- became the candidate of
the party for the vacant Lieutenant Gov
ernorship, and received the earnest sup
port OF the State administration, while
the Customhouse faction, to defeat him,
and further their secret aim to irrevoca-
bly, divide the Republican party, boldly
entered into league with the Democrats.
who, true to their proscriptive prejudices,
exacted (the only qualification they de-
nlanded) that their candidate should be
Il lchie man!
The traditions and PLATFORM Of the Re
publican party of Louisiana pledged its
adherents to IAN equal distribution
among white and colored alike Of all
Offices.
This the boilers deliberately ignored,
thereby betraying the claims of ninety
thousand Republican voters, and exhibit
ing a treachery unparalleled III the his
tory of political organizations. The Gus
tomhouse faction even resorted to threats
to intimidate Senators, as in the case Of |
Senator Butler, Of Plaquemines parish |
The federal Marshal, S. B. Packard, as
serted to him that the State would be put
under martial law if the coalition of which |
he is q leader did not win in the contest.
How abased they feel at the fruitless re-
suits of all their treacherous and netarious
plottings we have no means of judging, |
but the best commentary that can be |
given on this contest of Loyalty VS.. Trea-
son is contained in the vote which gave |
to the Republican party glorious victory
and drove its leagued enemies beaten and |
dismayed to their haunts.
On call of the roll for election OF Lieu
tenant Governor the Senators responded
as follows, each candidate voting for his
opponent, according to custom and
courtesy:
For P. b. 5. Pmcljacl- Messrs. Bar
Der, Butler, Campbell, COPELAND, Gallup,
Harris, Hunsaker, jerks, kelso Lewis,
Lynch, McMillen, holland, Raglan,
Swords, Twitchel, Whitney, Wilcox
eighteen true and steadfast Republicans
For Z. !. ConpIand- Messrs. AGdsrson,
Antoine, hickman, Bowman, Daig!e,
Fitch, Herwig, Ingraham, O IIara, Pinch
back, Ray, Smith. Sypher, TEooos,
Thompson, Todd sixteen, including seren
Democrats and sic Customhou5e en-
ployes.
Pa,,7L1inaOc' II thaca ,n.n ~, an oa