The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-08-23


4 At - o'clock the Cnstomhouse Con
yention was called to order by Z. S
Marshall, S. B. Packard, Mr.. Decline
acting as Secretary. The report o
the late Executive Committee for or.
ganizing the Convention, was read ani
adopted.
Prayer by the Rev. j. NJ. Vance.
The convention then elected the fol
lowing temporary officers:
President-Hon. j. Henry Burch Of
Baton Rouge.
Secretary. w. Decline.
Mr.. Fogarty was elected Sergeant at
Alarms.
| On motion Mr.. Wright and others,
appointed by tho State Executive
Committee as Assistant Sergeant at
Arms, We're declared appointed by
this Convention as such officers.
Mr.. John Ray moved that com
mite on credentials, consisting of sew
en- members, be appointed by the chair
Withdrawn.
The motion of Mr.. Packard was
adopted, aud the roll called by tie
secretary.
On motion of Marshal Packard, the
lobby was allowed to be filed by spec
tators, although the troops still remain
ed on guard under arms.
MIR. Ray then moved that the chair
be authorised to appoint committee
on credentials, consisting of seven.
The resolution was adopted.
Mr.. Lowell moved that the creden-
tials of the delegates and report of
the. State COMMITTEE, be turned over
to this committee, Adopted.
Mr.. Lowell moved that while the
committee on credentials were out,
that Jas. H. Ingraham be.inyited to- ad-
dress the convention.
NGRAHAM (CoLoRED) SPEAKS.
The speaker commenced by stating
that for the first time in the history of
the Republican party, they We're com
PEELED to appeal to the authorities at
Washington, and receive the aid of the
| United States troops to protect them
from quandam friends. During the
past month the Metropolitan Police
and the city laborers of the Parish of
Orleans had been daily marched to
and fro from one end Of the Parish to
the other, to overawe Republicans in
their meetings, and to prevent an hon
est expression of opinion.
An attempt had been made to force
men into that convention, and to Mt
terly prevent free expression of opn-
ion. They proposed to throttle it at
its very outset, aud their failure was
attributable to the manhood of the
party, who, resisting every temptation,
| ho6 fha., Il. =.
had come for a free expression of opin-
ion. A time had come when the people
OF this country must be be heard, res
pected and obeyed. Those men who
had used the party for their own ag-
grandisement, and for the furtherance
of their own purposes must be known.
Far from being split in the party, the
boiling of that day was only the sluf-
| fing off of those who had never given
the party any strength, but who, on
the contrary, had made for it more en-
emies than all the other men compos-
ing it combined. In conclusion the
| speaker hoped that hereafter princi-
pies, and not men, would control. and
that the undivided front presented in
1879 would indicate fully the intention
OF the convention to prevent discord.
MIR. LowELL's SPEECH.
Post Master Lowell; the speaker
next called upon said:
That if the threats of his political en-
cmies had availed anything he would
not have been there to address the
Convention. For six weeks had been
at work and not one day in that time
had passed without the arrival of
some message anonymous and other
wise, in which he was threatened.
There was q division in the Republi-
can party, and it originated in the en-
deavor of Governor Warmoth to pro-
claim himself the ruler Of the party,
whether they liked it or.not. They
objected to be controlled by man
who was dragged through the streets
by set of "hired assassins." All that
was asked was that the people should
say what they desired. Mandates had
been issued to State Tax Collectors in
the country and here, directing them
to appear as delegates to the Conyen-
ton whether they were elected or not.
They proposed to force the minions
of the Chief Executive into body
which should embrace the representa-
tivcs entire people, and change the ex-
preston of opinion by the masses into
a partisan movement. Contrary to the
!, speakers desire the Convention was
compelled to meet in the Customhouse
but Governor Warmoth's own acts, in
securing all the halls, had compelled
them to take that step. Contrary tc
his (Lowell's) desire United States
troops were called out, but the threats
of Governor Warmoti's ''thugs ant
hired assassins" had compelled then
to take that step for their own protec
ton.
AS an instance of his assumption O
authority, the speaker stated that jus
previous to the last Presidential cleo
ton Governor Warmoth destroyed TIN
tickets of the Republican party, an,
in consequence the electoral vote of III
State was lost. This at the time wa
attributed to motives of policy, blu
: : really it was personal enniity to til
: : candidate of the party. More tfa
, once had Governor Warmoth. told TIL
, speaker that che did not like Grant.
He had said so here, in Chicago and a
! Washington, When sent on as deli
gate to the National Republican Con
vention he would never have voted fl
Grant had he not been compelled t
do so by his constituents. He. had en-
deavored some months ago to procul
the removal of several Federal officer
and his utter failure in the attempt II
: suited in declaration of war againi
;. the Administration.
> Q. j. Dunn lcOlored.l was next cal