New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-03
cRBDENTIALs OF DELEGATES.

CREDENTIALS OF DELEGATES.
1t appears from the call for the con-
vention that the State Central Committee
requires that all credentials of delegates
should be sent to S. B. Packard, as pres
ident -,
This is contrary to all precedent both
in national Republican conventions, and
in the Republican conventions in the
several States both North and South.
Why this order should have been made
it is difficult to understand, and it can not
well be explained, as an innovation on
Republican practice, otherwise than that
the majority of the State Central Com
mittee intend to take an unfair advantage
of the majority of the Republican voters
throughout the State. If Packard, Lowell
and Casey felt strong enough to carry
majority of Republican votes, they would
not be afraid to submit the credentials OF
delegates to the convention itself. But
being in minority, their purpose is to
control and pack the convention, and
designate who shall constitute its mem
bers
This is not Republicanism: it is worse
than Democracy; it is tyranny and oil
garchy itself, and if consummated, will
forever crown those bad men with dis
honor, shame and degradation. They
will be unworthy NO. only of Republican
support, but even recognition. The
Republicans of this State have heretofore
manifested sufficient intelligence to de-
termine such questions for themselves,
especially when they meet in convention,
and we may add sufficient independence
to carry it out in the spirit and with the
purpose of free American citizens. And
we can confidently expect that when the
meets at Mechanics Institute,
at twelve o'clock on Wednesday next, the
members will each assert his manhood
and his independence, except to his
and say to the State Central
Committee, ''The day of your reign is
over. We are men and Republicans.
We represent our parishes and our
clubs, and we are able to take
care of ourselves, we want no more of
your dictation, we will elect our own
committee on credentials and will deter
mine for ourselves who are the members
of this convention, as our people have
sent US here for that purpose and for the
purpose of maintaining the integrity of
the Republican party of Louisiana and
the United States, which Lowell, Packard,
Casey and Carter, with all their speeches
and letter writing and confederate records
and threats of expulsion from the Gus
tomhouse, can not drive from the hearts
Of the true people the necessity of sus-
tanning, man to man and shoulder to
the State and national admins
tration."
We have said thus much because we
apprehend and believe that the
faction who control majority of the
central committee will insist on the
iniquity suggested in the call; and if they
do this, they would do almost anything
for success. Hence, we advise all dele
gates regularly elected by majority of
the Republicans of their wards or par
ishes land we want none others, for the
sake of harmony, and to avoid any posi-
BILE cause of objection, to send certified
copies of their credentials Immediately to
5. B. Packard, chairman State Central
Executive Committee, at New Orleans.
We advise the delegates, under no cir
to part with their original
credentials until they themselves the
of the Republicans of Louisi-
them to their own commit
tee in the conventional committee to be
elected by themselves. This course
alone will secure justice to the great ma
ority of the Republicans in this State.
If asked, why not send the originals to
Packard & Co., we answer-frst, because
it has never been the custom of the Re-
publican party to do SO; and secondly,
because we believe that men who are po-
itically dishonest, would not scruple at
my means to obtain an end, and we are
not sure that the original credentials, if
placed in their hands, would ever see the
light of day again.
We will say to the great Republican
party of this State, whose representatives
We expect to meet upon the floor of the
House of Representatives, at Mechanics
institute on the ninth of August, that their
delegates will elect their own committee
nd determine on their own credentials,
nd the State Central Committee and
heir friends and Democrats, who have
Ilways been against us, will learn that
here is power in this State superior to
hem, and that power is the Republican
party, assembled as a united body to de-
clare the integrity of republicanism, ma
lonal and State, and to proclaim unto
,he world that the State of Louisiana will
ndorse and sustain the great party of
liberty next election day.