New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-14

While Liberal Republicans and Liberal
Democrats contemplate with bitter disap-
pointment the surrender and defeat of the
Liberal party in this State, a large number
of Republicans view the reckless, unprinci
pied combination which to day attempts to
monopolize the name and fair fame of the
grand old party of freedom with equal re-
gret and dissatisfaction. The fusion of the
| Packard and Pinchback wings lately eff
fected is considered by them as reprehensi-
BILE as the Bourbon-Liberal transaction.
AS a hearty and honorable affair it
| is a failure; as a reform movement
| it is uncertain; as a representative
of correct Republican principles it can not
| be relied on. 1t originated IN fraud, was
| perpetuated by unusual and improper in
fuences, and is the fruit of fed eral interfer-
ence and dictation. The fusion of the two
wings of the Republican party was a poll
tical trade, made in violation of the trust
and confidence of the Pinchback conyen-
ton, and the principles which gave it ex-
istence. It benefited few individuals,
but it sacrificed the germ of Repub lican
| reform movement, which could have raised
a standard honorable and glorious to the
party.
The Republican party of L )uisiana has a
history which can not be compared with
that of any other party in any other State
of the Union. 1t began in days that truly
tried mems souls, when only mere dozen
could be induced to gather in Economy
Hall, New Orleans. Its enemies were
legion, its expressions were great, but it
grew up as seed upon thrifty soil, and after
many trials and tribulations became power
| full, victorious, and assumed the govern
ment of the State. There were many hope
| full and throbbing hearts when Henry Clay
| Warmoth young, proud white man, and
! Oscar j. Dunn, a noble, honest negro, took
their oaths, on July l3, 1868, as Governor
| and Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana. A
! broad chasm had been crossed. A govern
ment was inaugurated which promised
| equal rights, union and confidence among
| all classes of the distracted people. There
were stormy days, and after, peaceful ones
but during all Warmoth and Dunn stood
side by side, firm and faithful. Owing
! of the Democracy, negroes could not con-
| fde in the wealthy and stable natives, but
| were forced to choose new COmers, who
were often mere adventurers as their lead
ers and legislators. They acquired control
| Of party councils and the legislative halls
| Contrary to the remonstrance of the Gov
ernor and the better elements of their
| party made callous by the threats of mobs
and the unscrupulous partisan warfare
waged against them by Democracy, laws
were enacted by dishonest Republicans in
| league with dishonest Democ rats that
caused every Republican to look upon the
| legislative halls as Teproach and disgrace
to his party.
Unassisted by single opposition news
paper in the city or country but, even in
the face of their jeers aud contempt, Gov
ernor Warmoth attempted to stay the tide
that was fast drifting the Republican party
to destruction and impairing the fair fame
of the State. He appealed to legislators, in
caucus and on the floor in person, to vote
down outrageous monopOlies, but all to no
purpose tor, as he stated to the citizens
committee at the time, his efforts were
counteracted by Democratic money, lobby
lists and corporations, and he was not sus-
tanned by the good citizens of the State,
whose duty it was to give him their
countenanee and support. The Governor,
finding his efforts about to fail, and
anxious for both party and the peoples sake
to maintain a creditable administration, in
vited the assistance of conservative men.
Some were appointed to office to allay par
tisan feeling; some because fit, capable Re-
publieans could not be found to fill them
The men who were filing their pockets with
bribes, the men who were interested IN the
success of menopolies, were sore at the de-
feat of their schemes (the Governors vetoes
fell upon friend and foe); and the men who
were new in the arts Of state smanship, un-
able to comprehend the Governors posi-
ton, were instjgated by defeated rings and
monopolists to Join them in common cause
against him. The unscrupulous adven-
turers who found that they were unable to
secure the cooperation of the Governor de-
termined to ruin him.
From that hour may be dated those in
blllOu5 aJGdCh6 pun IlS N6pub4lCdu
tive which finally resulted in the rupture
between Warmoth and Dunn, and the di-
vision Of the Republican party. To say
that the Governor did not make mistakes,
we can not; hut we can say that in the main
his obstacles were great, his position ardu-
Gus, and it is a marvel that he governed so
well during this eventful period
1t is satisfactory evidence that the peO-
pie sustained the course of the Governor in
1870, that a constitutional amendment was
adopted by large majority having refer
ence to his eligibility for the second term.
Owing, in great degree, to Warmoth's
personal influence, the Republicans epolled
a majority of $4,000 that campaign and the
Legislature was again secured. The adven-
turous element which trailed at the skirts Of
the party, and the number of ignorant or
incompetent men in the Legislature was in
creased, and the enemies of the Governor, |
sore with defeat were eager to grasp the |
opportunity for revenge and profit. They |
had worked upon the ambition of Lieuten- |
ant Governor Dunn and his natural Bolici-
tude for his race, by announcing him as a |
candidate for the United States Senator |
ship, and laying undue stress upon the con-
servative policy of the Governor. Issue I
was made with the Governor on the Sen
atorial succession which resulted in the !