New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-04-25
THE CINCINNATI CONVENTION,

characterize the Cincinnati convention a.
an assembly of boilers and seceders, ant
those who sympathize with it as disorgan
izers, who wish to break up the Rep1b
lican party. Such is not the case. Th'
call for this convention had it's origin il
grave impelling causes, and it will be hello
by Republicans under fealty to the bes
interests of the country. It is designed
to form no new political organization, mol
to weaken or destroy that which has con
tributed SO much to the glory and homo,
of Sthe nation. The principles which
wrought its success and gave it prominence
remain the same, but the policy of those
who are administering the government
under it is subject to grave objection.
This policy has given rise to innumer-
able abuses, which have crept into all the
departments Of the civil service, destroy
ing the confidence of the people, and
bringing upon the administration the re-
proach of our own and foreign nations.
In the hope Of applying remedy to
this evil, the convention at Cincinnati has
been called for the first proximo. It is
designed not merely to preserve the Re-
publican party in its purity, but to hit
upon plan which will restore good gov
eminent and be another guarantee that
government is merely creature Of the
people, created for their benefit and sub
servient to their interests.
A well grounded apprehension pervades
the country that these ends can not be Sc
cured at Philadelphia. It is believed that
that assembly will be composed largely of
of ofice-holders pledged to the single OBJ
ject Of advancing the interests Of an indi-
vidual, more responsible than any one
else for the calamitous condition of the
country. As chief executive of the nation,
they charge that he has inaugurated sys-
tenn of fayoritism, directed solely to the
advancement of personal relatives and
friends, regardless of the public service
and the necessities of the country But
chiefly that he views the national govern
ment as a centralized monarchy, refusing
TO the States inherent and reserved rights
and conceding to Congress the right of
local legislation.
As the exponent of these new executive
devices, the present administration has
become obnoxious to moiety of the Re-
publican party, as well as to conservative
men throughout the country. Such a
policy, if persisted in, would undermine
the integrity Of our institutions, if not de-
stroy the benefits of government 1t is,
therefore, in opposition to such principles
as these that has resulted in the call for
the Cincinnati convention. Adhering
firmly to the doctrines Of the Republican
party, it means to restore these principles
in their vigor and purity, and take the
initial step in the correction of vast polite
al abuses.
We deny then that the convention can
be considered the offspring Of disappointed
politicians. The causes which spread the
of opposition to the present
administration are founded on better
reasons than partisan antipathy. Our
people have no sympathy with govern
ment which, centralizing all its powers,
will finally consolidate all, and wreck both
liberty and law in despotic tyranny. And
to this end we are tending rapidly. States
have been denied the exercise of rights,
whether constitutional or inherent, which
trenched upon the unlimited employment
federal power Even in the State of
illinois, in time of profound peace, the
civil was made subordinate to the military
Local elections have been per-
yerted to federal uses, and all the strength
IF the government brought to bear on hos
lie political opinion. Peaceful communities
have been invaded by the armed emissa-
les of the President, and citizens deprived
If their liberty without due process Of
aw. And this, too, when the functions Of
he State government were in operation
md amply able to vindicate its dignity,
md to preserve peace and good order.
All this, as we say, has resulted in
spirit Of declared opposition to the re-
election of the President. The people
want reform in the abuses Of government,
both local and national They want the
guaranteed rights of the States to prevail
n their purity, and the States themselves
o exercise those rights for the benefit of
III their citizens, without distinction of
ace, color or previous condition. In this
State particularly, it is designed that our
government shall be Of the people; the
buses they complain of are to be cor
ected, the burdens Of taxes lessened, and
total abstinence on the part Of rulers
rom the exercise of unlawful powers.
With these purposes in view a conjunc-
ion of all the elements Of opposition |
hould be speedy and effective. There is |
10 reason why there should be any an
agonism among the opponents of the fed
raj administration, whether they are Re-
ormers, Democrats or Republicans We |
an unite upon local interests and State
policy. The federal party in Louisiana is
tut typical Of the administration policy
t is hostile to US; at variance with our
and gricultural interests, and
destructive of the reserved rights of the
'eople.
The primary idea in all the political Or
opization onp0ca6 fo tho Presidential |