New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-21
LETTER FROM BATON ROUGE.

Badged SergeHnts-at-AFms-H th'
Organization Was DOne-kellogg ant
BiIlings-Mahan for AuditOr-nOney q
Buy Delegates-Paying Delegates Ex
penses-AIIuring Pinchback's Follow.
ers-COIOred Delegates for Harmony
BeIden and Carter-BilIiBgs' Alarming
Speech-KeIlOGR SulIeri0g from an Es.
cape Of Gas-AII Roads Leading tC
WarmOth.
Especial Correspondence Of the Republican
BATON ROUGE, June 20, 1872.
The convention called, organized and
worked upon by S. B. Packard, under in
structions of Senator Kellogg, whose ''great
unwillingness" to be candidate for Gov
! ernor politicians can easily estimate, as
they do the statement of speakers who
always fare unprepared," ," met yesterday at
! twelve o'clock, elected a temporary chair
man, whose speech was written for him a
month ago, appointed its committees, and
in the evening resolved itself into a mass
meeting and hurrahed for Grant There
never was an event which was ushered in
! with so many rehearsals, and consequently
| which worked so satisfactorily to the per
formers. Everything, down to the minutest
details, was managed by system which
went through operation month ago, the
present occasion being the time when the
curtain was rolled up and the footlights
| showed what had been behind the scenes
| for such a time.
The hour for opening the convention ap-
peared to be fixed at halfpast eleven, ae-
cordng to placard on the outside of the
| door, and at that hour a large drove of
delegates approached and were admitted
| by tickets having to undergo the same sort
of trouble which usually takes place on the
admission of crowd into a place of popular
| amusement.
At twelve o'clock Mr. Packard called the
| convention to order, remarking: "Will the
! delegates take their seats 2" The delegates
proceeded to do it, a stream of that frater-
nifty flowing through the broad aisle and
gradually filing into seats. The sergeants-
alarms have blue badges on and do little
to assist any one to their seats. One of the
latter advances up the passage with the
flag, which every one seemed to have for
gotten until this precise moment.
Mr.. Packard-The chaplain, Rev. Mr..
Burch, will invoke prayer.
Mr.. Burch father of the iIlustrious 20
Thou that sittest on the throne of glory,
we come to acknowledge Thee on this Oc-
casiOn, for Thou hast graciously promised
that those who acknowledge Thee shall be
protected. Thou, 0 God, knOwest great
interests are now involved in this day, hav-
ing for it's object the nomination of proper
l.
fusion, and we pray that God may preside
over the deliberations of this convention,
with the object of bettering the interests of
the State. May peace, order and harmony
prevail. We ask it in the name of the Lord.
Mr.. Packard-The convention has assem-
bled pursuant to a call of the State Central
Committee. He reads the call in dry,
matter of fact sort of way, something like a
clerk of court reads an indictment, his only
purpose seeming to be to get through with
1t as soon as possible. By the time he
reached the reading of the appOrtionment
of delegates, the entire hall was found to
be filed with delegates, about 800, with the
contestants, being present. Having read
the entire call, he then announces the pro-
gramme of proceedings. They were to con
sist, first, OF a calling of the roll of delegates
for the purpose of finding out who were
members of the convention, and then nOmi-
nations were to be received for the post Of
temporary chairman, the vote going on,
where there were two sets of delegates, on
the principle of half vote to each.
Mr.. De Klyne now reads the roll Of the
last convention.
The Grand Era, Burch's paper, is spread
about the room
Mr. Packard-The roll being called, nOmi-
nations are in order for the post of tempo
rary chairman.
Mr.. J. H. Ingraham, suddenly-Mr. Presi-
dent / nominate Hon. T. 7. Allan, of
Baton Rouge Loud applause.l
Mr.. c. L. Ladd-I nominate L. w. Rob
inson, Of Tensas.
Mr.. Ingraham-I rise to point of order
Mr.. RObinsOn's seat is contested, and there
fore he can not act.
Mr.. Packard-That is for the convention
to determine. [Great surprise at such mag
nanimity.
Three tellers are appointed for the whole.
three for the half vote, and they are bal
loted in two hats, the secretary reading the
roll Of members, who came up one by one
and deposit their votes. while Mr.. Pack
ard stands behind the secretary and looks
earnestly on.
The party who had determined to sup
port Kellogg, headed by Packard, are self
satisfied in the progress of the poll, and
the operation, Familiarity and suggestively
known as buZzing. is indulged in to con-
siderable extent. This is performed by one
party reaching over and whispering into
the right ear of the opposite parsonage,
who generally returns it by reaching over
to his right ear. Besides, numerous dele
gates wander all about the room, using
fans, smoking, tanning themselves with their
hats and wiping their faces with pocket
handkerchiefs.
The tellers count the votes, and, in the
meantime, Mr.. Packard stands by, perfect
ly selt-assured of the result, and impatient
for the final announcement Of majority
for Allan.
The combining of the Mary and Kellogg
men to secure a chairman was effective, but
the stiffness ruling in the convention during
the count of the votes was only the calm
before the storm.
The result was announced-Allain 207 y,
Robinson 0lR-when a wild cheer broke
out from the assemblage.
Ingraham, pointing to RObinsOn's vote
That is Billings strength.
A delegate-t Mary was up now he'd be
nominated.
1t was stated that in case Billings wanted
the nomination, he could get it by putting
I'D $1,000 to get the committee on creden-
tials of his own.
Mr.. johnson moved that a committee of
seven on credentials be appointed. Carried.
Mr. Packard move a committee of five
on permanent organization be appointed.
The committee on credentials were-W.
f. Loan, L. d. Larrieu, L. A. Rodriguez,
G T.. Weber, Divide HOnore, G. S. johnson
fchairmanl, William Murrell.
The committee on rules were-J H.
Bnrcb. chairman; f. c. Antoine, A. BertOn-
neau. Harry Lott, Wakefield
S. B. Packard, chairman of committee on
permanent organization.
Everything worked smoothly, and when
the temDorsTv chairman, installed into his