New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-27
The ISSUE.

reform III the political administrator OF
the State has been recognized by all par
ties The initial steps were taken in its
accomplishment by the Governor when he
submitted his annual message of 1871 to
the Legislature. He then referred to a
number of laws which had acted injuriously
to the interests of the community, and
urged upon the General Assembly their
immediate repeal. The laws he then
specified included the registration, cleo
ton, constabulary, police, and printing
laws. The arguments he adduced in favor
of the repeal of these laws, and the sound
political doctrine which accompanied them,
at once struck the keynote of popular ia
vor, and became a recognized theory in the
platform of Republican principles. The
same views were reiterated in his last an
nual message, and the necessity Of the re-
peal or modification of these measures
urged upon the Legislature.
But by this time the Democratic leaders
and ambitious men in the Republican
party saw, or thought they saw, In this
position of the executive, increased popu-
larity and augmented influence. The re-
peal of these laws at the exclusive sugges-
ton of the Governor and his Legislative
adherents, would be the downfall OF the
opposition. 1t would never do to oppose
it, but a concerted effort was determined
on to appropriate the doctrine and carry
1t through the Legislature under the aus
pices Of the Democratic-Republican coali-
ton. With this end in view, the scenes
which attended the first days of the ses-
sion were inaugurated. The Governors
message was kept back until public senti-
ment could be manufactured in their di-
rection. The State House party was rep
resented as opposed to reform, and, de-
spite the Governors former message to
the contrary, bent on perpetuatlng laws
now universally conceded to be obnoxious.
But in the height of these raging denun-
Citations which the coalition We're every
where publishing, quorum of both
branches of the General Assembly was OBJ
tained and these laws were repealed.
There was then no longer cause for the
absenting members staying away. The
public will remember that they immedi-
ately thereafter returned to their seats.
If this was not the sole cause of oppo
sition, why did they come back? Will
the public reflect that Immediately on
regaining the legislative chamber,
Democratic Senator proceeded to declare
the illegality of these repeats That he
was sustained in this view by all the alb
senting Senators. Why was this? Not
because they were willing to say the laws
were good They were not prepared for
this; but because they, the coalition, had
not repealed them, and in this way they
had been deprived Of the electioneering
advantages it would give them in the ap-
preaching political campaign.
Their next step was to prevent the pas
sage OF any reform laws. For this they
have persistently worked since the session
opened. The registration law was carried
through solely through the influence and
votes of the Governors adherents. The
election law has been similarly opposed.
The Metropolitan Police law incurred
similar opposition. The amendments to
this law were introduced by Senator
Swords, and remove all the obnoxious fea-
lures of the old enactment. By these
amendments the cost of the police is less
ened, the Police Board is done away with,
and the control and management OF the
police is simplifed and made more eff
Gent But who has opposed these amend
ments? Why, the coalition! Every step
toward it has been met by them with delay
and persistent opposition, and the press OF
the city, in the meantime, venting its de-
nunciations against the Legislature for
their indifference to the public wishes and
the manifest desire of their constituents.
This partisan press never thought to dis
tinguish by name the opponents OF these
measures That would not have been in
accordance with the policy of the coalition.
But it is fact, and the journals of both
houses will show it, that those who have
defeated and opposed the passage Of re-
form measures have been Democrats and
Customhouse Republicans Will the Plea
u,,ne and Times in the interest of their
pseudo reformation deny this statement ?
1t constitutes an important issue, and we
challenge them to it.
The genuine reformers in this State are
not those who are raising such fearful
clamor in the vain effort to incite riot and
tumult, but the administration party, the
Governor and his adherents. They have
originated the reform movement, and have
been unceasing in their efforts to procure
it in every needed branch of the State gov
eminent.
THE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN.