The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1872-03-23
Is a New Party Necessary.

SltlOn so complex In its character and
involving such mighty interests-the
interests of the whole State-was sub
mitted to mass meeting of citizens OF
New Orleans and without any posi-
bic consultation with citizens OF the
other parishes of the State, was on the
spot considered and decided. \ State
convention of the new party was called
! to meet at New Orleans to make State
nominations, and the parishes were
invited to send delegates.
Here is a party called by a local meet
ing to assemble in State convention to
make State nominations. when there
is no organization yet made, no COM
mittees organized, no bond Of union
with the other parishes of the State.
The call being made for a State conVen-
tion, the local meeting appoints il State
central committee with Il president at
it's head. The machine is put in mo-
tion F.; Il third party is heralded, and
not the slightest consideration has been
given to the complex proposition of
which mention has been made above.
The creation ola third party, advo-
eating the very reforms which the
Democratic party has been advocating
so strenuously heretofore, implies the
necessity of disbanding the latter.
Hence the third party men ask the dis
solution of the Democratic party, and
they invite and expect the Democrats
to come in Il body to them. "Win
they, will they"
The reform party was prematurely
ushered into being as q regular state
party. The mass meeting Of New Or
leans should have simply advised the
citizens of all the other parishes to hold
similar mass meetings for the purpose
Of having a State Convention of citi-
Zens desiring reform. The delegates
elected by mass meeting in the vari-
GUS parishes, upon meeting in State
Convention, would then consider
uhethe' a ne'c patty u0s necessary; pro-
babty appoint committees of confer
ence with the Democratic Convention,
and after consultation, determine the
whole matter.
The Democratic State Central Conn
mittee. in the meantime, could take no
action whatever in the premises, either
to disband the party or to offer or accept
a fusion with a third party. The rea-
son of this is plain. This Central Com
mittee has only delegated powers, and
the most it could do was to call Il State
Convention, which it did for the 18th
of April next. When this Convention
meets, it will be the time for the De
mocracy to consider and discuss the
complex proposition, SO unfortunately
lost sight of by the New Orleans mass
meeting of the Reform party.
This brings It's to consider the sit1Ca-
ton.
There are now in the political field
the following organizations:
l. The National Republican party
whose committee presided by U. S.
Marshal Packard, is officially recog-
nized at Washington by the National
Republican Committee. 1t is undoubt-
edly the Grant Republican party of
Louisiana, and is composed mainly of
the bulk of colOred voters.
=. The Warmoth Republican party,
which is call things to all men :" and
which wields the formidable power
conferred by the Election, Registra-
ton, Police and other laws of cognate
origin.
3. The Democratic party, which has
been heretofore composed of all the
conservative elements Of the State; and
whose numerical forces and cohesive
organization are Il tower of strength.
4. Then comes the Reform party
proposing to do exactly what has been
specifically laid down in the programme
of the Demodratic State Convention Of
1870, and what has since been faithful
lyand energetically proclaimed and fol-
lowed up by the State Central Com
mittee.
Now, does the Reform party intend
to wage war upon these three organi-
zations? or does it want to fuse with
any one of them?
AT first, the idea was to fuse with no
political organization but to form Il
distinct substantive party, to be com
posed of all conservative elements
drawn out of the old parties.
What was the proportion to be drawn
from the Warmoth Republican party,
and what proportion from the Grant
Republican party" Let the Rcformcrs
be candid and say that they did not
expect much from that quarter.
Their expectations were that the
bulk ofthe Democracy joining them,
the Democratic party would disband
and the Reform party would simply
become the successors of the Demo-
cratic party. Their reiterated appeals
to that effect sufficiently establish this
fact.
The London Lancet gives the fol-
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