The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-07-06
Address to the Republicans
People of Louisiana.
HEADo'Rs REGULAR REPUBLICAN PARTY
of Louisiana. No. l6 Dryades street.
New OrlcanS June %. 1879 }

of Louisiana. No. l6 Dryades street. :
New Orleans, June %, 1872.
A convention of the regular Republican
party has adjourned to meet on the ninth OF
August next in the Mechanics Institute, in
the city Of New Orleans. BY a resolution OF
this convention, the basis of representation
in the same has been doubled, and an cleo
ton has been ordered for an additional num-
Der of delegates to the same, equal in NUM-
Der to the whole delegation already elected.
The object III this is to afford an opportunity
to all the people of this State. who approve
of the principles herein set forth to take part
in the deliberations OF the convention, and in
the nomination of capable, honest and repre-
sentative men, who have their homes and
their interests III Louisiana, upon a ticket and
platform of principles which shall secure the
support of all the good people of this State.
III the present confused and transition
state of political parties we recognize three
universal and powerful sentiments which
run through the hearts of large majority of
the people of this State, without distinction
of party. These are:
First-A desire for an honest, economical
and stable government, administered by
representative men of character and capa-
ton from any official ring.
Second-A conviction that the interests of
all the people of this State areindentical, and
a desire for a growth of new political rela-
lions, which shall obliterate past class and
sectional anim0sities, and cultivate that mu-
tual Cancellation and good will which is es-
sential to our common prosperity, and to the
permanent success of any political party;
and
Thlrd-A growing recognition of the good
policy and necessity of q closer alliance be-
tween the voters of the Republican party
and that portion of the native population of
the State which has hitherto abstained from
political affairs on account of differences
created by the late civil war. With such a
party, based upon such liberal and benefi-
cent principles, we believe that the rights of
the eolored people would be safer and better
protected, the liberty of opinion and the po-
litical interests of the eX-Union soldier, the
Northern settler, and the old Union citizen,
more cordially and completely secured and
the intelligence and property OF the State,
and the rights Of the native Confederate
Southerner be better represented than is
possible under AM other practicable political
combination.
III these premises, we say to the Republic
cans OF the State that i'll the organization and
upon the basis presented by us, is their sole
hope for electing any Republican officers in
"
The success of the Custonl-House State ticket
nominated at Baton Rouge is hopeless, and
ii the fortunes OF the Republican party are
attached TO it, its defeat is certain.
| To demonstrate this, we call their atten-
ton to the history OF the Paekarl-C ustoln-
I1onse convention at Baton Rouge which has
assumed to present candidates to the people
OF tlfis State i'll the name of the Republican
| party.
| Messrs Packard, Casey, Herwig, Stock
| dale q co. set out to control the Republican
convention called for August s. 1871, in the
| interest of their Custom House ring with II
view Of getting control of the State govern
ment at this election for themselves and their
| associates. To this they conspired to con-
troll that convention. With this design they
sought and obtained permission to use the
/ Custom-House building, the marshals of the
| United States courts, and the forces of the
| United States army. In defiance OF all de-
| cency and respect tor public opinion, and to
| the great scandal OF the national government
| they cenYoked the convention to assemble in
Il United States courtroom i'll the Custom
House. They rejected all protests of theiI.
| Republlcan feliow-citiZens with the imperial
insolenee and haughtinessof Eastern satIaps
To make sure OF controlling the primary or
| ganlzatlon OF the convention, and in defiance
| of all known rules for the organization of such
| bodies. Messrs. Packard, Casey and their CO.
| consplrators undertook to debar all the dele
| gates except such as they admitted from a
| voice III the election of the Temporary presi-
dent. Not satisfied with this, they closed
and barred all the doors of the immense Gus
tom-House building against the public for
one whole day in order that the lobby. as
wei as the hoor OF the convention, should be
packed by their own partisans To further
mtlnldate and coeree the delegates, they
| hlied the building with special deputy United
| states lnarslals armed tor the occasion. To
complete these extraordinary preparations
| Tor political convention and to emphasize
the inauguration of the new style of consult
ing the wishes of the people, they obtained
the necessary order from the military auth
critics and fortified the closed Cllstoln-House
| with Calling guns and gaIrisoned it with
United States soldiers under arms. One hun
dred and ten delegates to the convention, be-
ing majority, Disguised and indignant at
| these tylannlcal and dangerous proceedings.
turned away from the Custom-Hollse and as
semDled the regular convention in Turner
Hall. The State Central Committee appointed
by that convention has by its AUTHORITY
conyoked the present one
On the nineteenth of June Mr. Packard
and his partisans called a convention at Bat
! on Rouge TO nominate candidates for the
chief State offices. The Custom House ealtl
could not keep good f;litll even with their
OWN eontedeIates. In order to secure the
| nomination of the favorites of their own RING.
and to obey instructions from q - higher aii-
therity,' they expelled from their convention
misrepresentation and independent men, and
seated strangers, intruders,i earpet-laggers
and proxies of their own creation, until theil
convention consisted OF Custom House OF.
ticials, internal revenue tax collectors and
postmasters.
Custon-House employees, who were elected
as delegates to the Baton Rouge conventions
We're openly threatened with dismissal from
office by United States Marshal Packard il
they failed to vote as he dictated. The lists
OF delegates elected as furnished to the State
Central Committee by the parish and ward
clubs were suppressed by Mr. Packard fol
four weeks previous to the meeting of the
convention, aud the names Of delegates were
not allowed to be made known to members
OF the committee. Lists OF delegates pledged
TO the ring candidates We're manufactured in
the United States nlarshal's office and foisted
upon the convention as the regularly elected
delegates Lobby tickets were issued, SC
that all access even to the lobby was denied
to any but tile partisans OF Mr. Packard
Mr. Casey refused, in the presence of sew
eral well known gentlemen. To assure hi,