New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-16

The Customhoase Convention.


Liberal convention ia this city on the fifth
Of August, 10 nominate candidatesfoF State
officers has been signed by about 5000
voters Thousands of Democrats are dis
satisfied with the action Of that party IN
nominating a straight Democratic ticket
for State officers The thinking men Of the
nariT are convinced that q reform in the
State government is only practicable
through o combination Of al the elements
which are opposed TO the Grant Office
holders. As for the Cincinnati movement.
pure ard simple it is rapidly growing, and
j. certain ID sweep the State.
Greeley and Brown clubs, under the
auspices Of the Liberal committee, have
been formed ia every district and every
ward Of this city, and have been Joined by
q large majority of the members OF the
former Democratic clubs.
The writer goes on to mention the Bour
bon Democracy, and says
Their power is gone. Their armies have
enlisted under another flag and there are
only enough remaining faithful to hold
councils Of war 10 halEdesetted committee
rooms and melancholy meetings in the
echoinp halls which once were crowded
with Democratic vOterH
1t "a evident that the great mass of the
party has gone into the Loeral movement,
and that, after the August convention, the
Democratic State ticket will be regarded as
only vanishing point IN the political land
scape.
While the Liberal and Democratic ele-
inents are thus clustering and crystalizing
around tie Cincinnati ticket, the great Re
publican party has been passing through
tie reverse process of disintegration and
dissolution. The BetOn Rouge convention
succeeded only in proving that-the Repub-
iican organizations mere instrument Of
the Grant ring, and that IL is controlled ab-
s0inteIy by the central power at Washing
ton. The history and characteristics of
that body are remarkable illustrations Of
the tendencies and consequences OF Grant
lem. and they furnish another illustration Of
the eagaeity OF Tire Liberal revolt against
the ignorance, VenaltY, corruption and tY-
ranriv of the ruling faction in the South
Some time before the Baton Rouge con-
pention met IL was supposed that Mr. Bill
Eiuos 8 prominent lawyer OF this city,
would be its nominee for Governor. Bill
lungs was rich, which was one element Of
success lie was q consistent Republican,
He was known to cherish the most ultra
views Ia regard to negro supremacy;
be believed, and said, that the only /
hope of the South was in the new African |
civilization; he was supporter OF the doc
frine Of compulsory social equality. Be |
sides these personal recommendations, he !
Wassopported by some Of the most active |
politicians in'the State, and it was reported |
that a large sum Of money had been placed (
IN their hands forthe purchase of doubtful /
votes AT the time Of the Philadelphia /
convention lie visited Washington and had |
au interview with Grant, who assured him |
that his nomination would be acceptable to |
tie administration. When he returned it /
was understood that he was the Custom
house candidate; that Casey and Packard, /
DILLINGHAM; and St0ckdale we're supporting I
him, aud That his only competitor was a /
sAir. Mary, a respectable quadrOon eftlzen /
of New Orleans. As the nineteenth OF June
approached, however, rumor fearful to the I
BiiIinqsites was circulated. It was reported /
that Senator Kellogg would be candidate,
and that he would be supqrted by the whole /
power Of the GustomhOuse ring. In few |
nave Kellogg arrived. He tarried but one /
dav ia New Orleans, and then hastened to /
fbe scene Of action at Baton Rouge. /
During that day, the scene shifted, and
Kellogg became the prominent figure on
the sage Around Kellogg the Custom
house satellites rev0lved, and poor Billings
found that he was eclipsed. The fact Is
that Grant had ordered Kellogg to bouis
ina very much against that genteman's
inclinati0ns. Kellogg wants to be reelected
10 the Senate. Another term at Washing
ton. with those peculiar perqpisites of sen
n10iial services embraced in the Southern
Pacific railroad scheme aud the proposed |
purchase az the telegraph lines by the gov
ernment has m0re allurelneuts for thrifty
carppt-b Dagger than the governorship Of
deplettd aud almost bankrupt State. But
Grants brotherjnlaw wants to 60 to the
Senate, aud with Grant the ties Of kindred
are insuperabe Brother in-law Casey
would be Il Faithful seryitOr, even in the
midst Of rehellious RefOrmers. Kellogg
would turn RelorHer in moment II profit
and power we're the reward. So Kellogg
WAS ordered to make himself Governor OF
Louisiana, uuder "a pledge that ho would
M I
pete with Casey for the natOrship.
And So the royal decree WIS issued to the
servants vi the administration that Kellogg
muet be nominated at all hazards, and
hence the convention was packed with gov
arnmfnt officials Almost the whole Gus
famifoase Was translated to Baton Rouge.
Kellogg's forces included Collector Casey,
Deputy Collector Herwig. Internal Reve-
-nne Collectors Stockdaie, johnson and
Whittier; Assistant Assessors Rice, Beaure-
gard ard Riddel;sClnt0n, treasurer; Dil-
hngham, naval officer; Packard, United
States marshali Lowell, postmaster OF New
Orleans; Heating, postmaster OF Shreve-
port and Ingraham, of the surveyors de-
i8artmeut were members Of the convention.
These and Congressman Sypher, Darrall
aud sheldon, were inmates OF kellogg's
headquarters The president OF the con-
-ventiou was jim Ingraham, a government
official; the temporary chairman was Al
emplOye; Baquie, clerk in Casey's Office, was
assistant secretary, and the secretary was
De Klyne. docket clerk in Packards office. |
T. S. Johnson collector of internal revenue |
in 0nachita, represented B,enviile, and was /
chairman of the committed on credentials. /
Whittier. OK Bd Oh ltoage. another internal |
revenue man. Represented kapides Parker, |
81 0uachlta, JOhnsons CHIEF clerk, repre- /
scented Bienville Dillingham, naval officer
ST New Orleans. was put on he rolls as a /
delegate from COnenrCiia Hogan, of Qua
chita, assessor of internal revenue, repre-
sented Union parish. Jones, of bienYille. |
collector OF internal revenue, represented /
Saline. Besides these there we're in the /
city delegation alone about sixty Custom
house employees All of this Influence had !
been promised 70 Billings. hut Grnft' : or,le a |
must be 0heyed and kshogg must be nom
mated and Casey must 60 TO the Senate 80 n
Billings, whose remaining forces Seere No. \
tive and resOlute, resolved to make the /
issue. He called on Casey and reuuested |
him to state that tho Customhcuse .em- !
ployes should be at liberty Ia vote as they
pleased. Casey declined and war was de-
clared. On counting up, IL was found chat
Kellogg had about 100 votes, Billings abont
100, and Mary sixty,
The first ballot was taken Oa the fourth
day, The convention was in an uproar OF
excitement. Almost every member was
armed, and row was expected every mo-
Inent.s Flanders, Mayor Of New Orleans,
who held himself in reserve as a eompro-
misc candidate, sat by q trap-ao0r on the
stage, ready 60 dive ont OF sight AZ the
first alarm. Corn deld negroes gesteuiated
wildly, aud declared themselves Gods
chosen people, upon whom the worlds ewes