The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-07-20
Address to the Republicans
People of Louisiana.

marty has adjourned to meet ON the ninth of
August next in the Mechanics Institute, i'll
the city of New Orleans. By 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 i'll num-
Der to the whole delegation already elected.
The object in 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.
In the present confused and transition
state of political parties we recognize three
universal and powerful sentiments, which
run through the hearts of a large majority of
the people of this State, without distinction
of purity. These are: as St&s es
First-A desire for an honest, economical
and stable government, administered by
representative men of character and capa-
city, who shall be chosen without distinc-
ton from any official ring.
Second-A conviction that the interests of
all the people of this State are indentical, and
ID SIoNtH VI IlcW pOIillCdI
tiOns, which shall obliterate past class and
sectional animosities, 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
Third-A growing recognition of the good
policy and necessity of a 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 Il
party, based upon such liberal and benei-
cent principles we believe that the rights of
| the colored people would be safer and better
| protected, the liberty OF opinion aud the po-
| litical interests OF the eS-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 any other practicable political
4 combination.
In these premises, we say to the Republi-
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 State and for preserving their party
The success of the Custom-House State ticket
nominated at Baton Rouge is hopeless, and
! If the fortunes of the Republican party arc
attached To it, its defeat is certain,
10 demonstrate this, we call their atten-
| ton to the history OF the Packard Custom
House convention at Baton Rouge, which has
| assumed to present candidates to the people
| of this State il the name of the Republican
party.
Messrs. Packard, Casey, Herwig, Stock
dale & Go. set out to control the Republican
/ convention called for August 8, 1871, in the
/ interest of their Custom-H0use ring, with q
| view of getting control of the State govern
ment at this election for themselves and their
associates. To this they eonspired to con-
troll that convention. With this design they
sought and obtained permission to use the
Custom-House building, the marslals of tile
United States courts, and the forces of the
| United States army. In defiance OF all de-
cency and respect for public opinion, and to
the great scandal of the national government,
they conyoked the convention to assemble i'll
a United States courtroom in the Custom
i House. They rejected all protests of their
Republican fell0w-citizens with the imperial
msolence and haughtiness of Eastern satraps.
To make sure of controlling the primary or
ganization of the convention, and, in defiance
of all knownr,les for the organization of such
bodies, Messrs Packard, Casey and their co
conspnators undertook to debar all the dele
gates except such as they admitted from a
voice IN tine election OF the Temporary presi
dent. Not satisfied with this, they closed
and barred all the doors of the immense Gus
tom-Iouse building against the public tol
one whole day in order that the lobby, as
well as the floor of the convention, should bt
packed by their own partisans. To further
intinlidate and coerce the delegates, they
filled the building with special deputy United
States marshals armed Tor the occasion. IL
complete these extraordinary preparations
for "a political convention and to emphasize
the Inauguration of the new style of consult
ing the wishes of the people, they obtained
critics and fortified the closed Custom Hous,
with Gatling guns and galrisoned it Will
United States soldiers under arms. One hun
dred and ten delegates to the convention, be
ing majority, disguised and indignant a
these tyritnnical and dangerous proceedings
turned away from the Custom House and as
Senlbled the regular convention in Turne
Hall. The State Central Committee appointed
by that convention has by its authorit,
eonyoked the present one.
On the nineteenth of june Mr. Packard
: and his partisans called II convention at Bat
OIL Rouge to nominate candidates for TIN
| chief State offices. The GJiston-House caba
could not keep good faith even with thei
own eonfederates. In order to secure TIN
nomination of the favorites of their own ring
and to obey instructions from a higher All
: thoritY,' they expelled from their convention
4 all representative and Independent men, an,
seated strangers, intruders, carpet-bagger
anu proxies OF their OWN; creation, until thel
convention consisted of Custom-House OF
: ticiais, internal revenue tax collectors an,
: postmasters. lt
! Custom House employees, who were electe,
as delegates to the Baton Rouge convention
+ were openly Threatened with dismissal froI
office by United States Marshal Packard j
they failed to vote as he dictated. The list
of delegates elected as furnished to the Stat
Central Committee by the parish and war
4 clubs were suppressed by AIr. Packard fo
;, four weeks previous to the meeting of til
G convention, and the names of delegates wer
!; not allowed to be made known to member
/ of the committee. Lists of delegates pledge
to the ring candidates were manufactured i
the United States marshal's office and foiste
upon the convention as the regularly electe
: delegates. Lobby tickets were issued, S
that all access even to the lobby was denie
|, to any but the partisans af Mr.. Packard
/ Mr.. Casey refused, in the presence of Sc,
/, eral well known gentlemen, to assure hi
}, Custom House employees that their place
!. should not be i1nperiled if they voted ind,
| lpendently Of Mr.. Packard's dictation Nj
f Packard and his instruments, when they di
J; covered that majority of the conventio
L favored aunioll with the regular Republican.