The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-04-27
Circular.
The Liberal Republicans of Louisiana to
their Political Friends Throughout the

The Liberal Republicans of Louisiana to
their Political Friends Throughout the
Union.
The undersigned have determined
to recommend to their Republican
| friends in Louisiana the propriety of
| attending the Cincinnati Convention,
| to assemble on the lst of May.
A statement of our reasons for so
doing is both necessary and proper.
Pursuing a policy in other States
similar to that practiced here in 1871,
the office holders of Gen. Grant have
packed conventions and sent delegates
to Philadelphia, instructed to vote for
| his denomination for the Presidency.
To doubt the propriety of this move
ment disqualifies the delegate, and
proscribes his attendance. In this
mode public sentiment has been fore
stalled, and the most trusted leaders
of the Republican party ostraeised.
To such an extent has this work pro-
crossed that it is now evident that the
Philadelphia Convention will be COM
posed almost exclusively of the per-
sonal friends and dependents of the
| President, who go there to register
simply a foreordained decree.
We do not favor the reelection of
Gen. Grant as President, and even
should he be nominated at Philadel-
phia, will only consent to support him
in case we have not the opportunity
of voting, with a favorable prospect
of election, for a ticket of Republicans
fully committed to the principles and
traditions of that great party.
There being little or no doubt of
the denomination of Gen. Grant at
Philadelphia, it behooves all good Re-
publicans familiar with the course of
his administration, especially in this
| State, to counsel together and deter
mine what is the wise and patriotic
course to pursue. Here the President
has permitted his Office holders to use
the Custom House building for the
purposes of a party convention, clos
| ing its doors and permitting no one to
enter it for one whole day without a
ticket issued by the United States
Marshal and delivered by the Post
master through the gate of the money
| order department of the Post-office.
| On the pretence of an apprehended
disturbance, two hundred and fifty
persons were armed and sworn, and
labeled deputy marshals, and sup
ported by one hundred United States
| troops drawn up in line of battle in
in the Custom-House. Out of one
hundred and eighteen delegates reg
ularly elected to the Convention,
ninety were refused admission to the
courtroom, where the Marshal, Post
master and Collector, acting as a COM
mittee, had invited them to convene.
Gen. Grant was fully advised of all
these proceedings by a special COM
mittee of the Republican party, and
refused to disavow them. The entire
press of the country reprehended this
gross intrusion with military and
| officeholding violence into the domes-
tic affairs of this State, and begged
him to dismiss the instruments of the
wrong. Having been himself the
principal, he refused to dismiss his
agents.
These same Federal Office holders,
gathering fresh inspiration and cour-
age from their retention in place
against the protest of the nation, next
conspired together for the overthrow
of the State government. In order to
accomplish their revolutionary pur-
pose, they employed in the Custom
House large number of Senators and
Representatives, with the sole view of
controlling their votes and action in
the Legislature. A number of these
persons have never up to this hour
discharged one official duty for the
Government in pursuance of their ap-
pointment, but have regularly drawn
their pay.
In their effort to destroy the State
government they used an armed reve-
nue. cutter to take beyond the author
ity of the State, for several days, IF
teen Senators, six of whom were
Custom House officials, with the
avowed purpose of breaking quorum
in the Senate. For nineteen days
this was continued, when they re-
turned backed by a mob which public
ly threatened violence. Federal
troops were brought here on the APP
plication of these conspirators with
the purpose of giving force and mo-
raj support to their movement, and
when they foun1 that the patriotic
general in command would not allow
himself to be made their tool, and
would use the troops to preserve the
peace, these same conspirators caused
u Il H.