The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-07-27
Address to the Republicans
HEADo'Rs REGULAR REPUBLICAN PARTY
of Louisiana, No. 16 Dryades street.
Neur DrInanS lima 80. 1870 \

party has adjourned to meet ON the nlnth Oh
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 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 i'll Louisiana, upon 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 Il large majority of
the people of this State, without distinction
of party. These are:
| tlrSt-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
"A desire for growth of new political rela-
! tons, which shall obliterate past class and
sectional animOsities, and cultivate that mu-
tual Cancellation and good will which is cs-
| 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 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 u
party, based upon such liberal and benefi-
cent principles, we believe that the rights of
the colOred 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 any other practicable political
combination.
IN these premises, We say TO the Republ-
cans OF the State that In the organization and
upon the basis presented by us, is their sole
hope Tor 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 are
attached 10 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 III the name Of the Republican
party.
Alessrs Packard, Casey, H.rwig, Stock
dale & Co. set out to eontrUl-the Republican
convention called for August 8, 1871, in the
interest OF their. CustOm-House ring, with d
view of getting control of the State govern
ment at this election for themselves and their
associates. TO this they colspired to con-
troll that convention. With this design they
sought and obtained permission to use the
Custon-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 for public opinion, and to
the great scandal OF the national government,
they convoNed the convention to assemble in
| United States courtroom in the Custom
House. They rejected all protests of their
Republican fellow-citizens with the imperial
insolenee and haughtinessO of Eastern satraps
To make sure of controlling the primary or
ganlzatlon OF the convention, and, in defiance
OF all kaOwnrulcs for the organization of such
bodies, Messrs. Packard, Casey and their CO.
conspirators undertook to debar all the dele
gates except such as they admitted from a
voice in the election of the Temporary pres
dent: Not satisfied with this, they closed
} and barred all the doors of the immense Gus
tOm-Hollse building against the public foi
one whole day in order that the lobby as
well as the floor of the convention, should be-
packed by their own partisans. 70 further
mtinidate and coerce the delegates, they
filled the building with special deputy United
States marshals armed for the occasion. TC
complete these extraordinary preparations
for Il 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 Custom House
with Calling guns and tgarrisoned it Will
United States soldiers under arms One hun
dred and ten delegates to the convention, be
ing majority, Disguised and indignant al
these tyrannical and dangerous proceedings
turned away from the Custom-House and as
sembled the regular convention in Turner
Hall. The State Central Committee appointed
by that convention has by its authority
conyoked the present one.
TN the nineteenth of June Mr.. Packard
and his partisans called convention at Bat
!, on Rouge to nominate candidates for the
chief State offices. The Custom House caba
!, could not keep good faith even with thei
own confcderates. In order to secure thu
nomination of the favorites of their own ring
and to obey instructions from ''higher au
/. thority," they expelled from their convention
a all representative and independent men, ant
seated strangers, intruders, carpet-bagger
and proxies of their own creation, until the
convention consisted of CUSTOM House OF
q ticials, internal revenue tax collectors ant
: postmasters.
y Custom-llouse employees, who were elected
as delegates to the Baton Rouge convention
Z were openly threatened with dismissal from
= office by United States Marshal Packard
they failed to vote as he dictated. The list
of delegates elected as furnished to the Stat
: Central Committee by the parish and ware
clubs were suppressed by Mr.. Packard TO
!, four weeks previous to the meeting of tn
c 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 il
the United States marshals 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 partisanB of Mr. Packard
!. Mr.. Casey refused, in the presence of sey
|, eral well known gentlemen, to assure hi
}. Custom-House employees that their place
!. should not be impeliled if they voted indie
pendently of Mr.. Packard's dictation MI
# Packard and his instruments, when they dis
!. covered that a majority OF the convention
4 / favored a uniOn with the rpUl1lar Ran1I hIicnus