New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-27
0rIeatrs Republican.
uFFIcIEI JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
sCBURz AT THE CONFERENCE.
uis RensoDs for Supporting Greeley.

ms ReasoBs fer Supporting Greeley.
-, ,Ie ,Tribuues Account Of the Fifth Avenue
FascO.l
The last speaker was Senator Sehurz,
- hogan his address about a quarter past
eleven and spoke for nearly two hours. In
beginning, he said that if anything Ike the
eafuestness and elOquence and energy
which had been shown by Mr.. Bryant IN
his remarks had been manifested by him at
Cincinnati. it would have done great good /;
if ANYTHING like the energy shown by other
gentlemen at this meeting, OF in getting II
m had been shown at Cincinnati, the re-
s1lt would have been very different; If
half the people who were vice presidents at
the Steinway Hall meeting had been present
at Cincinnati they would not have had
cause to meet here. 1t was very essential
thing in politics, not only to say the night
thing. but TO say it at the right time, and
the time was past for any new utterances.
1t was too late! Men must have become
convinced by the consultations here, if not
before, that it was no longer possible to
present any ticket with a chance of beating
Grant except the Greeley ticket.
He then went on to present the great
considerations which moved him, with a
sense of duty, TO support the Cincinnati
ticket. If he were to consult merely his
personal feelings, which he shared in com
mon with othe who had expressed them
there if be felt at liberty 10 do that, it
might be different. But he felt that great
public considerations imposed duty upon
him and upon others which they should not
neglect or disregard. There had been mani
tested throughout the South a disposition
toward thorough and sincere and perma-
nent reconciliation Of feeling through the
success of this movement. The hand of
friendship and cordiality was Outstretched
by the men who had been fighting against
us during the war. They were prompted to
this by the feeling that the Liberal Repub-
lican movement was for the enfranchise-
ment of their people, and their relief from
an oppression no longer endurable Any
movement looking directly or indirectly to
the reelection Of Grant, to the continuance
of that oppression, would be to strike back
and repel with insult those outstretched
hands He, for one, under no circumstances
and for no consideration could take any
step looking directly or indirectly to the
continuance of this admins tratiOn, and the
repelling of this tendency toward reconcile
alton between North and South.
He spoke next of the intensity of party
despOtism, which those only could under
stand who had been compelled to confront
it in the Senate and in the House, appeal
ing in vain to men who were known to be-
lieve in certain reforms, but who did not
dare act upon their convictions because of
that party despotism-a despOtism which
controlled committees; which suppressed
minority actions; which whitewashed the
most gross and offensive misdeeds-that he
could not conceive that any reform could
possibly be aided or harbOred so long as
that despOtism remained unbrOken; that
the first necessity with the country was to
break that at Onee-the first step toward
the accomplishment of any reform what
ever; that it would become UNNECESSARILY
stronger if sustained and Endorsed by the
people, as it would be on the reelection of
President Grant and the existing power;
that this again seemed to him to impose
upon every Sincere Reformer duty not to
be avOided-nOt to be neglected, and that
under any circumstances he could not, di-
reetly or indirectly, contribute to the re-
election of the present administration, and
TO the continuance and Strengthening of
that party despOtism which it was the first
necessity to break up.
Some had advocated the nomination of a
more conservative ticket. He had strong
leaning to the direction of such movement,
but felt that at this time, with such public
interest at stake, men must seek, not per-
sOnal ideas, but practical good, and the
nearest practical good they could accom-
plish.
General Schurz then argued at considera-
BILE length the utter impOssibility Of pre-
senting a new ticket with the least hope of
success; that even that meeting, it was
plain, would, by a considerable majority,
declare against putting up new ticket;
that there was no possibility that any such
ticket, even if put up unanimously by the
meeting, could be adopted at Baltimore. If
some movement of this kind had been made
Immediately after the Cincinnati nOmina-
tons it might have had some weight; but it
was Of no use TO try TO stir molten iron after
it got cold. He said that even two weeks
ago he believed that he had deceived him
self even in supposing that any such move
ment was possible; but it was very plain
that il was not possible now. He concluded
by saying that, since there would be no
united action at the meeting, and large
majority of those present were not disposed
TO take any action looking toward a new
ticket he would suggest that the conference
should now adjourn sine die.