New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-29
STATE CONVENTION OF THE REPUB-
LICAN PARTY.
Preliminary Organization Effected.

4u6 6ldto CplFtullOn OF Gu6 h6pHUlIcau
] party, called under the auspices of the COM
mittee over which P. B. S. Pinchback pre-
sides, assembled yesterday in conformity to
the call, at the Mechanics Institute. The
scene without, upon the street, resembled the
time Of the last Legislature when bodies of
lobby members, each actuated by purpose
of speculation, gathered in the open street
and discussed the maiorities and minorities
of votes An outlook upon the throng from
the steps of the yestibule of the hall showed
the composition to be of an infinite better
cast than usually have been seen about the
ward meetings of the Customhouse crowd /;
ditto of former conventions at the National
Theatre. 1t was foretold that the body would
be orderly just from the appearance of the
throng outside, among whom were the
sober-sides of the Republican party. Some
Grant man held discussion on the political
question with delegate who was of the
opposite way Of thinking, and the at
tendance upon the deliberations of the
body, as they thrOnged in and passed out
of the Governors ante-room, had every
sign about them of order and decorum. 1t
was felt that the question as to Grant or
Greeley would be fight; neither of the
adherents felt confident of the struggle, and
for that matter each interested one way or
the other was in the same position Of one
who holds a poker hand and who doesn't
know the size of his opponents.
Mr. Pinchbaek came upon the stand
little after twelve o'clock, and took the
ministerial gavel in his hand.
CALLED TO ORDER.
Mr.. Pinohback, in the Speakers stand
The convention viii come to order. The
secretary will read the call.
Mr.. William Vigers here read the call
which convoked the convention to assem-
bic in the Mechanics Institute on Tuesday,
May %, 1872.
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
Mr.. Pinchback, on conclusion of the
reading, said:
Delegates TO the State Convention of the
Republican Party - You have assembled
here at the call of your State Central Com
mittee to select delegates to the national
convention, called to meet at Philadelphia
on the fifth of June, 1872, to nominate the
dard-bearers Of our great and glorious
party for the coming campaign to nominate
a State ticket and to declare anew your un-
swerving attachment to equal rights, Justice
and liberty.
The coming campaign will be a fight for
principle-a conhicttOr power between des-
pOtism and freedom. Under the banner of
the former will be marshaled the Democ-
racy, with its opposition to equal rights,
with its opposition to mixed schools, with
its record of prosecuting the cOlored people
whenever tits in power, with its assumption
of divine right to hold all the offices. with
its pretensions of representing the wealth
and intelligence of the State and of paying
all the taxes.
Under the banner OF the latter viii be
marshaled, it is hoped, every true Repub-
lican, every believer in the capacity of man
for selfgOvernment, and who has a lust
appreciation of the true dignity of human
ity, and fearless assertion of the glorious
principles of our party, and who desires an
honest, efficient and economical administra-
ton Of our government.
We have passed through several severe
struggles; we have accomplished great
things, but much more remains to be done.
Our constitution and laws guarantee to
every citizen, no matter what his complex
ion or nationality, perfect equality; you
are here to vlndicate anew the Justice of
these measures, and to declare that you
will take no step backward in the work of
the Republican party. To do this it win
require that calm, dispassiOnate eonsidera-
ton Of every subject that may come before
yOu, necessary to full appreciation of the
objects tOsbe attained.
Problems more difficult of solution are
before you now than when we last met in
convention, and require more devotion.
more perseverance than the struggles |
through which we have passed for, in ad- |
dltiOn to the common enemy, we have an
unfortunate division in our party. New
dangers are looming up; rumOrs of dis
graceful combinations on all sides fill the |
air. In the struggle for ot6ce, all sight of |
principle has been lost. What you have to /
do is cleaT-keep your eye fixed steadily |
upon the great principles of our party; |
remember that personal resentments are |
not sufficient cause for compromising the |
interests of the people whom you represent. |
1t is for you to say whether the Repub- |
lican party shall survive or perish, whether |
the love of education exhibited By the col !
ored people shall be gratifed, whether the |
homes of over 100000 people shall be pro- |
tected from the unhallowed footprints of |
Democratic tyranny. This is the work be- |
fore you, and / doubt not your action will |
be such as to meet the approval of your |
constituents. The people demand a re- |
union OF the party, and you should so act |
as to convince them that the responsibility /
of the division, if it continues, rests not |
upon you. Should your efforts be crowned |
with success, as | am confident they will if |
you will pursue the proper course, peans of /
victory will be ehanted by the united Re |
pubicans of Louisiana on the third of No |
vember, echoed back from all parts of the |
Union by thousands and thousands of |
hearts attuned in unison with ours.
During the reading of this address the
hall gradually filed, spectators as well as
friends and opponents, mingling |
in the aisles, sitting on the tops of the
desks, thrOnging around the secretaries
desks, and forming background of in
terested faces in the rear.
PRELIMINARY ORGANIZATION
Mr.. Pinchback-I nominate Senator A.
B. Harris to the post of temporary chair
man.
The nomination was carried almost unani-
nously.
Senator Harris on taking the chair as
1Orary president said:
Gentlemen of the Convention-I thank
7ou for this mark of confidence, and the
lonOr conferred upon me by calling me to
act as temporary president to preside over
7Ou in your deliberations.
The chairman of the State Central Com
nittee, Lieutenant Governor Pinchback.
has stated the object and purposes of the
so fully that it is entirely un-
to go over the same ground.
trust, gentlemen of the convention, that