The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1872-02-24
THE so.CAILED PARTY OF REFORM.

leans, CallcO 10 COllSl(ter tnc Hnanclol
and political condition OF that city, a
committee of fifty-one citizens was APP
pointed to investigate the subjects I'M
der consideration and to mature plan
of relief. We happened to be in New
Orleans at the time, and attended the
meeting, but merely as a spectator.
Judge Lea, II non-voter, was president,
and the meeting was addressed by j.
H. Kennard, Judge Aleck Walker,
Gov. Warmoth, Col. Carter, Judge
Patton and one or two others. Judge
Patton made confcssedly the best speech
of those delivered, and he was not invi-
ted to speak. The committee of fifty-One
organized by appointing select sub
committees empowered to investigate
the municipal affairs of New Orleans.
These subcommittee having discllarg-
cd their duties and reported to the pa
rent Fifty-one, that body called anoth-
er mass meeting Of the people Of New
Orleans which assembled in front of
the City Hall last Saturday, and to
which the Fifty-onc reported the re-
suits of their labors.
These results may be briefly stated
thus: The Committee found that cor
ruption had crept into the City govern
ment; that no relief need he relied
upon from any department of the State
Committee had resulted in nothing,
save a recommendation to the people
to organize at once and form Il party of
Reform, irrespective of former political
affiliations, race Or color, or of expected
political status in the approaching po-
litical campaign. The object of this
coalition is stated to be the removal of
&c the yoke of our present State govern
ment," after which every person CO.
operating evil be free to unite himself
with any Federal party whose policy
is favorable to our best INTERESTS
1t is finally proposed by the Fifty
one to hold a Convention of the people
of the State, in New Orleans, on Tues
day, the 2:}rd day of April next, to
which men of all parties, regardless OF
color and previous political associations,
favorable to reform, are cordially in
vited.
Our comments upon the action of the
Committee Of Eifty-onc shall be brief
and to the point.
We are not recent convert to reform
When most of the men comprising this
( u
consulting their balance sheets, their
lcdgcrs and their briefs, we were in the
forefront battling against the vile and
mischievOus men whose vilcr measures
have at last tl,awcd tho icc-gorgc that
then surrounded these recent reformers.
We do not take to the programme of
the Committee of Fifty.one, for several
reasons. One is that the recommends
ton implies Il censure upon our past
course as q Democrat.
Now, greatly as we doubted the poll
cy, in the last canvass, of selecting
il" conservatives men to lead
the Democratic party, we, nevertheless,
gave the ticket our earnest and utmost
1t is asserted, upon authority TN
that of this identical Commit
tee Of tifty-one prominent civilians of
New Orleans, who now propose taking
the lead in defeating the Radicals, only
eighteen We're registered ut the last cIcc-
ton in this State! We did our duty,
but what were the non-rcgistcrcd
twcnty-threc prominent rcformcrs of
New Orleans doing" Did they aught
then to save the State: If they did not,
what proof have they to offer that they
will do anything in the canvass Mt
hand"
These gcnttcncn havenot considered,
we opinc, so much the labor necessary
to organize Il new party and harnlonizc
tho best clements of the country, as the
mere novelty of starting IL new politi-
cal organization. They have not re-
Elected that i'll each parish they must
be seconded and assisted by influential
men who arc to give local direction to
politics and to organize clubs and COM
mittces. They have not reflected that
their strength must necessarily come
from the 1}antftrsfs xxhn .,,, tar.