New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-02

ana representative OF tnlS opposing ei'
ment. I'VE believe said Mr.. Packard,
''that the party should be independent OF
the State machinery" in SO far as the
State powers should be used to per
petuate the party powers, and that this
line of policy had been carried out,
the two forces dividing both, in the commit
tee, in the convention, and everywhere else.
Had the opposition been carried ont, it was
Marshal Packard's opinion no trouble would
haue occurred, and a representation would
have been secured in the Legislature OF such
strength that it would act as an offset to
such usurpation as, in his opinion, consisted
in uniting the official with the political in
terests. The annual election OF the com
mittee, by convention, took place in Au-
gust, 1871 1.-THE Gatling Gun Conventionl;
But even in August, 1870, the reform
movement was inaugurated by the adoption
of a party platform.
This platform was, according to Mr..
| Packard, decided triumph for the ire
| formers and consisted principally in the
adoption of q resolution expressing oppOsi-
|
in the creation of odious monopolies, sew
| eral of which had been enacted at the ses
sion of the Legislature in lS69-70. This
| platform also advocated the rights OF the
poor man. as separated from rich men,
both to be treated alike. This constituted,
of the reform party. Now. he had advO-
Gated the present registration, constabulary
and election laws, and had been in their
| favor. They were strong laws, rem
| dered necessary, in his opinion, by
| the fact that ''the Democratic party
was rather turbulent at that time" but at
present there are no such reasons why the
| laws should remain, since there is no such
opposition to 1.-The blacks as there was at
! that time. There was SO much disorder
| that..strong laws, which would throw around
the cOlored voter every safeguard to the
exercise of his liberties, were a necessity.
| This was the reason of comforting upon the
Governor such extraordinary powers. A
] good Governor would have used these
| powers only for the advantage of the people
| to be protected; there was now no occasion
| for the protection. He was not dissatisfied
with the laws because they were now made
| to operate against his own party, nor had
he been satisfied with them so long as they
| were oppressive to the Democratic party
He believed in their amendment.
The object of the proceedings in the Cat
ling Gun Convention of August, 1871, Mr..
Packard went on to state, was 1.-THE per
petuity OF the Republican party The
| troops had been called for by Marshal
Packard Ito protect government property"
and were marched from the Barracks and
posted in the CustOmhouse building, with
directions not to interfere. except to pro-
tect from injury or attempted injury this
property. The cause Of holding the con-
vention in the Customhouse was because
violence had been threatened to the citizens
of the Customhouse persuasion, as evi-
denced in the remarks said to have been
used by Mr.. Badger, Judge Dibble, and the
Governor himself, responsible parties
having heard these remarks, which
could be construed but one way.
He wished to guard against yio-
lence on the part of 1.-The mob,' and had be
lieved. in case Of a row, thieves and other
characters with evil intent would proceed
to destruction of government property.
Marshal Packard confessed there would
have been no occasion for such protection
and the presence of the troops if the polt-
ical convention had not been called to the
CustomhOuse. He had made the call, and
authorized it. The reason why the Gus
tOmhouse had to be used for this political
purpose, and the troops called to overawe
the opposition, was because no other hall
could be obtained in the city, unless
it were the Mechanics Institute, which
was in possession of and would be
controlled by the Governor and the police
No one had offered him the use of Turner
Hall. No one, the Marshal distinctly stated,
had called upon him the day before with
proposition to use Turner Hall. Some one
whom he did not know had called with this
errand, and he had replied jocularly in a
question, wanting to know if he could get
the Mechanics Institute, when the person
"whOm he did not know" said ne could.
Mr.. Packard rendered for the use of the
committee a printed report in justification
of his conduct, in which was printed, on
several voluminous rolls of paper, a series
of conversations and reports of conversa-
tiOns bearing upon the question of violence
that it was believed was intended to be
used. In the ward elections in the
city violence had been used, men had
been knocked down and bruised, besides
complaints were made that the same body
OF men travelled round from ward to ward,
voted in all places, and kicked up IA row
where they could not control. Mr.. Packard
felt convinced from these and other reasons
that violence and intimidation would be
used, and the true voice of the political
convention suppressed were they to use any
hall where 1.-The police would be likely to
surround the building and control or intim-
idate the members. Hence, all other halls
being secured by real estate agents Davis
Il Freret in the interest of Governor War
moth," he had felt compelled to use the Gus
tOmhOuse.
Hon. Mr.. Speer-" And did you not con-
slider it disgrace to the uniform of the
United States soldier to be employed for the
purpose of protecting the deliberations of
political convention ~
Mr.. Packard considered that the noblest
duty soldier could perform was in protect
ing the property Of the government. He
was not in the habit Of letting out his office
to political parties, but, considering the cir