New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-25
m speaking to the point of p0lltlcai re


The Presidential large latitude has been
allowed in this debate. The Senator VIII
proceed.
Mr.. McMillen-I presume before l con-
clude You will find me voting with the
Senator from Claiborne (Mr. Blackman),
but propose to arrive at that result by
different road say that the people of this
State-and when say the people, | mean
the Democratic party and the press Of New
Orleans as representing the Democratic
party-when they talk about reform, do
not care a snap Of their fingers about tinan-
cial reform. They care nothing about the
load of indebtedness the State is bound to
bear: they care nothing about the rate of
taxation, but all they mean, and everything
they say, centres round the sO-called pOliti-
cal reforms; and their idea of political re-
form, in my judgment, is the surrender
of every power which the dominant
party in the State has thrown around itself,
in order that the Democrats may regain all
their supremacy. That is what the Demo
cratic party means by reform-that is what
the Committee of Fitty-One ask OF the Leg
islature OF Louisiana, and that Is what theJ
propose to demand at their mass meeting IN
Lafayette square tomorrow night; anu the
Senator from Claiborne (Mr. Blackman),
represents, and represents ably and well on
tins floor the demands and wishes OF this
element of the people OF. LOUISIANA.
While | am not disposed to the feelings
and the demands of the Democratic party
in this respect, while l cannot bring about
the threats OF the Senator from Claiborne
MIR Blackman) ON the people OF Claiborne,
or the Committee OF Fifty one, or the mon
of New Orleans. l propose to vote tor ana
to sustain by my voice on tins floor such an
election law as l believe justice requires
such an election law as l believe we Repub-
licans can go before the people and sustain,
and under the provisions of which we can
win victory for our party in the coming
election of 1872. l belong to that class OF
the Republican party who do not desire to
be hedged round by the power OF law IN
order to fight the battles OF our politlcai
principles or of our party. L am one Oh
those who have always been willing. and
who are ready to-day or next fall, If live,
to 90 before the people OF this state upon
the merits of my cause, and at the polls TO
test what are the merits of the principles
l advocate. 1 belong to that element OF
party which believes in party manhood, and
recognizes the fact that the individuals
CONFUSING it should be men; that, as rep
resentatives of the people, they should have
the necessary manhood to 60 to the polls
and deposit their ballots, regardless OF any
opposition, let it come hence 1t may.
belong to that element of the party which
came to the State of Louisiana when the
State was in rebellion. l helped to
whip rebels in the army and am not
afraid to meet them now. either upon
the hastings or at the polls IN the
parish in which | reside. | tell the gen
teman from Claiborne Mr.. Black man).
as to his threat of violence. that II violence
comes it will be met by violehee. and that
in 1872 constituted authority will live and
triumph in Louisiana as it did IN 1863. l
belong to that class of Republicans and to
that class of men who do not propose to
surrender their political powers or their
political rights in Louisiana, because they
are threatened with violence by the Senator
from Claiborne tMr. Blackman} or the PEG.
pie of Claiborne, or any other men or sci OF
men in the State. Notwithstanding all this,
| propose to favor what l conceive to be
a Just election law; and as the char
man of your standing Committee ON Flee
ton and Registration. | have presented a
bill which | consider is fair and just cleo
ton law-one under the provisions OF
which every man entitled to vote in this
State. whether cOlOred or white, whetle or
Democratic or Republican, "a man OF lnfiu-
ence or a man of insi gniticance, If he be ac-
tuated by the principles OF true manhood,
can walk no to the polls and deposit his vote
for the men of his choice. As Repub-
Gcan Senator, as a citizen of Louisiana. as a
member of the Republican party. l ask tor
nothing more and want nothing more than
this, and give the gentleman from Clal-
borne (Mr. Blackmanl and the Democratic
party due notice, that, in my opinion. the
Republican party in 1872 will marshal It
self under this law and march to victory, as
they have done in the past. Therefore, am
opposed to this provision Of the Senator
from the second district tMr. Campbelll.
do not want u returning board.
Iwant no revision Of the election to be
held in November next. l desire that the
people shall have the opportunity. under
commissioners of election appointed 10y
their legal authorities, to go to the polls
peaceably, if the Senator from Claiborne
| iMr. Blackman) and his friends will permit
torcibly, if they will nOt-and deposit their
ballots at the various polls in their voting
precincts. desire that these votes shall
be counted then and there, in the prese nee
| of the people, without revision and without
any manipulation by any one, either at the
State Capitol or else where, and that these
| ballots shall be counted i'll making up the
| grand total Just as thay have been cast.
Mr.. Campbell-Will the Senator allow me
| to ask a question right here l understand
| that he desires the people. Republicans as
well as Democrats, shall 90 to the polls and
| cast their votes. l wish to know, if he can
not obtain his desire, what he proposes to
| do about 1t
Mr.. McMillen-That would be a prerega
tive OF the Almighty. 1t is not i'll the pro
vince OF law to inject manhood into the
veins of any people, and if the Republicans
| of this State-being, as l think they are, III
| a great majority throughout the State, be
| ing as we know they are, the dominant
| partv-have not the courage and the man
| hood to 90 to the polls and vote their senti-
ments in my humble opinion they are be.
yond the reach of law to protect them, and
no law we could pass would bring about d
different result.
Mr. Barber-Will the Senator allow me
to ask if he voted for General Grant IL
1868!
Mr.. McMillen-Certainly.
Mr.. Barber-DO you believe the Republic
cans generally cast their votes at that cleo
ton!
Mr.. McMillen-No sir, | do not. | be
Ijeve. and | have always said, that theil
staying away from the polls was narrow
piece of political cOwardice. l know II
was in the parish of Orleans, and l believe
| it was in the parish of Claiborne and IN al
the other parishes where they did not vote
| In the parish of Carroll, where reside, We
| have probably as bitter and as vindIctlve al
element in the Democratic party as in any
| parish i'll the State There was as strong
and as concerted an effort made to intiml
date the voters in my parish as there was
in the parish of Claiborne, the parish OF
Bossier, or in any of the northern parishes
| But we were organized in Carroll parish
and in spite Of the threats, in spite of the
attempted intimidation, we went to the
| polls and carried our parish by 600 majority
for General Grant; and in the parish imme
diately below, the parish of Madison, where
there is large majority of colored voters
they went to the polls like men, and carried
it by thousand majority for the Republ
can party. In all those river parishes
where there is organization OF the Republic
~