New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-05
The Chamber of Commerce, Politics and
the PicayUne.

| Inc Oh NOmme-ce, KO1itlcS R1l
the Picayune.
In regard TO the Measurements concern
ing the Chamber of Commerce which the
Picayune charges have been made by othe,
parties, we propose to slow that the mis-
representations, properly characterized az
gross are confined solely TO that paper. To
do this it will only bs necessary to prove
the following proposition. using tie Ian.
grage OF the president ef the Chamber in
stating it:
The Chamber of Commerce has never
Endorsed or condemned any politica, organ.
| izatiOn. as such, whatsoever.
And as a corrollary to that proposition
the REPUBLICAN has never stated to the
! contrary.
In considering this, a regular meet ing of
over year ago must be referred to. That
| meeting was during the last session of the
| present Legislature. 1t was largely at
| tended, the one interest being particu larly
| we'll represented, as a measure was then be-
| fore the Legislature which the merch ants
| engaged in that trade considered an iui uri
Gus one resolution, with the approval of
the president Was offered, to the effect that
a committee be appointed to represent to
the members of the Legislature the effect
the enactment of such a law would have
This harmless and eminently proper ly
course was violently opposed by min oritv
present. 1t was advocated by all wh ose in
terests were liable to be affected, and BY
many others who were more vitaly inter
ested in commerce than politics. Its oppo-
nents declared it would be an official recoy-
milton OF the government which many Of
them had opposed and were still opposing.
The president stated it was the business of
the Chamber to protect trade from assaults,
no matter from whence they came, by
every legitimate means in it's power Not
one of its advocates said a word Indicating
that it was intended as recogni tion of any
government. They only desired 20 prevent
the passage Of an injurious measure BY any
legislative body. 1t was at that time as
serted that the Chamber had no connection
with politics, and logically argued that
neg!ecting to take the course suggested by
the resolution would compromise the Cham
ber by ignoring government, in political
sense. as well as the contrary course.
The majority. believing it to be purely
commercial one. were in favor of the passage
of the resolution, out. that perfect harmony
in the Chamber might be preserved. it was
Withdrawn. under the tacit un1e rstandins
that members should use their influence to
prevent the passage uf the bill.
This debate was not reported Ia any pa.
per. The opponents of the resolution re.
quested the Times and the REPUBLICAN 70
ing sound asleep during its progress. only
arousing himself when the contendins voices
were raised to the highest pitch. could
give his paper no opportunity to compso.
mise itself.
During the sumner ani fall; the Chamber
interested itself in the funding BILL. No
pretense was ever set up. even b: the
Picoyane. that this action had any poll t!cal
significance or was any opposition made.
At the monthly meeting of January :.
President Oglesbv on taking the chair tor
the fourth term. referred "a the I.egisia uce
in these words:
believe the iniica tions, since o.r meet.
ing Of last Monday, go to provs>thst ths
Dryades street Legislature will bs ths
Legislature. and it is to them. therefore,
that we must look for tho repeal of bad
laws and the enactment of good ones.
believe that the views fore5hadoWed al our
last meeting will be followed by this Legis.
lature.
Twenty four ia, safte,wari the Pcayvce.
whose reporter was not present to hear the |
remarks. said they had been grossly per.
"erted. giving as authority the recollection I
of several ''prominent members Of tie |
board" and stain: tla. every mem:er
resented it.
This i, a misrepresentation ana perre:.
sion without foundation. The language Of !
the report is that used by tie speaker. If
any member had resented the gaport he
would not have waited 50 long time be.
fore expressing himself, nor would he haze
gone 10 the Pnayune with his comp aint.
which. in the same article. state, the
Chamber never gave Its sanction 70 TIE
funding bill as passed.
II it had not done SO in fact, it had in
'pirit, for at tbs meeting OF February
Mr. Sandise's resolution commencing the
Legislature for passing it. and suggesting
'ther reforms. was adopted withou: q dis.
enting yoice. That resolution was smila.
n spirit to the one which raised such dust
/ year age. but there was no suyges sion !
hat it had any political significance A
hange had come over the spirit of the
lreams Of those who might have been ex.
'ected to vote against it.
1t was after this that Judge Kennarl In.
reduced the resolution referred to We ster-
ay by the Picayune, which had no re-
orter present. Its statements in regard to
are all untrue. The opposition was not
ONE, but much, and it was not on the
round that it was superfluous, but that it
'as improper. The president refused to s
ut it to the Chamber for the reason that it c
as political resolution, and contained an
'sidious attack On the government under
hich we live. lie said the word insidious
al no reference to the motives of Ju dge
ennard, who stated he had drawn the u
solution at the request of parties who were =
IT present, and that there was no inten- j
on OF any attack Oh the government, but II
lly declaration that the Chamber was l
'n-political. He appealed from the ruling b
the president, who again stated he 81
Ould not put the resolution; that it IL
ntained improper matter; that during the NJ
enty- eight years he had been q member p
the Chamber no resolution of political o.
aracter had ever been passed. He had ie
t seen any article in the papers. W