New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-31
The Opposition 10 Republicanisn,s

The Opposition 10 Republicanisus
''Reno." an intelligent correspondent Of
the Chicago 2ribune. writes from New Or
,eana, rndcs date Of December q. ~ fo!'
lows:
This aues:!cr Of party, as connected with
the united and bitter opposition to Repub.
ficanism 80 painfully evident in louisiana, is
one nOs quite go Seadily solved as might at
first thought be imagined. Like the ele.
ments composing the body polite. it is at
best decidedly mixed. A call for State
con ventson found tar from q united people.
1t developed. in tact, not little feeling, as
well as a variety of interests and differences.
t!s overcoming and harmonizing Of which
OccasiOned no little sOlcitude in the patri-
otic councils OF the faithful. There had
been nothing like political harmony and
very little like organization since recon.
strnceiOr. Jhs generally admitted failure
of a miserable attempt at Fusion, as fepre.
sented in the ticket OF McEnery and Penn.
had done little to Improve the situation.
There was a complete and utter breaking up
of anything and everything like party ties.
A few wOuld.be representative individuals
claimed to speak for the Liberals. Certain
sections Of the State had got into the seem.
ingly confirmed habit of returning s0-ca allied
Independents. There was q recognized
element that had passed for Reformers.
There remained a ves,ige OF the veteran
Democracy. To effect an organization y:
ali the different elements was the prOblem.
There were other issues, too, that OccasiOned
no little trouble. Certain parishes on the
western frontier, for instance, developed
strong feeling in favor of seeding from the
State and aRnexing themselves to Texas.
There was general feeling OF jealousy. TOO.
among politicians in the country as against
city supremacy. 1t showed itself, on the
start, in a call for an independent conven-
ton. To cap the climax. quite . strong
organization had sprung up in the city.
known as the Hives. Its members distinctly
repudiated all party atfiliation. They were
regulators, in fact, in both material and
political sense. Their platform was nothing
more nor less than reputation. They
claimed membership of several thousand
voters. They represented, a. understood,
several millions Of real estate. Their pecu-
liar tenets we're known as tar from unpOp-
ular throughout the State.
The Democrats. true to their nature,
| through ALI their defeats had alone main
| tanned anything like party organization.
| The State at large having been Democratic
| in the past, too, the country press were OF
the same Olien school. Between the two,
the Democracy turned out masters OF the
situation. There must needs be something
| like party machinery through which to
| effect anything OF an organization for the
future That of the campaign of 1872 had
| fallen to pieces of it's own weight. The
| various conflicting elements making up the
original fusion had no joint representation
| in any shape. save as found in the so-called
Committee Of Seventy. The Committee OF
!; Seventy, limited in its duties to the prosecu-
| ton of the claims of McEnery & Co. before
Congress-, were recognized as having no
further authority. They had paved the
way for campaign. They had laid the
foundation for abundance Of campaign ma
terial for the Northern Democracy. They
| had put the ball in motion that was to give
the lie to the previously incontrovertlble
fast, as advanced by Senator Morton. OF a
generally peaceable and quiet condition OF
affairs There could no longer be o claim
| of general acqulescence on the part OF tne
people in the existing government OF the
State. They were becoming stirred up to
| spirit of resistance, quite as demonstratlve
| as even the most rampant OF the northern
Democracy could desire. The Committee
of Seventy had quite fulfilled their duty IN
the premises. They were relther autnor-
lied nor prepared to take tue iniuatlve III q q
| movement looking to the organization OF
the generally CONFUSED and descordan: eie'
mentse =.
The oii:ims Democracy. ever cn tha
alert. tOck advantage Of the sltuat.ons In'
der the auspices Of q celic of d former DEM
0cratic central committee call was pro-
fnulgated for q State convention. II
brought forths as before stated. call iol
an opposition COnventlons as emanatlGe
from the northern and western portions Of
the Statee Originating in the jealous fears
! of the country politicians, the issues were
as between the White League extremist;
and the former more polite Democrat lc
leaders in the city. The call as promul
gated from the country had for one OF Its
signers no Jess parsonage than McEnely
HIMSELF /. was at once declaration ol
independence and conscious superiority On
the part of tise co.ntry extremists. 1t was
a blow. open and direct, a: the moro con
servatiye OF leading classes OF the city De
! mocracy. /: challenged immediate ac'
tiono roo. Oh the part OF the Lio
eral elements. as represented by Mr
and energetic hand, or be literally overrid
den bv tine rank and file. Between the Con
seryatives and tine Liberals. as conse
ouence, q movement was forced on the par1
OF the Committee of Seventy. The Com
mittee of Seventy must needs attempt the
somewhat desperate feat OF riding tnt
elements it had been chiefly instrumental II
putting in motion. IL came oue IN .no lois :
of mediator. The immediate result was a
new and ioint call. through the machinery
of the so-cailed Democratic Central Com
mittee. indoy.eI by the Committee o.
Seventy. ios . genera! OK peoples Con
| yenticn."
from mere party considerations. was becom
ing alarming enough The process OF stlE
! ring up this people for political effect was
fast producin: its legitimate fruits Peaee:
able and Quiet enough at the G.ose oil the
last session 9! Congress. ehey were aoW
seen everywhere turbul en-. and excited.
Througn large portion CT the state, sn'
organizations Of Nhite Leagues had oh
tained a complete and absolute control
Combining, very naturally. the vicious and
lawless elements OF. a, best. somewhat
lawless community, such elements, as was
! natural. fast gained the ascendency. 1heir
hatreds and animosities were kept at fever
heat by constant appeals to their prejutlces
through an intensely bitter and partisan
press. They were as constantly stirred ia
action by local and generally unprincipled
politiciaris OF the old time Democratic
school. Twas re-enactment Of the open
ing scenes of 1861. All of the lower ele
ments we're fast welded. into compact
mass in the lead Of the same old fell spirits
of rebellion. AS then. the spirit OF partisan
i and