The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-09-30

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senator schurz-His speech at Macon.
Mo.-A Fair Election Demanded.
MACON, Mo-, September Ex-senator
Scburz to-day addressed mass-meeting here
on State and National politics, and In the
course of bis speech made the following re
marks on the correspondence between Mar.
shall Packard and General Emory in Loulsl'
ana
General Emory, with commendable spirit,
reneJs the idea that United States troops
conId be used for political purposes. No
doubt he describes the sentiments of honest
soldiers correctly when he says such an at
tempt would be resented by them with indig.
nation. For this honor him. 1should be the
last man to cast any slur upon the honorable
spirit and good faith of the true soldier, but
submit that General Emory's protestatlon
dees not meet the case. He says in his
letter to Marshal Packard that he does not
see how United States troops can be used Tor
nolitical purposes. Just there is the trouble.
[ venture to say that Marshal Packard, in bis
capacity as party manager, does see many
things which General Emory cannot see
lust because the latter is an honest soldier
and not party manager. The campaign
managers Of the Packard stamp are apt to see
many things which the honest soldier may
find it difficult to appreciate. We remem.
Der the use United States troops were put to
in
weeks they had to stand guard over the
state House while the State government and
Legislature were put in power, which had
not the least evidence of election by the
people, but were virtually created by an
act of the grossest usurpation on the
part of Judge, Durell. An honest
soldier may not have seen the outrageous
character of that proceeding, or If ne did be
may have been indignant at 1t, but simply
mad to obey orders and who procured those
lamentable orders? The party managers IN
Louisiana, and among them Marshal Pack
ard. They knew how to obtain orders for
Tue honest soldier then, and they may try on
some plausible pretext to obtain orders for
kindred purpose now, which the honest sol.
der will have TO obey, indignation or no IN.
dignatiop, or they may use the latitude OF
their power to make arrangements them
selves. The soldier will have to play part
without being able to see through IL. hope
thew will rot be as successful as they were in
1872. But however that may be, say again,
iua>much as it is Of the highest importance
tnut the people OF Louisiana not only should
have fair election, but also be made TO feel ana
believe that they have one, no man VINO was
an accoinplice in TIE usurpation OF 1872, ana
who is at this time manager OF polltlcai
party in the pending election, and especially
of that party for whose benefit the usurpa-
ton in 1872 was accomplished, should have
the least influence over the employment oil
United States troops in that election, De-
cause such man cannot inspire confidence.
But | 20 further. We learn through the
papers that the opponents OF the heliosg
government, who but recently, atter sue.
ccssful revolution. with ten thousand armed
men at tt cir command, dutliuliy bowed down
before the corporaPs guard under the ma
tioual flag, and promptly submitted TO the
reinstatement of Kellogg, have been making
AN honorable and loyal effort to secure a
fair election. In their conferences with the
chiefs of the Kellogg party they propose
that The returning board should be COM
nosed of two members from each party, and
a filth should be designated by the two par
ties together as sort OF an umpire; ana L
understand the opponents OF Kellogg agreed
that this umpire might be taken from the
Republican ranks, provided he have the
character Of a fair and just man. This was
no captious demand, tor it is well known
that in louisiana elections are apt to be de-
cided not by the people who cast the votes;
but by party managers and their tools who
count aud return the votes. The granting
of such request was, therefore, not
ONLY proper, but absolutely necessary
to produce confidence and good feel
ing. Even many prominent men OF
the Kellogg party recognized the evident
fitness Of the proposed arrangement; bur,
as the newspapers inform Us, there was one
man opposing it to the last, even against bis
party frends-one man who strenuouSly
insisted that the party managers and their
tools should keep the power of counting and
returning the votes, and thus deciding the
election. That man is Marshal Packard.
Mr.. Packard is an officer of the National
Government. AS such, and through his
assistants, be exercises in Louisiana great
power in the name Of the National Govern
ment. He represents the authority, and Is
supposed in a great measure to represent
the sentiments of the National Government,
and when such Federal officer at the
same time plays the part Of party man
ager in the State, and stands up as the
principal and perhaps the only obstacle to an
arrangement so necessary for securing fair
election, SO eminently proper and just that
every fair-minded man would unheStatingly
accept il as conducive to peace, order, good
feeling, and good government; that every
friend Of fair-dcaling and democratic lnstltu-
lions, nay, every patriotic American, will
cordially applaud il, then such man does
not only not inspire, but does not deserve
confidence; and it Is for the National Gov
eminent to consider whether such man,
aside from the control of troops in con-
tested election, can be entrusted with the
representing authority of the National Gov
eminent in any manner or sense at all. Ii
is Of the highest Importance that now,
more than ever, the whole people OF Louisi.
ana be inspired with new confidence
in the fairness, justice. and goodwill Of
the National Government. But the past
performances and present attitude of Mar
shall Packard, clothed as he is with Federal
power, are surely calculated to create intense
| distrust instead of confidence, and resent
ment instead of affection. The condition o.
things in Louisiana is critical, and this United
States officer has persistently stood in The
way of fair, just, and satisfactory solution
Of the most essential part of the pending
difficulties. His very existence as United
States officer puts the National Government
| in o light in which, as / respectfully sugges
for its own honor and for the public good
it cannot we'll afford to appear.
| What | say does not spring from q splrl
of factious fault-6nding, nor do l speak a
the advocate Of one party or the other.
have declared myself explicitly against ad