New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-04
ELECTION OF DELEGATES.

ELECTION OF DELEGATES.
The election of delegates to the Stats
convention passed off in an orderly man
ner. There are two contested wards
which will be disposed Of by the conven
ton under the power to judge of the cleo
tons and return of its own members. Tit
Republican party has thus set the exam
pie of choice made among all the mos
prominent men in each ward. At these
moot elections, conducted according te
the rules Of law, the entries are free tc
all and the friends of every man are
free to subject the claims Of thei,
nominee to the only true test the free
choice of the people. Thus, in one
ward, there were seventeen nominations,
the vote ranging from "a up to 7O5. What
could be more fair than such mode OF
choice? What more satisfactory to the
harmony and unity Of the party? The
general character of these delegates is
excellent, and whether they be of. 'Paul
or of Apollos," they are all true Repub-
licans. The public can not but see in
the order and honesty Of this mode OF
choice how far it is superior to the ancient
fashion Of selecting candidates by ward
rings, surrounding the meetings with
drunken rufians, bestowing free drink,
and scattering money, SO that the
ticket agreed on by few was
confirmed by the violence of the profess
sional rough. Who has not heard the
complaint that orderly and intelligent
men could not risk their lives and pocket
books in such assemblages, and who has
not heard the total abstinence Of solid
men from politics accounted for by the
statement that the nominating ward con-
ventions were packed and the nominees
often such men as respectable men could
not indorse. If the political biography
of the Democratic representatives and
officers chosen by ward meetings to repre-
sent New Orleans be examined, it will be
found that they have been, with few ex-
ceptions, as VIGOROUSLY venal as others.
The Republicans have thus set all other
parties in New Orleans an example. Let
it be followed. Register your voters,
open the polls, let respectable men call
and indicate their choice of candidates,
without fear or interruption. Try and
compare all your men, the weakest and
the strongest. We shall thus have at least
the best men. This choice will pro-
badly fall on the Republican NOM
inees, if the Democratic ward rings
nominate their men on the former prin-
ciple of fraud and violence. So great,
however, is the anxiety for good legis-
lature that we are willing to recommend
to our antagonists fair and free choice
by vote, because if beaten, we should, at
least, have the comfort of knowing that
the incumbent was good man.
Nor is this last small consideration,
even in party point of view. Whatever
be the burdens or abuses of government,
however perpetuated or participated in by
Democratic delegates, lobbyists or bro
kers, the whole debt and dishonor is
charged upon the Republican party. The
debt, taxes and expenditures of the city
are constantly harped on to the injury Of
the Republican party. We may ask who
owns the s23,O00,O0O of city debt? What
party has furnished the greater proper
ton of officers, employees and contractors?
What sheriffs, clerks and subordinates
are enriched by exorbitant fees and
perquisites? What bankers and bro
kers have grown rich on city
consolidated and funded war;
rants ? Have these men been Re-
publicans Yet the exclusive responsible
ty for these acts have been cast upon the
Republican party, while these clamorous
have got away with the
spoils.
1t is for such reasons Of public interest
md of party justice, that we desire to see
he anti-republican factions copy repub-
ican example. 1t will give US more
opponents, it is true, but it |
will, in any event, give the people better |
servants, and relieve the Republican
party Of being denounced as the exclusive |
.uthor of abuses, in many of which they |
10 not participate, and can not prevent.
Jome, Messrs. Fusionists and Factionists, |
egister your voters, and open your polls. |
let US see who among you are the choice
# the people they represent. 1t will be
better for the people and better for us.