New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-30
THE CRACK OF THE WHIP
Conservative Leaders Who Refuse
to Obey.

The Picdyune yesterday morning pub
lished an account of recent interviews by
one of its representatives with certain
prominent men of the Conservative party
on the subject of the calling of straight
out Democratic convention. They are men
OF such prominence in the community and
of 80 much personal popularity-a,l OF
them being natural leaders in their party
that we deem their views worthy of the
attention of our readers. To this end we
have reproduced their statements from the
Picayane, only condensipg them where it
can be done without departing from the
spirit of the intel .ew.
Colonel D. B. Penn, late candidate for
Lieutenant Governor on the Fusion ticket,
and afterward the pivotal CO ntre of the White
League movement of year ago, is re-
ported as saying:
am opposed to a convention, first, be-
cause we have no necessity for it. The peo-
pie are unite in their opposition to Radi-
calism, and will continue 80. convention
now might introduce dissension BY the rails
ing of old issues. wherefi if it were post
poHed till spring. in time to send delegates
to the national convention, all these issues
would pass away, and the party could main
tain its integrity. A convention would like
wise agitate the State, and be the entering
wedge for political excitement. At this
period OF the year we can not afford to have
anything to disturb or draw US from the
real bnsiness of the season, but conven.
ton would do all this and perhaps inaugu-
rate trouble of which we have already had
enough within the past two years.
l think the people of the State, in their
generality, are opposed to it; l know
the business people are; do not know
single business man who favors the idea,
and, moreover. Judging from the country
pa1ers it meets with little favor from them.
Question-Why do you apprebend that
trouble may result from conventiOn'
Answer-Because it is the intention to
take up the question of the late adjuLtment
and discuss it.
Suvstivu-Dui III, advocates OF the call
now assert that they will not touch that
question:
Answer-Yes, but if convention meets
they will touch it, and what's more, attempt
to repudiate it. l recognize that adjust.
ment as sort of peace; a surrender to
superior force, and there is logical eennec.
ton between it and the fourteenth of Sep
TENDER. You have the same power arrayed
against you on both issues.
/ do not see how the surrender to United
States troops on the fourteenth could be
commended on the one hand and the ad-
justment condemned on the other. The
advantages of adjustment are shown in the
development of the State, the restoration of
peace and quiet, as compared to the pc.
iitical excitement and turmoil existing prior
to that time. The additional guarantee for
the faithful funding of the State debt by the
addition to the board of the president of the
Cotton Exchange was a desideratum long
felt. The political advantages attained are
not yet so apparent, but the possession of
one branch of the government will at least
prevent further adverse legislation. Having
the lower House, any fraud in the census
recently taken is in the power of the Con
servatlves to investigate and correct They
can correct any frauds likely to have an in
huence in the matter of appOrtio1 mdnt and
have strong hopes of their being able to
abolish such obnoxious laws as the election
and the metropolitan Police laws, and if
not. mitigate them by securing the appoint
ment of non-partisans and honest men on
the Returning Board.
have advocated adjustment because /
considered it the best We could get. Subse.
quent events have proved it to be beneficial
in the peace and general security it has
brought with it, and an attempt to stir it up
now would be but to revive the old agita-
ton.
Question-What is your opinion of those
country calls" received at Democratic
headquarters
Answer-I don't think they reflect the
sense of the entire Conservative and Dem
ocratic party in their respective parishes.
Calls" are easily made, but it is another
thing whether they are responsible calls.
Question-DO you consider convention
necessary to bring the Louisiana case prop
erly before Congressl
Answer-I do not. 1t will come up of it's
own accord, Personally ought to be soic-
itous for the proper presentation of that
case, and SO l am, but l consider conven-
tion wholly unnecessary for the purpose. /
think We ought to deter a convention till
the spring, when proper understanding is
arrived at respecting national Democratic
party.
Question-What is the National Demo.
cratic party now'
Answer-I don't know that we have any.
The currency question will enter so vitality
into the next campaign that it is necessary
to settle this on basis of common under
standing before we can say We have Ma
tional Democratic party. The Democrats
are now split up into two seotions-hard
money and imitation. Should the imitation
candidate succeed in Ohio. it is probable
that initiation will be adopted az the ma
tional platform of the party, or at least it
will strengthen the popularity of the inda-
ton party.
Question-what, then, do you think of
this cry about getting into line" with the
National Democratic party!
Answer-1t is absurd; we have no line to
get into just now. The people of this State
must fight their own fight Independent of
parties. The main question here
is to get good men, regardless of political
stfi liatiOn.
John Phelps, ESQ.,, president of the Cot
ton Exchange, and one of the most liberal
contributors to the Fusion movement of
1872, was next consulted.
Mr.. Phelps stated that he was opposed to
q convention failing to see what good it
could accomplish. Any political agitation,
character. would divert attention from bust
ness, and interfere with the more important
pursuits of the season. l oppose il, also,
that this question of compro-
mise will be resurrected, and the peace we
have enjoyed tor several months back, to
the incalculable commercial improvement
Of New Orleans, will be broken.
There is no party in the North. They are
all split up. think there will be either
of parties, or the money
question will have the effect of driving
many Democrats away. We are too poor
in this State fer much politics. They are a
lux lry in which we ought to only sparingly
indulge, and l am opposed to all political
agitation here for this reason, that We are
likely to make ourselves poorer still by
continuing it. / don't see what is to be |
gained by convention. l see much to
ose by it, and know that the unanimous
business verdict is opposed to it.
l, N, Marks, ESQ.,, is reported in sub. |