New Orleans Republican., 1875-10-03
THE PACKARp-LEoNARD LETTERS.


is one of the few communications from
our political opponents which treats the
Republican party with even the courtesy
of civil reply. 1t is true that in this
courtesy is involved an imputatlon
upon Republican integrity, which might
be answered by retort. Still, to open a
correspondence on the basis of mutual
civility, and to publish such expressions
of willingness to confer with Republicans
upon questions of public interest, indicates
one of two things-either a personal IN
dependence of party censure, or, what Is
infinitely better, an abatement of that
intolerance which has wrought such evil
upon the social and industrial interests of
Louisiana.
Mr.. Packard presents platform which
announces category of abstract princi-
Piles to which Mr.. Leonard does not OBJ
ject. But he asks; "What guarantee is
there that these proposals will be carried
out?" We might retort by filing the ten
commandments, with the same inquiry.
In each case we should say, that it requires
the union of men who believe in those
cardinal doctrines. This is precisely the
object with which Mr.. Packard has waived
all etiquette and opened this correspond
ence. 1t is to see whether, certain princi-
pies of administration having been agreed
on, there can not be found sufficiently
large body of honest men to give effect to
them.
The indirect imputation on Republican
faith to which we have adverted is in
truth the gist of the correspondence. We
are compelled TO remind MIR. Leonard that
the Republican party has effected, without
the aid and against the opposition of the
Democracy, the only reforms which have
been given within the past few years.
Alarmed and offended by the immense
debt and flagrant misgovernment which
preceded 1872, the Republican party dis
missed the principal authors of this policy,
and have succeeded in cutting nominal
State debt of fifty-three millions of dollars
down to fifteen millions, with the ac-
quiescence of the public creditors and
the entire approval of the people. The
opposition united with the repudiated
faction, and have, with their aid, waged
terrible war against the Republicans The
Republican government was not recog-
nized, and for at least two sessions of the
Legislature the Republicans had exclusive
control of the whole State government.
They have, therefore, given extraordinary
evidences of political integrity, first in di-
viding their own party to effect reform;
and secondly, in consummating these re-
forms, SO far as they have gone, instead of
abusing their trusts, as, according to the
intimation of Mr.. Leonard, they might
have done. 1t is evident from these proofs
that the insinuation that the only party
which has effected reform can not be de-
pended on to carry out its own platform,
is unfounded.
Mr.. Leonard is little precipitate in
presenting certain specific reforms as
condition OF cooperation. He has acci-
dentally selected some in which the Re-
publican party is, as the incumbents of
State offices, especially interested. We
might inquire how he happened to omit
the reduction of city debt of $23, ,000,0 900
without adequate invested values to show
for it? What limitation would he propose
upon the taxation by ordinance, and other
measures of which the opposition enjoys
the chief advantage? The REPUBLICAN
has often adverted to the constitutional
provision extending to the executive a
power of appointment to municipal Office
which does not exist in the constitution
of any other of the thirty-seven States of
the republic. Governor Kellogg has, in
his messages, pointed out the same OBJ
lection, and urged its reform. The un-
considerable perquisites OF the sheriffs,
clerks, collectors, assessors, and farmers
in general of the revenues, have been
condemned by the REPUBLICAN as a great
source of our political troubles and of
embarrassment. We have never seen that
the Democratic claimant of the execu-
tive authority, or his advocates, nave
ever proposed to abrogate or abdicate one
of these powers. or one atom of his lu-
crative patronage. The theory of our
politics is that the Democracy is superla-
lively honest and capable, the Republican
just the opposite; therefore that the Democ-
racy is by right entitled to administer all
government, and can exercise these dan
gerous and delicate powers to public ad-
vantage. while the Republicans are unfit
for this trust. Now we suppose that
these measures will be made subject of
conference between those who may be
authorized to act for both parties, and it
may thus be determined whether the
true Conservatives Of the State can agree
on schedule of measures adequate to
guarantee and give effect to the platform
which Mr.. Leonard agrees to be une Keep
tionable. To this end the courteous and
respectful party relations inaugurated by
the correspondence becomes important
as heralding truce which may not i'm
probably ripen into Conservative treaty
on the basis of helping the Republicans
to carry out principles which all agree