New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-03

1
| large class Of intelligent electors who have
become disguised with politics on accoun
| of ring machinatiOns, but also to fgb
| against these party machine men-not thu
| machine, tor one of some sort ia always
| necessary in any successful campsign-bu,
the machine men, who have ignored tht
wishes of the best portion Of their party,
and made our State politics merely the in
strument for carrying ont their seitish AND
dishonest purposes. We worked hard and
| faithfully before and at the Cincinnati con
vention, and have the assurance Of Mr.
Hayes that it was Just this element in New
York politics which made his nomination
possible and brought it about
Our action in regard to the State tickle!
was based upon the call for delegates issued
| by the State committe. That call specified
only that all who were willing to unite in
supporting the Republican presidential can.
didstes should take action in regard to
sending the proper delegates to Saratoga
lican Central Committee Of this city, issued
the letter calling for the election Of dele
gates from the association of each assembly
district. Now right here is the difficulty:
Every man who JOINS one of these associa
tons is obliged to sign pledge that he will
vote q straight Republican ticket, no
matter whether or not he approves of
all the candidates. The consequence has
been that many who claim to use judgment
in voting any ticket have refused to join,
and the actual fact is that out of the 50, 900
or more Republican voters in this city, only
about ten per cent have been enrolled. We
then concluded to form Independent asso.
Citations in each district in strict accordance
with the call of the State Committee, and
to enroll all who furnished good evidence
that they would vote for Hayes and Wheel
or. 1t was on these grounds, then, that we
claimed that the delegates chosen by US
would be the regularly appointed ones
from this city, because ours would be
elected in accordance with the State call,
while the others would not.
We then asked Of the Reform Club, who
we're in hearty sympathy with our move.
ment, that they choose from their member.
ship half the sufficient number of delegates,
and name men who would be likely to ap-
prove the action and 60 to Saratoga. When
they had done so letter was sent to each
of these men informing him of his nomina-
ton, and adding that unless reply to the
contrary were received his silence would be
accepted as acqulescence in the action of
club, and as indicative of his willingness to
attend the convention. Only two retusals
were received, and these were from gentle.
men who pleaded business engagements
that would render acceptance impossible.
In many cases we received letters pr0mis-
ing acceptance Of the position of delegate,
and expressing the warmest sympathy with
the movement. Twenty eight delegates
were thus chosen from the Reform Club,
and the various associations, which had en-
rolled about 1000 members, chose twenty
eight delegates more, thus filing up the
full quota. The statement that many of
these delegates were not regularly chosen
is willfully false. Every one of them was
chosen by a full meeting in his own district,
and was furnished with the usual creden-
tails to that effect
We started for Saratoga with this idea in
mind-that the position of Mr.. Cornell be-
fore the convention corresponded with that
of Mr.. Conkling at Cincinnati; the position
of Mr.. Evarts with that of Mr.. Bristow,
and Mr.. Morgan's position with that Of
Governor Hayes. For Mr.. Cornell person
ally we had not the slightest ill.feeling; on
the contrary we had the highest respect for
him, but we knew his nomination would
lose US the State because of his connection
with the machine men, and felt that it must
be prevented at all events. Most of us
were personally favorable to Mr.. Evarts,
and yet at the same time we knew it would
be impossible to name him, when q much
more popular man, and one who as fully
our principles, stood ready at
porting ex Governor Morgan and using
every means to secure his nomination.
On arriving at Saratoga we found that
about two-thirds only of our delegation
were present, say perhaps thirty-fve
Nearly one-half of these were from the Re-
form Club. Tuesday we were in great
doubt as to what was the best thing to be |
lone. If it had appeared probable that |
evening that in spite Of all other opposition
Cornell would secure the nomination, 1 /;
would, in virtue of my authority as chair !
nan, have filled out the vacant places in |
'ur delegation, as is ordinarily done in such |
Eases, and would have pressed the contest |
or seats on the next day. This was re.
uctant to do, however, as it had an appear
nee of irregularity that wished to avoid.
When, therefore, l ascertained that
vening that Mr.. Cornell would I'M
oubtedly withdraw, | concluded that
ur purpose was accomplished, and it would
OF be best to press the claim. A caucus of
he Independent delegation was according
? held early the next morning, and we de-
,rmined upon the course afterward pur-
led. We saw clearly that OK Governor
[0rgan would be nominated on the first
allot; that was all we wanted, our whole
urpose was gained, aad the only result of
ressing the contest would be to produce
scord. The resolutions presented that
~ by US were adopted unanimously, and
Q went into the convention feeling that
10 work for which we came there had been
'ne. II every one of our delegates had
'en present at that time we should not
we thought it hest to press our
aim. Still l do not doubt that if We [
ID insisted upon it our right would have |
en allowed. I had the most cordial a. {