The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-06-25

present United States Minister TO Mex
leo, has developed into very prominent
candidate for the Radical nomination
for Governor Of this State. One Of the
delegations from Caddo to the Conven-
tion which meets Tuesday, is solidly for
him, and we are informed he has. be-
sides the backing cf tho President,
strong support In this city. Many Rad
icals will vote for him, probably because
the belief is prevalent that his candi-
dacy will rally TO It's support consider
able portion OF what is termed the Con
servative element OF our population,
while IL Is expected that the negroes
will vote the straight ticket, be tho nom
inee who he may.
1t Is difficult, however, for US TO see,
plain, blunt men that we are, how
either Conservative or negro Radical
can vote for Colonel Williamson. There
has been no more complete fraud In
Louisiana politics since the war than
Colonel Williamson. He may very
we'll suit the tricksters and managers
of his party who have personal ends to
subserve. But how any true Radical,
or how any honest Conservative can
support him, it IL impossible for us to
understand. Colonel Williamson was
red mouthed yecessionist. After the
war he was for time an "irreconcil-
able" As member Of the Legisla-
trre, just after the war, he favored and
projected legislation extremely OBJ
noxious to the negroes.
With his record up to 1879 before US,
we are astonished that any negro dele
gate to tho Radical Convention can cast
his vote for this man. 50 long as there
seemed to be a hope Of defeating the
Radical party and curtailing the rights
Of tbs negroes, Col. Williamson was q
red-hot anti Radical. The Democratic
party In Louisiana has never desired to
interfere with or curtail the rights OF
negroes secured to them by the results
OF the war; but there have been inju
dicious men in It's ranks who have de-
sired to do so, and these have given
our opponents a pretext to charge that
such is the policy Of the party. Col.
Williamson was, up to 1872, one OF
these cantankerous men, and there was
no time antecedent to that year In
which, II he had had the power, he would
not have reversed the results OF the
war 80 far, at least, as negro suffrage
and negro, freedom are concerned.
Weary Of waiting, however, for q
chance to get an Office in the Demo
cratic party. Col. Williamson. in 1872,
shook hands with the Republicans. He
went" first for the position OF at
torney Of the Texas Pacific Railroad,
and followed Tom Scott and Forney
all over the country to California. In
San Francisco he made Grant speech,
in which he defended the reconstruction
policy Of the Administration. On the
way back to Louisiana, he arrived In
Philadelphia just after the nominations
Of Kellogg and Antoine by the Radicals.
There he made another Grant speech,
but concluded by saying "But, feltoW
citizens, I cannot support that fearful
ticket--Kellogg and AntOine." He had
at that time schooled himself to swal-
low Grant and the reconstruction policy,
sugar coated with the hope Of a fat office;
but the "nigger" was still too much for
his delicate and aristocratic stomach.
From Philadelphia Col. Williamson
came to New Orleans. Here he seems
to have been captured by the Radicals.
By what gentle Establishments the
"nigger" element got away with the
elegant and fastidious Colonel, who, in
the atmosphere OF Philadelphia, felt
that he could not support "that fearful
ticket" we know not. But this. we do
know, that when the wanderer returned
to his home in Caddo he issued mani
fest to the people OF the State advising
them to support Kellogg and Antoine
as the best hope OF Louisiana.
The canvass rolled on and Col. Will
Hanson drew further and further off
from his old friends and neighbors. Hs
counseled and advised with the Radicals
and grew morose and bitter because his
people denounced his recreancy. Early
in the canvass he had started news
paper in Shreveport, called the Iete-
gram, through which he designed to
destroy the Democratic party Of North
Louisiana. But the people Of that sec
ton we're proof against his plans and the
sentiment there was 80 pronounced
and bitter against Radicalism that the
Telegram found 1t wise and prudent to
pursue q very moderate course. But
when the election was over, and the
Radicals, through the basest and most
infamous acts that were ever practised
in free country, succeeded In gaining
possession OF the State government,
that paper, under the eye and imme-
diate supervision OF its actual owner,
Colonel Williamson, approved and de-
Tended the midnight order" of Judge
Durell and all the shameful proceed
ings which preceded and followed that
J,,~ l1 tr,g v,I -. ;.