New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-19
AMMUNITION WASTED.

A Times reporter is responsible for this
unfortunate disclosure:
Again, it is said that Mr.. Wilt has 90.
cured considerable support by promises OF
patronage if he should be successful.
The same paper subsequently shows
that these imputed promises of patron.
age have contributed to produce an IN
favorable effect upon the prospects OF
Mr.. Witt. It is said
The confidence in Witt success is by
no means as strong as it was few days
ago.
We adverted some days since to this
evil effect of patronage upon a party.
Narrow headed men have introduced The
idea that the promise of Office was prin-
cipal projectile in the ammunition maya
cine Of party. Such sharpers have gone
into conventions of all parties thinking to
make the campaign bear its own expenses
by discounting the nominations. This
weak theory is based on the supposed
venality of the public. If this unworthy
imputation upon the people be true, it
would defeat itself.
A candidate promises in advance the
principal salaries and sinecures which
may be at his disposal. At once the per-
sons thus nominated for collectors and
other lucratic appointments borrow mo.
ney upon life insurance and pledge Of
subordinate Office as collateral, and pro-
coed to subscribe the amount borrowed to
the campaign expenses.
We may suppose these fayorites to be
as one to one hundred to the number of
expectants. These last seeing the cards
stocked and the game blocked as to them,
regard the election as a swindle. They
are to spend their money and waste their
time, parade under the light of the sun
or camphene, get drunk, shot or busted,
for what? To secure men whom they
kao,o to be unfit for the several offices
they seek, princely revenues and family
subsistence.
We have expressed the opinion that no
Republican candidate should make his
nominations in advance of the election,
first, because it weakens the party by dis
satisfaction of the aspirants; second, that
it denies to any Republican citizen that
equal chance to share in the reforms his
vote may have aided to inaugurate.
We might infer from the assertion of
the Times that Mr.. Witt has COM
menced the action too soon; that he has
fred away his ammunition at too long a
range. It may be, therefore, that when
the shock of battle shall be 6ercest Mr..
Wilt will have to gallop his timber
chests to the rear for little more grape
and shrapnel, and that by the time he
shall have got Gin battery" again the en-
gagement may be over.
Any anti-Republican paper can teach
Mr.. Wilt the folly of announcing in ad-
vance those whom he will. delegate to
honor with the most lucrative and least
laborious posts in his gift. 1t is but for
the anti-Republicans to suppose that the
secretary of the treasury for our sovereign
should confdentially declare
truly lucky numbers upon which would
fall the grand prizes. Let the anti-Re-
publican press suppose that the not sum
sagacious" director of the institution for
the advancement Of literature and the ad-
vantage of charity should commit the
same folly; that Jupiter should assume
upon what Dame would descend the golden
shower Of a golden drawing! There is not
! clairvoyant of eggs and saddles, nor
Spectator in the coincidents between
numbers dreamed of and numbers