New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-05
THE REAL DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

Room No. l, over Cotton Exchange,
New Orleans. -, 49,
DEAR SIR-ln writing to you on the sub
ject of the coming election, We are animated
by the same earnest desire, which you no
doubt feel. to wrest the government of the
State from the hands OF the vandals who
have for SO long time prostitufed their
usurped powers to strike down our liberties
and destroy our prosperity. Every effort
which we have made go far, to shake off
this fearful burden of Radical rule, has
failed. Another opportunity is offered Us
to rid ourselves OF an evil which has be-
come intolerable. To accomplish this oh
ject, all conservative citizens of this State
should unite in a solid, compact body, and
not only use every effort themselves, but
urge upon every one, within the range
Of their Influence, to an earnest, active
participation In the coming campaign. and
to permit no local dissensOns to distract
them * ON the great work, whle b is the re-
demption of our State. No great ObteCt
such as we have in view, can be accom-
plished without Jealous, persistent, vigilant
and united action. Each man must feel
that he has a mission. and that the result
may depend upon his individual efforts; no
one must imagine that the work wilt be
done by some one else. All have an equal
interest and all must contribute. This can
only be effected by organization in each
PARISH; organization SO thorough and COM
plete as to embrace within it every honest
man. All must be made to understand that
whosoever ia not for US is against us; that
there can be no neutrality when such vital
interests are at stake; that the response
bility of failure will rest upon those who
are idle, disconnected or captious. Indl-
vidual ambitions, personal aspirations anu
unworthy prejudices must be LAID aside, SO
that, moved by a common patriotic Impulse,
all NAV be united for the common good.
As the central org 2nization Of the State,
and upon which the people have conferred
all the power we posses. We &c sire to pro-
pose, for the consideration of yourself and
the Democratic Conservative citizens OF
your parish, the character and working OF
such organizations as we think can De
made etfectual to achieve victory In the
coming canvass.
First-We suggest that your executive
committee shall divide the parish into DIS
| tricts, by sections or townships as you may
| deem best, to each Of which there shall be
assigned a director or directors. whose
duty it shall be TO canvass mis- Tor thelTD
| district, and report to the parish committee
! the number and the names OF those who
| inhabit it. dividing them into their political
| distinctions.
Second-We recommend that in CONVEX
| stations with each other no gloomy fore
/
result of the coming election shall be spoken
| of as a toregone conclusion, as we have the
| means of carrying the election and intend
| to use them. But be- careful to say and 90
| nothing that can be construed into threat
| or intimidation of any character. You can
| not convince Negroes reason, but you can
| impress him By positive statements contin-
ually repeated. ,
Tnird-We recommend that clubs shall
| be formed in different sections Of the par
| ish. of which there shall be freq uent meet
| ipgs, and as often as may be convenient q
central meeting of all the clubs. That oc-
| casionallv the ward clubs should form at
| their several places OF meeting, and proceed
| thence on horseback to the central rem
| devious. Such meetings would tend to pro-
| duce harmony, besides being an occasion
| for amusement and interesting cereao nies.
! Proceedings of this character would i'm
press the negroes with sense OF your
united siren 9Th. They have been taught
that they greatly outnumber You; such
meetings would convince them or their
error.
Fourth-It is OF the last Importance that
every effort should be made to prevent
| fraudulen. registration and repeating on
| the day Of election. To accomplish that
| object. gentlemen of known integrity should
| be assigned carefully and constantly to
| watch the registration and to make aiflda-
! Wits concerning all irregularities or frauds.
| On the day OF election several gentlemen
should attend each polling precinct, and at
| the close of the day make sworn return OF
the result, and forward the same to the
State central committee, to be used as a
| check against fraudulent returns. This, to-
| gether with the measures suggested in the
! first paragraph of this circular, will to a
| great extent insure fair election.
Fifth-We recommend that the names OF
| the officers of each club and the numerical
| strength OF the clubs shall be forwarded to
| this committee as soon as possible.
Sixth-We recommend that on the day OF
| the election, at each polling place, there
| shall be afiidavits prepared to the effect
| that there has been no intimidation, and no
! disturbance on account of any effort by the
| Democratic Conservative party, to prevent
| any one from voting on account OF race,
| color, or previous condition of servitude.' =
| Should there be any disturbance, the att
dayits, made subseq uently thereto, should
| set forth its cause and origin.
Seventh-We recommend that at every
political meeting of the opposite party sew
eral gentlemen should be present and take
notes of the proceedings, and especially OF
| any threats on their part against the white
| people, or Of any appeal, made to the ne
| groes by any white Il. 4, Ut an lncendiary
| character.
| By adopting the preceding suggestions
| our party will have thorough organlza
| ton, all the members OF which will be knit
| together for common object, and will thus
| have disciplined political body, moving
| with q fixed purpose over ground marked
| ont and well known to certain victory
| There are some who will object to this plan
| as involving much trouble. But recoilecl
| that nothing great can be accomplished
without trouble, and that our object Is tc
| wrest the government OF the State OF LOUIS
lana from an alien band of robbers, and re
| store it once more to the hands Of her own
| people; to cause intelligence and virtue to
resume their proper functions, and to elm
\ mate from the body polite the effects
| produced by ignorance and vice. This
| committee pledges itself to an earnest, un
| selfish and patriotic cooperation with each
| and every parish in the State to compass
| the great end.
! In conclusion, we suggest that at least
| two delegates from each parish. propt rly
| accredited by their respective parish com
| mittees. should come to New Orleans and
| remain during the session OF the Returning
| Board. to aid, with their knowledge OF
| facts, the State central committee IN pre-
venting fraudulent returns ny Iha1 poaru
/. w. PATTON, President.
| P. j. SULLIVAN, Secretary.
| NUMBER TWO.
| SIR-The undersigned executive commit
| tee for the parish. appointed at the mass
| meeting of the eighth instant, having duly
! qualified and assumed the dates incum
| bent on them have determined at once u
| inaugurate an active and aggressive cam
| paign against our common Toe, nose polltl
| cal course and personal spolatlon nave
nearly ruined our parish and beggared ne
l 1, OnH n