The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-07-31
LOUISIANA.
Politics In the s0uth--Federal lntcrtcr- |
ence with state Action,

Politics In the seuth--PeaeraI interiors
ence with state Action.
New York Herald
We print on another page note
worthy letter from New Orleans lifting
the curtain on the politics OF Louisiana
and showing that Grantism is 'scotched
but not killed" In the Southern States.
The nomination of the notorious Mar
shall Packard as the Republican can
didate for Governor Is itself proof that
Grantism "still lives" bnt the methods
by which it was accomplished and the
plans for electing the candidate, rs un-
masked by our intelligent correspond
emit, show that the danger Ia not past
of again making that State the uiotim
OF intimidation and fraud. The two
leading competitors for the gubernato-
rial nomination were Packard and
Warmoth. The tactics by which they
sought to oircumvent each other
make curious chapter Of secret
political history. We wish at
present to fix attention on feature of
their estimate OF the Republican chances
for carrying the State. According TO
| the narrative Of our correspondent both
Packard and Warmoth spent money
| freely in purchasing the votes Of colored
delegates, and 1t il u laughable feature
Of the contest that these worthless com
pared lists and found that number OF
the delegates had impartially sold them
selves to both. But the significant cir
cumstance is that both candidates
thought the nomination worth purcbas-
ing with money, which proves that
neither Of them is without hope that the
Republican ticket may be voted in, or,
at least, counted In, which practically
amounts to about the same thing. The
letter OF our correspondent shows on
what this expectation Is grounded.
In the first place. the same Returning
Board which perpetrated the enormous
frauds Of 1874 10 still i'm office, and Is ex-
pected to render a similar service for q
sufficient consideration. In the next
place, Kellogg still acts as Governor,
and stands ready to use his power OF
appointment and removal to promote
the success Of the Republican party. In
the third place, Packard, who got the
States Marshal, and intends to utilize
his power OF making arrests to in.
timidate the Conservative voters Of
the State. His plan OF operations, az
set forth in our New Orleans letter
IL consistent enough with the unscru
pulous character OF the man. He In.
tends, Just before the election, to arsest
individuals in all parts OF the State or
the oaths Of his deputp marshalls. who
are tools selected to do his bidding, anC
take them to New Orleans for imprison
ment, and he counts on the conceIteC
absence Of the Federal Judge to keel
them in confinement until the election
IL over. 1t Is to be hoped that the ex
posure OF this Infamous plan may defea
It. But the fact that Packard and War
moth both thought the Republican no
mination worth purchasing, proves tha
neither OF them despairs OF carrying thu
State. No two men understand the pc
litical situation in Louisiana mor'
thoroughly, or are greater adopts IL
tho art Of managing elections by fraud
1t is therefore proper that the Conser
, natives be put on their guard ant
warned against the reckless intriguer
who are plotting against fair election
and an honest counting OF the votes
With the election machinery and Re
, turning Board in the hands OF their op
pOnents they need to exert all thei
vigilance. A Democratic victory Il
Louisiana is not so certain as the friend
OF Gov Tilden have supposed, and the
, must not be lulled into false security
The Presidential election is likely to b
, very close, and II it should so happe
4 that the electoral votes OF LOuisian
{ would turn the scale the peace OF tn
country may be put in jeopardy by
: dispute as to which party Is entitled
l.. them.