Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-07-22
WHOLE NO. 1874.
Condition on I.onIslana.

this city. A more remarkable bod
never assembled In civilized oonn
try, and could vivid and graphic pic
ture Of the constituents Of this assem-
bly, be placed before the country th
people would hesitate before they in
trusted the Government to another
| Republican administration. Theelnr
ing features Of this body were the ig
norance of the members, their intemp
eranoa, and their rutiianly conduct i
drawing knives and pistols whenever
the pet measure Of this or that leader
was defeated. The object of the con
vention was the nsmination Of q State
ticket to serve as an appendage to the
national one Of Hayes and Wheeler
There were two parties in this conven-
ton, one headed by the irrepreasible
Marshall Packard; the other by Pinch.
back. On the opening Of the session
it was evident that the Pinchback
party was in the ascendency. Pack
ard tried all means at his command to
defeat his opponents, but failed until
yesterday, when, by threats and lib
eral display of kilograms from Wash
ington, he finally OYercame the resist
ance of the delegates. These talegrauls
purported to be from parties high in
the favor of the Administration, and
recited that unless some invidual ia
favor at Washington, and not War
moth, received the nomination for gov
ernor, not a soldier should put his foot
in the rural districts of Louisiana.
Accordingly the fears Of the negro
conquered his political freedom, aud
to-day Marshal s. b. Packard receiv-
ed the nomination for governor. War
moth had attracted a majority of the
delegates to this cause, and had the
Administration not interfered he
wopld have received the nomination.
But Grant declared that III Warmoth
headed the ticket not soldier should
assist in his election. In addition 90
this, kellogg notified those Of bis
oticeholders who were members Of the
convention that they might expect
their dismissal if they gave their sup
port to any one but Packard. In the
face of this powerful pressure War
moth steadily gained ground, and his
chances for the nomination became so
improved that Packard determined TO
use force. He instructed his workers
to move for an adjournment, and when
the Warmoth men had retired, Pack
ard ca lied Stamps, a negro delegate, to
take the chair. But just as Stamps
took the chair Pinchback, who had
not left the building, rushed in, and,
taking Stamps by the collar, threw him
from the stage into the Ochestral stand.
In an instant hundred pistols were
drawn. Pinehback was surrounded
by the armed emissiaries of Packard.
But he stood firm, and retained the
chair until his followers were recalled
to the building. The supporters of
each faction drew their weapons; yells,
curses, groans, mingling with the notes
of brass band, filed the theater; two
delegates engaged in bloody eneount-
er, and not until the police were called
in and several delegates had been ar
rested could anything like order be
restored.
In the vestibule Of the theater War
moths friends had erected bar, where
the negroes were taken by rival aspir.
ants and filed with whisky. saw the
chief justice of the State, who was an
aspirant for gubernatorial honoFs, with
his arm around the neck ofa corn-field
negro, leading him up to drink. saw
the white men who have ruled the
State for ten weary years ply the ig-
nOrant negro with whisky, until what
should have been a deliberative body
became den of yelling, cursing, fight
ing demons.
T1 the Democratic citizens OF the
Statc the nomination Of Packard is
big with meaning. His name is synOny-
nous with tyranny in every hamlet Of
the State. His irony heel has left ita
mark in every parish. However,
Packard's nomination is by no means
acceptable TO sll of his party A large
fraction Of Republicans are disafected
and openly signify their intention 20
make common cause with the Democ.
raOy against him. Pinehback .duringthe
stormy sessions of last week, made two
very admirable addresses, wherein he
.ook occasion to notify the carpet bag
ger that the negro was becoming tired
)f his rule. That slavery ofOne form
vas as bad as slavery in another. That
he negro was not emancipated from
,ne master only to become the slave
IF another. And he called on the ne
yroes of the convention to exercise
heir rights and TO select as their
such a man as pleased
hem, aud not to be cOerced w the
His speech had a
effect. Had the negroes
,een sober Packard would have been
defeated.
A very wonderful change has mani
ested itself in the political course Of
he negroes. Excessive taxation has
made itself felt among them, aud they
,egin to realize that il is not the whites
lone who are interested in good gov
rnment. In different parts of the
state large numbers Of negroes have
allied on the white leaders and asked
PERMISSION to form a political alliance
nth the Democrats, stating that they
re convinced that they have nothing
o hope from the Republican party.
q every instance they have been we'll
eceived by the old white population
nd a combination formed. But such
course is not free from danger. In
many cases the leaders of these de-
MISSIONS have been taken from their
louses at night aud brutally beat
n by the Radical leaders of the vicin-
ty. A planter living in the neighbor-
Iood of Baton Rouge advanced sever
] hundred dollars 70 an old slave Of
lis 10 start in life. The negro, thrift
y, industrious fellow, rented portion
Il his old masters plantation, and
DON had promise Of a remuneratiye
Iarvest. Suddenly he disappeared.
70 one knew whittier. Ills benefaetor
oncluded that he had absconded TO
void returning the money he owed,
nd thought nothing more about the
latter. This gentleman, however.
aving occasion TO cross the river on
was surprised to meet his
uondam debtor limping along the
BAD. Inquiry revealed the fact that
he poor negro was afraid 10 return 20
is old home. tie had been called
'om his house late one night by
and of negroes, and, after being ao-
used of deserting to the Democrats,
as tied to tree aud dreadfulIy beat
b, and warned If he didn't leave that
iclnity without further delay he would
9 killed.
Opposed TO this want Of unity in
.epublican ranks we have a uni
ed Democrncy--a party knit together
y ties of common interest and warm
There was settled deter
ination TO accept the result Of the
,tion Of the convention without re-
rive, and when the news came that
le great ring breaker of New York
ld received the nomination, ipdiyid-
al preference were reuregsed-.Rave