Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-08-17
THEE TREASURYSUIP CON
-. TEST.

N"ncn we COnSlucr INC Cha'aC.ei
and capacity of all the gentlemen
who were aspiran,s for the position,
it is at the first glance a little
difficult to account for the Stub
bornness even approaching desper~
alton which characterized the
struggle Tor the Treasu' yship at the
Baton Rouge Convention. There
was no question at all that either
Mr.. Richardson, Mr.. Moncurc or
Mr.. Burke would discharge the du-
ties OF the Office with ability md
fidelity. After the friends Of each
had expressed their choice, we
might naturally have expected that
one of them would have been with
drawn, and then, of course, the re-
suit would have been settled by
single ballot. This escape from
the deadlock we might have look
ed for with the more reason, since
there was really no principle in
volved In the contest. The truth
is that the city members had gone
to Baton Rouge pretty thoroughly
imbued with the idea that the po-
sition belonged of right to New
Orleans for. this term and they
were not disposed to 'give up the
ship while there was u plank left
to fight from. On the other hand,
the feeling was equally strong in
the country that one or the other
of the aspirants from that quarter
should have the place. add to this
that the several leaders were sus-
tanned by unusually well,disciplin-
ed followings, hardly ever in the
history of nominating conventions
have so many uuvarying ballots
been successfully cast.
But When at last, bv the opera
ton Of the plan proposed 10y the
compromise committee, the country
and the city were brought face to
face, each with a single rep1 esenta'
tive, it is remarkable that the
greater number Of the country dele
gates went over to the city nomi-
nee and gave him the victory. This
matter, however, is no mystery 10
the initiated. The contest was viz.
tually settled when on the third
informal ballot Mr.. Burke's friends
united upon Mr.. Richardson, and
thus got rid Of the stronger antag-
onist. 1t would have been still
possible to unite the two country
factions and thus secure MAORI
ty had there not been an irrecon-
cllable difference between those
two factions growing out Of a for
mer comp. ication at the convention
of 1876. 1t had been in the pow
or of the supporters OF Mr.. Rich>
ardson to give the nomination at
any time during the progress OF
the struggle to Mr.. Moncure, and
when at last Mr.. Moncure was
thrown out of the contest, and il
was LETT to his friends to say WHO
should receive the nomination, i
was not in human nature-not il
political human nature, certainly
that they should so far return goot
for evil as to cary the palm owe
to Mr.. Richardson. They yer,
naturally preferred to side with TIL
friends of Mr.. Burke. 1t is furthe
said that certain combinations bear
ing on the congressional nomination
for the Second District were no
without influence in determining
this preference.
Well, it is all over, and litt'
boots is now to tell how the fgll
was lost and won. It was, in tn
parlance of @the boys might
pretty fight, and if the friends Of a
the contestants in that spirite
struggle will rally around the nom
inee with the same earnestness an
persistence which they displayed i
the convention, there can be II
doubt as to the final result.
AS regards Major Burke him
self, we have already expressed i
unmistakable terms our indorse
ment Of his candidacy. For his
past services he deserves we'll {
the State. We have just had oc
casion to observe his consumat
skill as q political tactician, bu
Major Burke is something NOR
than a politician, and something
moro than diplomatist. He is
great organizer, an indefatigabl
worker, and he has had thoroug
business training ana experienc
which have prepared him special
for the duties he will have to per
form. Another and an importan
qualification he possesses is a Ger