The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-16
THE FAITHFUL CONSULT.
MEETING or THE REPUBLICAN STATE
CENTRAL COMMITTEES.



les Of delegates; full city delegation was
present, and contrary to expectation the
chairman, A. Dumont, who was reported i'll OF
yellow fever, presided.
After the meeting had been called TO order
Chairman Dunont requested all persons not
members of the committee to retire.
T. D. Stamps said he saw no necessity for
secret meeting and moved that the public be
invited to remain.
| Dumont said that he could not entertain
the motion until the roll had been called, and
| he contended that the roll should be called in
executive session.
J. G. Brown said that it had always been
customary for the committee to organize in
public and then decide on the question wheth-
er or not the meeting should be secret.
Dumont differed, and ruled that there was
nothing in order but the calling of the roll,
and again requested all persons not members
of the committee to retire.
| His request was complied with, the doors
were closed and a sergeant-at-arms stationed
Oh the outside to keep curious and inquistive
persons away from them.
| A reporter of the DEMOCRAT, approaching
the public interest in the proceedings of the
|
was to be private, had previously secured a
position where he could hear and see the most
of what transpired,
| After the closing of the doors the roll was
called, and President Dumont delivered the
| following
| ADDRESS:
| Gentlemen of the Committee have been
convened In this general meeting to deter
| mine, as far as lies in your power the future
course fthe Republican party in Louisiana.
| Its destiny Is perhaps In your hands. While
the introduction of it's liberty-giving prinoi-
piles, their dissemination. and their final
| triumph have been effected only by means OF
long struggle. which called into constant
exercise the highest courage and the deepest
sagacity and craftsmanship, there has never,
perhaps. been time in the history of Repub
| licanism in Louisiana which demanded more
strength Of purpose and more exercise of in
telligence than the present. The faces of the
| thousands who have fought under our stand
ards of liberty are turned towards you from
results of your deliberations, The circum-
stances in which the party Is placed by the
historical events OF last year, while they
heighten the interest Of the public in your &C
ton augment also the difficulties and embar-
rassment OF your situation. One Of the sub |
iects most Immediately demanding your at
tention will be the calling or non calling of
State nominating convention. While |
7 may say that, in my humble
Judgment, the calling Of q. convention would
be eminently proper. Upon a convention
most properly devolves the reatresponsibii- |
ties of the present hour. Delegates newly
chosen, expressly for the purpose, are consid- |
cred generally the best instruments for ex-
pressing the wishes of the majority of a
people or party. Tt will be your duty, gen |
tions Of vital interest to the Republican par
ty in Louisiana, All that could be done has
been zealously attended to by those mem |
bers OF this committee whose time has per-
mitted them TO attend the various meetings |
held since the twenty-second of last May. |
men, return my sincere thanks for the in |
terest you have taken in the affairs Of our
party. and most sincerely hope that your
present deliberations may result satisfacto- |
rily to yourselves and the party and to the |
perpetuation of that liberty, which, as it was
the mission of Republication to beget, it is |
now it's duty to foster and preserve.
A resolution authorizing the admittance of
Republicans. who the committee should decide
were such, was adopted, and was taken advan-
tage Of by large number, who sent in their
names and were Endorsed as truly faithful |
and allowed to come in. The question Of !
ASSESSMENT
was brought up on motion to appoint q
had been decided to assess the Republican |
officeholders and employees in this State as
follows Those receiving o salary Of $1,000 ana |
over, 10 per cent OF the amount, those reCeiv- |
ing salary Of from $500 to $1,000, S per cent; |
and on those receiving less than $500 there |
WAS to be no assessment.
Dumont said further that notices would be
served and would have been served befOreif |
he had not been taken sick,
A series of resolutions somewhat in the |
nature Of q platform, were introduced, bat
their purport, owing to the fact that Secre-
tary Vigers read them In q very low voice.
could not be caught.
There was spirited and lively debate on
them, and while it was progressing Il. q.
Dibble introduced another set as substitute
This set arraigned the Federal officials for
neglecting to carry cut and enforce the guar
| antees in the constitution and abandoning the
party; Endorsed the principles and platform
| of the National Republican party; declared
that the party in this State had not disband-
ed; declared it inadvisable at this time to
ton and support of Republicans for Congress
in the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Districts,
and general nominations throughout the
State for members Of the Legislature; con-
demned the proposition to hold a constitu-
tional convention; indorsed the amendments
adopted by the last Legislature and urged
the party to take advantage OF every split,
etc, In the Democratic ranks, and to nomi-
| nate men Wherever tneTe WIS IL prospect ol
electing.
Both sets were referred to the committee
on resolutions.
T. B. Stamps offered q resolution to the
effect that. in the opinion of the committee, it
was inexpedient to
ORGANIZE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
at this time either for a State Or Congress
sional campaign
The resolution called forth an animated dis
cussion. A motion was made to refer to the
committee on resolutions, and a motion to
table that motion followed. Stamps secured
the floor and said that he had presented the
resolution simply for the purpose Of forcing
the committee to take some decided action on
the question as to whether or not the party,
as a party, would go regularly into the cam,
paign. There had been considerable talk and
rumor on the subject, and he wanted 1t settled.
Col. Jack Wharton took the floor. He ques-
toned the right of the committee to pass
upon the resolution. He did not think the
committee was authorized to designate the
course of the party. AS the servants of the