New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1878-10-05
An ADDRESS
TO THE
REPUBLICANS OF LOUISIANA.
ROOMS REPUBLICAN STATE CENTRAL !

mittee appointed by the State OonVen-
vention Of 1876, met in the month of
August last, and, considering the
dis0rganizhd condition of the party and
the peculiar state of political effairs, and
deeming it wise to make the Committee
as representative as possible, elected fifty
additional members from all parts of the
State. The Committee is now constituted
of eighty-five members. At that time il was
thought that it might not be necessary to
convene q State Convention. But at q
full meeting held in August convention
was called to meet in New Orleans on the
sixteenth of September. Delegates were
elected, and on that day large number
assembled in New Orleans under the call,
but, owing to the prevalence of the cpl
demic and to the establishment of rigid
quarantine in many of the parishes, a
quorum of the delegates did not meet,
and the minority present adjourned sub
iect to the call of the President of this
Committee as has been fully set forth in
an address heretofore published. We now
find it necessary to announce that the
same causes which prevented the attend
ance of quorum OF delegates on the six
teenth instant may prevent the reconvoca-
ton of the Convention in time to. take
measures for the pending campaign.
Therefore, in view of the approaching
election for members of Congress, for
State Treasurer, for members of the Gen.
eral Assembly, and for many parish and
municipal officers, this Committee deems
it proper to urge certain considerations
upon Republican voters throughout the
State.
First, however, it is pertinent that we
should say that at and before the meet
ing of this committee on the fifteenth of
August, when the call for State Conven-
ton was issued, it was generally consid-
cred among the representative men from
all portions of the State that, under the
existing political circumstances, it was
not advisable to recommend measures
looking to a general campaign. It was
not thought to be expedient to make
formal nomination for the only State
officer TO be voted for. Accordingly the
call for the Convention did not specify
that nominations should be made, but the
Convention was assembled to select new
State Central Committee and to determine
upon q line of policy for the party for the
future, But q committee cannot lay down
its authority until its successors are
chosen, and since the party can not re-
main without an authoritative head, we
feel justified in exercising the powers we
do.
Preliminary to the suggestions we have
to make in relation to practical measures
and party organization, we make the fol-
lowing declaration of principles subject
to the approval of the Convention when
it shall leassemble:
/. The Republican party of Louisiana
| continues to adhere to the National Re
publican party With that party we en-
| phatically regard the United States of
| America as a nation, and not league.
| We endorse and reaffirm the platform
adopted by the Cincinnati Convention of
! 1876. We proudly cherish the noble his
| tory of that party which saved the Union,
| destroyed slavery, and granted political
and civil rights to all men within the
nation.
| 2. The Republicans of Louisiana announce
that with regard TO national finances,
| they favor a bi-metallic and national
currency, interconvertible at par, and
adjusted to meet the demands of the bust
ness and industry of the country. We
maintain that every promise given by the
nation, during the perils of the civil war,
should be faithfully kept. We believe as
our party has always believed and asser-
ted, that the money of the nation must
rest upon an ultimate basis Of coin, hav-
ing an intrinsic value recognized by other
civilized peoples. We arraign the Demo
cratic party for its dishonesty, its in con-
sistency and its inanity in reference to
the most serious questions of financial
policy. Pretending anything and every
thing to anybody and everybody, in the
hope of political preferment, the course Of
the Democratic party in this regard has
only tended to disturb the commercial re.
lations and productive industries of the
country. In our own State, we witness
the strange spectacle Of party support
ing candidates for Congress who hold ex.
IRENE views in opposition to the so-called
"Greenback doctrine, running upon 8
platform which demands unlimited issu
ance of paper money under national ano
State auspices, and advocates substantial
reputation.
3 We advocate system Of revenue
taxation and import duties which, while
it shall provide ample means to meet the
public expenditures and obligations, shall
assume the protection of certain nationa
interests against destructive competition
of foreign production; especially insisting
that the capital and labor employed in the
production of the national staples of rice
and sugar shall be included in articles tc
be protected.
4. We favor a nationol system of inter
nal Improvements. The public works
affecting interstate communication and
the general commercial and industrial
prosperity of the country should be con
structed and supported out of the national
resources We arraign the Democratic
majority in Congress for their refusal tC
grant that aid Justly due to the South in
this direction. Our Representatives II
Congress have been as useless TO thi:
State and its interests in this regard as il
they had had seats in the Parliament o.
the Canadian Dominion, The experience
of the past justifes US in affirming tina
the South can expect no assistance from
the ascendency of the Democratic party in
the councils of the nation. We therefore
make our appeal to and place our reliance
upon the Republicans in Congress, and
TO such Just minded Democrats as may no
be under the party whip. We ask, in com
mon justice to the South, that the follow
ing measures be adopted; /. The con
struction Of national railroad from the
Mississippi, south of the SD parallel,
passing through the State of Texas to {
port or ports upon the Pacific Ocean with
in the territory of the United States or o.
the Republic of Mexico. q The con.
structon, at national expense and under