The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-09-15
EaEe. M. G. CAsTELLANOS' LETTER or
ACCEPTANCE.
To the President and Members of the First
Congressional Convention OF the National
Party Of Louisiana:

to represent the interests Of the National party
In Congress- stated that would avail myself
In letter Of acceptance. tho views and prinei- |
pies by which propose, to be, guided In my po-
it Is a duty I owe not only 70 myself but to
those OF my, fellow citizens whose support |
SOLICIT. and whose esteem end confidence am
anxious to deserve. I shall. therefore. be both
brief and explicit,
The history Of the past In this State, since the
rule. oppression and financial ruin. Gloss
over this fact, as We may. IT stands forth patent
| glnring and undeniabe. 1t makes little dltfe pr
| have dominated here have styled themselves.
| 1t Is melancholy truth that. In many instances
in the gift of the people have been bestowed not
upon the most Competent and meritorious, but
upon tn SO whose Lavish expenditure OF money;
aided by abuse Of official patronage, rendered rs
| them potent and successful com petltOrs In the
political market over their poorer n and NOR. more
While the suffrages Of the people were being
bartered away. the purchasers IL In ,,g turn
hays sold the pgaGple b ct to rear m
detail to the terrible ordeal which We
have had to undergo from the policy Of hepuh
during that period are written in cnaracter re-
blurred by our tears and anguish. No wonder,
then. at 'he powerful irresitib +! reaction that
slaughts made by Democrats and Consnrya-
tiyes alil1e-tbat old and faithful band of Wings
who never abandoned the traditions of their
once formidable oitidel Of Republicanism was
shaken to It's very foundations; and the Demo
| cratic banner, with the words Retrenchment.
Reform and Honesty emblagoned on Its folds.
was planted upon its crnmblng ramnparts. We
| tanned by oil. 1t was confidently predicted and
| authoritatively asserted that upon the instah-
ton and Of n,t DemocraG crnd
would be restored our drooping commerce re-
vived. our dormant industries fostered, our
properties enhanced in value. taxation reduced
and the heavy burdens that had oppressed the
| people forever removed. IllusOry. fal acious
hopes! Unredeemed pledgesl Hollow, broken
Though two years have elapsed since the
purity now in power promised US these whole.
a nil with less ability to pay than was ever
experienced in this OF, any other community.
We are now paying in this city half OF our n
comes to the State and Ii unicipa' governments
And for what? chiefly to maintain q retenue OF
highly salaried officials who are,of no sort OF
} use TO the people and whose combined services
during the whole year would be dear at board
wages. The most arduous task they nave had
to perform was to wiring d thirty mill tax ont OF
purpose, to divide it among themselves
In lieu Of the promised reform we have re-
e9vea tn OnT s eped over Whch The
, State government had pledged itself to watch
with parental care. drags In the dust subject to
, the fluctuations in value VIII ch it may sub7er
the interests Of INSCRIPTIONS Brokers' stock
iobbers and warrant spectators to bring ABOUT.
Consols are quoted at 10 cents, without KNOW NOW
! rants cannot be sold at any price. excspt, once
; In while. to some tax collector. who, IS hesl-
tnting between default outright and a com
promise with bis couvan1ence at from l2!2 70 -
cents on the dollar. The various executive Of
flcers of the State manage to extract more
money from the people than was extorted. for
J tho same purpose In the palmy days OF War
, moth or the no less exravaghnt epoch OF Mel ,3
logg The same salary laws are in force. The
same gratuties have been voted under the
, nume Of contingent expenses In short. the
same system prevails through Of paying ex"
| tom Iaria tor rHi tu1l1 nd
ties t. do tie work, The rule continues to pre-
vail that the higher the salary the less work is
Then as to the promised economy The
streets Of the city. Whicn require the constant
service of responsible persons Interested In
I thei being kept clean, have been turned over
to contractors. thereby throwing out OF em-
ployment hundreds Of honest laborera. o-, me
tho ep s re reykng with filth and malerous
. eftluvia and heart rending. desoaa1ing plague
' Our public schools that holy refuge wherein
: learning for their children. are in a condition
= Of gradual disintegration: The police force.
eho3 hd WorE ~ the for b
q tion-in fact. all the employees, Of every class
: and descti pticn-are actually suffering from a
eyes R Rsne ? you viii Bar6s
has succeeded In getting into shady place
with cushioned seat w1eher under ~ St tb
"a utilities have been abolished or encouraged
and the perhuities retained and fostered.
q most important reduction upon the express
>, pledge that they would be paid monthly anG
= cash have not been paid at all ,4 un'l tna
L faithful body of men are to- day little better
= than paupers consigned, at this very moment
: by the city authorities to the charities and bene
u voence of our people for those necessaries o
" life, for that very bread and meat which they
: have honestly earned. and from the want Of
!, which their families have been long suffering
{ The wharves have been turbed over to one pof'
e. ton of the ctys creditors to the prejudice OF al
: others. The, Waterworks have been barteret
u away to the holders Of floating debt. In the
r meantime every nerve has been strained t.
= bolster up, by an unauthorized diversion OF TIT
Z public funds, that lottery scheme which rlVa
q q company has gfaciously permitted the city t
= conduct under the name of Premi m Bont
II drawings. By this means the city adminlstra
! ton has taken the bread which was due to tht
- poor people Of our own city and given IL &
= capital. not enterprise to many who take NJ
% % risks in the community, do not live here ant
q the people from whom it is extorted. / hole
+ that one debt is as sacred as another or per
o hays. it would more forcibly convey my idea t
short of downright robbery to seque5trate the
4 hard earned money of one class OF our citizens
u ist. We ere promised protection to our local IN
. terests! Yet, a Democratic Legislature. with tn
u assent of a Democratic Governor. have at
. illegal tax on 8 special branch of business, b
Of imported engine of
y owing to the determined opposition in gu
y courts Of justice Of those so grievously anecte
t. by this law. the tax gatherers nave not yet pee
l. enabled to enforce their schemes OF esnionAg
D. and domicilary visitation. It now remains
y, with its odious and anti republican discrimin
~ atoms, dead letter on the statute book, warn
y, ing aud a monument to the Injustice of its pre-
\ jec ors. 80 .
"a The platform Of the National party. with II
~ accompanying address, so CLEARLY and expliettl
u VI exp esses my views upon these and other XIII
Do dr,d topi,s that am fortunately spared th
n n1eessity Of celebrating them at any llengtl
rs into the canvass standing fairly and squared
"d1 upon the constitution OF the Union as It /
a hr the war. We demand as party substantial IT
y form; We demand guarantees that will secul
70 protection to honest labor, and in furtherant
- OF that end expect announcement from go
oi ernment-Federal. State and municipal. Thef
= things we demand, and in doing SO ask for !
d more than what of right we are entitled to. Y
are opposed to any sudden, forced and premt
ture resumption Of specie payments. We are
of favor of increasing the volume of our gree
b. hclenty large 10 meet the neGessities
Il. RI any 1iScrjmi a ion bet Wpen 0O