New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1878-11-10
TO THR NATIONAL ExECUTIVE COM
BIITTRE.

At the commencement OF the campaign
which has Just closed, the Republican
State Central Committee Of Louisiana WAS
disappointed in the conyocation of con-
vention in consequence of the guarantees
by the parishes. It therefore continued
in provisional authority until its successor
should have been appointed by authority
of the Republican party in convention as
sembled. This trust has been accepted
and complied with to the best ability Of
the committee. Upon q survey OF the
field Of opening combat the committee
found themselves wholly without the means
of effsctual political warfare. There was no
Republican newspaper of pronounced
opinion or sufficient circulation in the
city or State. The property and business
interests of the party were, under the
general depression, unable to contribute.
The mass of voters subsist OIL their daily
labor, and during the blockade of all in
tercourse II would have been impossible
to collect or 70 transmits their humble
tribute to the success of their principles,
II was early instructed by the National
Republican Committee at Washington
that nothing coald be effected, and there
fore nothing need be wasted in the Lou
isiana election. The committee was,
therefore, left to such resources as might
be obtained by our Federal officers. It
will be seen from this unpropitious pros
pect, an active or aggressive campaign
was impossible.
The committee, therefore, published an
address which epjoined upon every Re-
publican the preservation of his cardinal
principles, but gave to each parochial and
district organization a dispensation to
nominate Republican straight ticket or
vote for such anti Democratic as might
tend to secure local protection to the
voters and strengthen the Conservative
disaffsction to the White League Democ-
racy. It may be remarked that this last
discretion has encouraged large and res
pectable body Of our citizens to declare
that they would support the resolutions Of
the Louisiana Legislature of April H.,
1877, and practically recognize the politi-
cal and industrial rights of the colored
people. They then published the pledges
which follow:
We pledge to you a fair proportion not
only of the political patronage, but also a
liberal representation in our commercial
pursuits. We pledge our united interests
IN the education Of your race, fitting them
to fill every station in life equal to that oi
any other race.
Should this Conservative interest main
tain the just and humane sentiments il
opposition to the intolerant ferocity o
the bulldozing Democracy, the position
and secnrity of the cOlored people will be
asesrtained and established upon the basil
of local and domestic protection ana
employment.
The result of the election has demon
strated the wisdom Of the course pre-
scribed by the committee, and we hav
no doubt great saving Of life has followet
its observance. Republican candidate
were nominated in the Third, Fourth an,
Fifth Congressional Districts. Some Q
these were prevented by abuse, interrup
ton and threats from prosecuting th
canvass, and all of them were defeated b.
fabulous majorities. The representation
of Louisiana in Congress is soidly Demo
cratic. In some of the parishes in whic
the Republican ascendaney was establishe
an effort was made to hold conventions
but, owing to such obstacles as have bee
stated, without success. We may not
especially NatchitOches and Tensas. 1
the first of these Republican ward NEE
ing was followed by the arrest Of sever
leaders, white and colored Republicans
who were driven from the parish an
even required to quit the State and Unite
States on pain of assassination. In th
} second of these parishes Democrat
} convention had been held, but when
Republican convention was proposed the
J were excluded from the villages of the
! own parish by an armed quarantine again
the danger of infection. A milital
7 posse coAing from the adjoining State
Mississippi; in aid of the Democracy, vi
I admitted and entertained within Il
quarantine from which the resident ct
; ored citizens had just been excluded.
l order to show the effect of such intimid
ton upon the whole State, the proper P
: litical status of these two parishes is tn
: given from the State census Of 1875:
: Whites. ColOre
Natchitoehes. es.....s...... .6ogI i2'4
> Tensas .................1417 I'LL
1t is we'll known that the colored psoE
have belonged almost exclusively to
4 Republican party, and both these parish
: have had Republican representation
n the Legislature ever since the act of 81
! frage. Notwithstanding, therefore, I
/ immense disparity Of the Democratic a
! Republican vote in these parishes, DEN
!. cratic representatives have been return
!, for both Of them by large majOrities. ]
: whole State returns, 80 far ss at this n
/ ment asceltained, show 3 Democratic n
jority Of abSNlt forty thousand votes il
State which 10 Republican party beli'
N TO be Republican by twenty thousaH
= This change Of more than hfty th'
1 Al Il 4