The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-09-25

yette, Iberia ana st. Mary, with the regu-
lar delegations from Calcasieu, Cameron
and st. Martin, Immediately withdrew
from the convention a Terrebonne dele
gate waiting until he had cast two votes
for Pugh and then withdrawing. The
voting was then proceeded with as fol-
lows
Knobloch. Pugh.
Lafayette, -.----.-.-.--.. 3
Ierreb0nne,. 5
ot. mary. 81
Lafourche, ,........-..--..-1O O
verm1lOn, ................
st. Martin not voting.
The result was 464 votes for Knobloch
and 16 for Pugh.
A committee of nine on credentials was
appointed. The committee reported. it's
report was adopted. Hon. Clay Knobloch
and Thos. ]. Shaffer were continued as
permanent chairman aud secretary. Hon.
John S. Billlu was placed in nomination
as the Democratic-C Conservative candi-
date for Congress from the Third Con
gressional District, and elected by accla-
nation.
The committee have thought proper to
make the foregoing statement Of facts, as
in their opinion statement of the case
is the best argument in favor of the reeu-
lar nomination.. The only ostensible
ground or pretext offered by the bolters
was the ruling of the chair in regard to
the attempt on the part of contesting
delegate to cast the whole vote of Lata-
yette for Mr.. Pugh.
This ruling had been acquiesced in be-
fore the vote was taken, in temporary or
ganization; and, besides, the ruling was
manifestly correct.
Authority to make mp the roll of the
parishes from credentials priana facie good
must be lodged somewhere, otherwise, in a
possible case of contests existing in every
parish, no one could call the convention
to order or decide what parishes were en-
titled to vote on temporary organization.
In the case of the parish of Iberia,
where the chair had admitted it to q
whole vote, no opposition whatever was
made. The chair based his action OH Gre
dentials p,ima Jtacie good he did not at
tempt to decide on the merits, as he would
have been compelled to do had he enter
tanned the request of the delegate from
Lafayette. When the chair announced,
previous to the call of the roll for the
vote by parishes on temporary organiza-
tion, that Iberia was admitted on a whole
vote and Lafayette and st. Mary Oh half
vote each, the parties opposed to this
ruling should have::demanded vote Of
the uncontested parishes ON the question.
But no appeal was made to the conven-
tion at any time, either when the chair
announced it's decision or when the con-
tested parishes were called.
1t is clear that after submitting to
ruling, the benefits of which the boilers
doubtless expected, they were estopped
from afterwards questioning it, when it
turned out, as they conceived, to their
disadvantage.
It appears therefore that St. Martin,
Calcasieu and Cameron, with six votes
from Ascension and Terrebonne, and tile
contesting delegations from Lafayette,
Iberia and st. Mary, withdrew from the
regular convention, and with twenty
votes from uncontested parishes, and
nineteen from contested parishes, held a
boiling convention and nominated j. II.
Acklen.
In the regular convention there were
fifty uncontested delegates voting on tht.
preliminary organization, and nineteen
contested delegates, as follows:
Ascension s, Assumption s, Calcasieu z,
Cameron 2, Iberville 5, Lafourche 10, Ter
rebonne Z, Vermilion 5, st. Mary Z, Lafa-
yette 6, and Iberia6 6.
After the withdrawal of st. Martin.
Calcasieu and Cameron, with part of
the delegation from Ascension and Terre-
bonne, and the three contesting delega-
tions, there still remained in the regular
convention thirty-five uncontested and
nineteen contested delegates, as follows
Ascension 2, Assumption 8, Iberville S,
Lafonrche 10, Terrebonne 5, Vermilion 5,
st. Mary Z, Lafayette and Iberia 6 max
ing total of Sd. Mr.. Billiu has, there
fore, nomination from convention fair
ly and regularly made. 1t is seen, then,
that Mr.. Billiu receiving one regular
nomination, voluntarily resigns it. Mr.
Acklen complaining of that nomination
and promising to abide by the action of
another convention, goes into it with his
supporters, is again defeated, and wan
tonly, causelessly and aagrantly violates
his promise, and annonces himself as
candidate of a seeding convention.
Hon. Jno. S. Billiu comes before the
people, accredited as their candidate by
the free aud fair votes of two conventions.
No stain is on his honor, no violation is
charged, or can be charged, against his
word.
AAA. 1ShAOu bCfUfc tlE Sdlle Dttlt-
pie with no credentials from the Demo-
cratic party, and under the ban of yio-
lation Of his pledged word.
Democrats of the district. can Won hesi-
tate when Billiu offers victory, and Ack-
len assures defeat. True to the traditions
and principles of their organization the
Third District will rally to the call of
their party, and turn away from the de-
serter whose best plea for support is ruin
to his party.
The purpose Of conventions is to bind
the party and its candidates, and are we
to go through the solemn farce of holding
convention after convention, only to lie
told we have not nominated the Hon. J.
H. Ack]en, and therefore the conventions
are nugatory!
A golden opportunity to snatch the
reins of power and authority from the
weakening grasp Of the Republican par
ty is now offered to the Democracy of the
Union.
The Third Congressional District of
Louisiana must wheel into line with the
onward movement, and when the goal Is
won, and Democratic banners are proudly
Haunting to the breeze, with the victory
written on their folds, let it not be said
that we failed to carry the enemy'sstrong-
hold because j. III. Acklen bolted at the
Morgan City convention.
We earnestly implore the gentlemen
who, in moment of imagined wrong,
left the folds of the Democracy to sup
port the fortunes of a man whose claims,
however great, cannot be paramount to
Democratic success, to return to their
allegiance. and their fealty.
In justice to the veteran Democrat who
was apparently the choice of the Acklen
supporters for the temporary chairman,
we must say he was true to his coiors.
Hon. w. w. Pugh remained with the
regular convention and refused to parti-