The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-10-02
OUR NEW ORLEANS LETTER

OOh NE w s01k6LkIAN6 AE1.I1It
Interview, with : Prominent Gentlemal
| from Terrebonne.on the Contest In tn,
Third Congregational District The Al
surdity Or the Ac11sn F.rce Exposed
The Insolvent Political Firm Of Gau
threaux = wright-A Citizen Kicked b
Death by the Police-Political Apath,
Gov. Wilts's Valuable services-Dan
xiger's Noble Boys-The Great Eastern
New ORLEANS, La, Sept u. 1880.
EDITOR CHIEF:
It was my good fortune, q few day.
ago, to meet prominent citizen Of thu
parish of Terrebonne who figured con
spicuously in the regular Democratic
Congressional convention at Morgan
City, which, by the way, is situated il
the parish Of st. Mary, the home Of two
distinguished candidates for Congress
sional honors. The voters Of the Third
District have three candidates who are
signing and painting to represent them
in Congress, and it behooves all good
citizens who have the welfare of the
country at heart to do all i'll their power
towards promoting the interests of the
candidate whose political life is blame
less and who can fifty represent in every
way the people Of the district. What.
ever appertains to the Congressional as
pirants, therefore, will not prove uninter-
esting to the voters Of the Third District
The gentleman from TerrebOnne, is no
novice in politics, having long been tax
ing an active part in public affairs
not, however, as a politician, but as a
good and patriotic citizen.
found the gentleman seated on the
portico of the st. Charles Hotel, enjoying
q rest after six hours ride to the city.
After the usual greetings and shaking of
hands, your correspondents seated himself
in one of those old fashioned arm-chairs,
aud with pencil and paper in hand and
feet against the iron railing, prepared to
"pump" the aforesaid gentleman.
"Colonel, how about the political hari
kari at Morgan City ="
"Indeed, can not see how any one
can say that the convention at Morgan
City was political harikari. mean, of
course, the regular convention that nom
mated Gen. Billiu. The boiling conven-
ton was no doubt a premeditated affair,
as all candid men acknowledge. The
Acklen men participated in the conven-
lion until it was apparent that Gen. Bill
liu had u majority. When the vote for
temporary chairman was being taken, a
member from Lafayette demanded the
right to cast the whole vote of the par
ISL, whose delegates had been admitted
on half vote. This was naturally over
ruled by the chair, and the Acklenites,
seizing that as a pretext to bolt, which
they would have done at an earlier
stage Of tho proceedings if they had
known that Gen. Billiu had a majority,
left the convention and organized one of
their own"
ESQ, Colonel, it is yonr Interchangeable
opinion that the Acklen convention was
a premeditated affairi"
II have no doubt that it was"
ibid the Ackle mites object to the seat
ing Of the st. Mary and Lafayette dele
gates on half votesf"
ono objection whatever was offered
by Mr.. Acklen OF his adherents to this
The chair distinctly put
the question to the convention and no
objection was raised. You can there
fore understand how ridiculously absurd
was the action of the Lafayette delegate
in seeking to cast the whole vote Of that
parish" ....a
"Did any Acklen men remain in the
after the boltf"
Yes. Mr.. JOLIET participated in the
election Of . temporary chairman, voting
for the Hon. w. w. Pugh, who remained
in the convention, although he was orig
lnally strong Acklen man. Mr.. JOLIET
bolted soon after voting for Col. Pugh,
but he has since repudiated Mr.. Acklen
and will support the regular nominee.
When such strong Acklen men pronounce
for Gen. Billiu, it must seem plain that
Acklen's cause is lost as well as q mis-
taken one. Mr.. JOLIET is from my parish,
and when read his open letter to Mr..
Acklen I felt glad to see that Gen. Billiu
had won . valuable acquisition to his as
pirations. Mr.. Daspit, who had given
Mr.. Joliet his proxy, subsequently dis
avowed the action Of the latter in voting
with the Acklenites."
lis there any probability of Acklen
carrying your parish Z"
"Not the slightest. Gen. Billiu will
run ahead Of his ticket in Terrobonne
and every other parish of the district"
"Why is there such opposition to Mr..
Acklen among the Democrats of your
Has he not secured large ap-
for the improvement Of sew
oral navigable streams il the district q"
- suppose the opposition is in some
cases personal and in others political. As
TO tho appropriations, because Mr.. Ack-
len secured a nominal sum for his dis
trict is no reason that Gen. Billiu or any
other Democrat could not do as much
and probably MORE"
But, Colonel, you must bear in mind
that Mr.. Acklen is the only Democrat
over elected in that district"