St. Landry democrat., 1882-08-26
Sixth Congressional District.
From the n. o. Picayumc.l

From the n. o. Picayunc.I
The Democratic Convention of the
Sixth Congressional District, which
met at Baton Rouge Tuesday, after
a series Of ballots, finally agreed upon
Gen. A. S. HERON as the nominee for
Congress. The candidates before the
convention were Henry L. Garland,
q well-known lawyer of st. Landry, q
gentleman Of high standing and fine
abilities, who, as Il member of the State
Senate, earned an excellent reputation
as a legislator Charles Parlange, Of
Point Coupee, also by profession law
yer, and a very popular gentleman, who
served with credit in the Constitutional
Convention of 1879 and the State Sen
ate and f. w. Robertson, of Baton
Rouge, the present Representative of
of the district in Congress.
In some respects the proceedings of
the Convention We're remarkable. There
We're in all fifty delegates, - from the
President of the body were Mr.. Lea. of
st. Helena, and Mr.. Perrodin of st.
Landry, the latter being elected by a
vote of 81 to 49,
A motion Of Mr.. Stone. of East Fell
ciana, a supporter OF Pallange, that the
two thirds rule should prevail, was car
ried by Il vote of 30l to 49,, & singular
result when it is considered that Mr..
Robertson received a ma. Jority of the
votes of the Convention on the first bal
lot 1t was probably evident at the
start, to the friends Of Mr.. Parange,
that, under the majority rule, Mr.. Rob
ertson would be nominated Immediate
ly. Hence their motion for the two
thirds rule, in which they were assisted
by the st. Landry delegation, the sup
porters of Mr.. Garland, who held the
balance of power. Strangely enough,
some of MIR. Robertson's friends seemed
to have voted for the motion Of Mr..
Stone, although the first ballot lndlca
ted that their candidate controlled a
majority in the Convention. The vote
on the first ballot stood-Robertson 25!,
Parlange al, Garland 10. After taking
tifty-fonr ballots with no material
change in the result, it became neces-
sary to bring forward Il compromise
candidate. The choice lay between ex-
Gov. Wickliff, Of West Feliciana, and
Gen. A. S. Heron, of Baton Rouge.
The latter was nominated, but appears
to have yielded wit! reluctance to the
solicitation of his friends, having been
the chief supporter of Mr.. Robertson,
and the delegation who placed his
name before the Convention. Mr..
Robertson is serving his third term in
Congress, having first been elected in
1876. He has done good service in adj
vocating measures for the improvement
of the Mississippi River and the protec-
ton of the alluvial lands from over
flow.
Gen. Heron, though a native of Ten
nessee, has resided in Louisiana nearly
all of his life, being now 50 years of age.
He early embraced the practice OF law,
in which he occupies an eminent posi-
sition. He has also filled several pub
lie pOsitiOns-was Secretary OF State
for two terms just previous to the war,
member of the Constitutional Conven-
ton OF 1859 and 1879, State Senator and
Attorney General immediately after
the war, until the reconstruction acts
went into operation. In two State
Democratic Conventions his name was
used in connection with the Governor
ship, and in one instance he lacked but
a single vote of being nominated.
In 1861 Gen. Heron raised COM
pany, the Fencibles, with which he en-
tered the Confederate army. He served
with distinction under Stonewall Jack |
son, in the Valley campaign. Having
been severely wounded i'll the battle of
he was assigned, upon his |
recovery, to court martial duty, with |
the rank Of Colonel. He remained in |
the Confederate army until the termi-
nation of the war.
Gen. Heron is deservedly one Of the !
most popular gentlemen in the State,
a man Of unsullied reputation, an able
lawyer, with large experience in lcgis-
lative affairs, and patriotic citizen, he
will prove worthy successor of Col.
Robertson in the United States Con-
gress.