The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-08-26
A BAD BREAK.

4 W
common parlance ga bad break There
was no adequate proyocation for such a
step, and it was not strange that his
! own friends and partisal.s were led to
! exclaim, "No, no, Judge; come back;
| don't do that"
The situation was this: the district
committee had met in accordance with
! its resolutions of March to make up
roll for the temporary organization OF the
Congressional convention on the FOL
! lowing day. Mr.. Allan offered reso-
luton pledging the members OF the
/ committee to abide by the action OF the
majority, whatever it mi ght be, to which
Judge Beattie proposed as an amendment
the words, /" Provided it be not in fraud
of the rights of the people," After some
discussion, Mr.. Merchant introduced a
substitute in the shape Of a resolution
declaring that the uncontested delegates
from the seven parishes of Iberville,
Assumption, Lafourche, Iberia, st. Mar
| tin. Calcasieu aud Cameron should form
the roll for temporary organization, to
whom should be referred for decision the
contests from the remaining five parishes
Of the district. Further debate was had,
and it appearing that all members who
desired to speak had done so, Mr.. Allan
| moved the previous question. Upon the
yeas and nays being taken, the previous
question was ordered by an almost unan-
imous vote, Judge Beattie and his friends
fayoring it. Mr. Merchants substitute
was then adopted without opposition,
when, to the astonishment Of his ad-
hereuts, as we'll as OF those opposing
him, Judge Beattie arose, entered pro-
test against the action Of the committee,
gave notice that he would not lee bound
by it. and walked out of the hail. Sub
sequently three other members OF the
committee initiated the Judges strange
tactics.
We repeat, there was no sufficient
provocation for such a bolt. Who had a
better right to decide the merits OF con-
tested claims for seats i'll the Congress
sional convention than the delegates
whose status was unquestioned What
fairer mode Of arbitration and settlement
could have been proposed? Suppose the
district committee had not touched the
question of the conventions organization
at all, upon whom would it have de
!, volved to decide the qualifications OF the
: members of that body9 Naturally, upol
| the uncontested delegates. Suppose al
the contestants had been permitted tt
participate i'll the temporary organiza
: tione The votes of one set would have
q counteracted those of another i'll eacf
;, case and the decision of all materia
questions would have still rested will
the uncontested members. 1t was Ger
s tainly preferable for the district commit
il tee to take the course ii did rather thai
r to enter upon an Investigation ant
t decision of contests that would have t.
:. be again examined and passed upon by
i the convention itself. The committed
was, as Judge Boattie declared, Il body
5 IN ayticu1o morris, and its right to arbitratt
S disputed questions with reference to the
/, organization Of the convention wonlt
e not bear comparison to that OF thu
t delegates accredited to the convention
s without opposition. They were the un
a disputed representatives Of the people
: and any man refusing to submit to thei
t decision of matters coming within thei
Il province can not with good grace cas-
: upon other men the imputation that the.
= are seeking to accomplish ends :" in fraut
of the rights of the people"
: Judge Beattie can not fairly claim tina
: it was sought to pack the convention
y with sham delegates i'll opposition to hi
t, interests. The delegates from Ascension
e Terrebonne and Lafourche' who wer
, subsequently recognized by the regula
J. convention all held credentials signe
lie by the presidents and secretaries of th
t. regular Republican executive commit
l. tees of their respective parishes, an
e haze, therefore, Il prima fucie case i'll cac
n instance. They were chosen by Target
g attended parish conventions, after
re vigorous preliminary campaign, an
"a We're certainly entitled TO the opportt
~ nlty of having their claims for member
rs ship of he convention examined and Il.
r. teTmne,l in an impartial and prone
manner. 1t wolild be Il libel OH the tru;
y to say that the Kellogg delegation frol
lc Ascension, for Instance, was ii cooked II
IL, affair, devised for the purpose of Iefca
re ing Judge Beattie's Congressional asp
it. ratons-the evident preronslerance
a Republican sentiment here in favor
of the candidate these delegates supporte
TO destroys such Il presumption. The riv;
Is Terrebonne delegations were chosen II,
der circumstances that required Garrett
es investigation and analysis in order
N decide fairly between them. The reg1
ne lar delegation from st. Mary include
It. the presidents of both the Republica
at parish committees, recently fused, an
es the editor OF the Morgan City Free Pres
it an earnest advocate of Judge Beattie
of cause, who co-operated with the frieut
en- of Senator Kellogg at the Judges ow
he suggestion. The presumption that til
nd delegation was entitled to represent tt
ch Republicans of St. Mary could only
counteraeted by the most ample AZ
IL direct evidence to the contrary.
ed In the face of these factS-and that "
re- have fairly stated them all cand
10 Observers must aGmit-t is simply impo
&c sble to Justify the llot-headed and pr
mature action of Judge Beattie in leavl
er the district committee and setting up
ed separate convention. Had injustice bee
r. done him OF the people in the dispositit
in. of any Of the contested cases after d.
en- and regular procedures with refsren
re thereto, he might have bolted with sou