The Lake Charles echo., 1883-10-06
The NIchorl--Ogaon srrnragcn.

i hC ECHo cOnteSseS ltS lDabIilty To
exactly understand the latest move of
the anti-administration leaders. Gen
Nichols card, published in the New
Orleans Picayune of the 2sth ult, in
which he states that it is utterly out
of his power to again enter public
life, is not, in the EoHo's opinion, Il
positive withdrawal from the contest.
The first paragraph is plain and easy
of construction, ending with the fol-
lowing sentence: "The situation of
my private affairs is such as to place
it utterly ont of my power to enter
pubic life" This cannot be miscon-
strued. But the general does not
stop here. After stating that his per
sonal friends have all along known the
reasons which have actuated him in
the policy he has pursued, he adds ::
Al mention them publicly to explain
my unwillingness to be a candidate "
Now the Echo does not like that OK
preston, "gn0illiaqaesS to be can
dtdate." However, perhaps this would
not have attracted its attention so
readily, but for the letter of Gen.
Ogden, which appeared in the Plea
vune two days later. The letter is
short, and aside from an attck upon the
present administration, and self-lauda-
tion, contains nothing worthy of note
save the last clause, which reads ::
"Should it, therefore, appear, when
the convention meets, that a majority
of the delegates supporting Governor
Nichols and myself are Of opinion
that this end can be best accomplished
by his candidacy, shall join them in
urging him to accept the nomination,
And ! trust that he may not then by
anv circumstances be declared from
rendering the state those services
which she NAV demand at his hands -
The ''cnd spoken Of is the defeat Of
GOV. S. D. McEncry for the nomina-
tlon. When ii is remembered that eX-
Gov. Nichols and Gen. Ogden arc
warm personal friends, and that they
are in daily communication with each
other, it is not to be supposed, by
those who are acquainted with the
tactics OF politicians, that Ogden's
letter WAS writtenuand printed without
first having been submitted to Gen
Nichols. This, then, is the result, in
all probability, Of the conference men
toned in the Daily City Item, a few
days ago, concerning which an Item
reporter was ungentIcmanly treated
10y Gen. Ogden, for attempting to in
teryiew him upon the subject. The
true inwardness Of the whole proceed
ing is apparent. The managers Of
Gen. Nichols canvass. chief among
whom is Gen. Ogden, fear the cousr-
queuccs Of SO protractcd 4 campaign.
Already their candidate had begun to
lose ground, and they knew ii. They
seek to divert public attention. for
the present, from Nichols and con
centratc it upon Ogden, They know
full well tina, the latter cannot secure
tine nomination; and as imtimated in
Gen. Ogdeu's letter, Nichols will be
brought forward when the convention
assemblies and Ogden Withdrawn. All
this is as plain as though these gentle
men had publicly ayowrd it. aud the
supporters and friends Of Gov Nc
Emery are not to be mislead by any
such mannuvers. They will still re
gard cx-Gov. Nichols as the party
whom they have t. ight and to defeat,
and while they may rest upon their
oars, as it were, they will remain
watchful, and leave untnrncd no stone
to win the battle over the combination
formed to defeat them.