St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-10-18
HOW SENATOR JONAS WAS DE-
FEATED IN CAUCUS.
Those COIOred Democrats i'm
the Caucus.
N. o. Picayune.

Several OF the country papers
have been persistently inquiring as
to the status Of the two colored men
who were admitted to the Demo
cratic caucus to determine upon the
Senator to succeed Mr.. Jonas. It
was the vote Of these two men
which determined the choice and
gave the vote of the caucus to Mr..
Eustis.
Below we publish statement by
Mr.. A. W. Crandell, of Madison
parish, which throws much light on
the subject. Mr.. Crandell is we'll
known in the State, and is perfect
" reliable gentleman. His state
n1ent shows that these Representa-
tives were not Democrats, and had
no pretensions in that direction.
They we're on the contrary recog-
nized Republicans, and were picked
no bv the administration faction In
that parish on scrub ticket after
having been nominated by the regu-
lar Republican party.
1t is open talk that the votes OF
these two colored Republicans thus
dragged into the Democratic caucus
were bought for $1,000 each. While
such methods as these prevail we
can scarcely expect satisfactory
government, or look for honorable
and upright men to enter into COM
petition for the honors OF official
life.
The statement Of Mr.. Crandell
was made to the Monroe Bulletin,
and reads as follows:
HAWKINS AND JoHNsON-THE PoLITIc-
Al STATUS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
OF MADISON PARISH.
TALLULAH, La, Sept. 30, 1884.
EDITOR MONROE BULLETIN LIN your
issue of the Gath inst, there appeared
the following article:
''We have waited, in vain thus far, for
an answer to our query of two weeks
ago as.to the party standing of the two
Madison parish representatives. rms
is matter We very much desire to put
at rest. Are Hawkins and johnson
Democrats ? If they are, we would like
To make amends for circulating a rum0r
which questions their party status: II
they are not we want to get little
deeper into the secret history OF the
election of q United States Senator at
the last session of the Legislature. Are
we to accept the universal silence OF
those in a position to know something
about facts as confrmatory OF the truth
Of the rumor2 We are loath to make
ND our mind upon such negative EVIL
dence. Cannot our c0nfrere OF tue
Madison Times give us a little light on
this subject? We have no reason to
suppose that he, rather than any one
else, is in possession of the desired
knowledge, beyond the fact that he was
upon the ground, and as a live news
paper man may be presumed to have
been aware of what was happening
around him.
And the following answer appeared II
the Madison Times of the 9th inst. j:
aWHY IT WAs.-In reply to the ques
ton concerning Hawkins and johnson
10y the Monroe Bulletin, it is stated tha
the Times editor was on the ground anC
knows this much about the matter
Hawkins and johnson ran on ttt
straight Democratic ticket, and no 9th
er, nor did they permit the use OF thell
names on any other. They worked
hard for the success of the Democratic
ticket, and they were elected on thu
Democratic ticket. 1t was presumably
for these reasons they were admitted tx
the Democratic caucus they could no
well have been refused"
Now, Mr.. Editor, any one can see b,
reading the Times article that the edit
or has given rather an evasive answer
and as YOU desire to get at the true his
tory as to the political status OF HaW
kins and johnson, will give you wha
know about the matter. 1 dnS,UGI 4l0
they never were and never pretended t,
be Democrats.
1t is well known fact throughout th
State that in the last campaign for tn
Democratic nomination for Governor 0
this State, there was Il split IN the Dem
oeratie party Of this parish. AT mas
meeting held for the purpose OF select
ing delegates to the Democratic Stat
Convention which assembled in Bato
Rouge. Dec. IS, 1888, two sets OF dele
gates were selected, one in the interes
Of Gov, McEnery and the other in til
interest Of Gen. Ogden. Two exeeutiy
committees for this parish WeE&, ais
appointed at this same meeting.
lis also a we'll known fact that th
McEnery delegation from this paris
was seated in the convention. The Oe
den delegation returned home and CAV
the ticket nominated at Baton ROug
their support, and endeavored to haI
monte the existing aiscord IN the party
BY urging both parish committees to ca
mass meeting for the purpose OF rat.
Il