The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-25
THE LOUISIANA REPUBLICANS.

The Republican State convention now being
held in New Orleans may prove to have been
an important political event. For some years
past the Republican party in Louisiana has
been keeping pretty quiet We have heard
much of Democratic corruption and fractional
quarrels, but very little Of the Republican
party. With fair election and honest count
Louisiana is Republican. In 1876 it cast
70, 135 Republican votes, against 20, 636 Dem
ocrat;c. The Democratic count that year
gave the Republicans n, TIA votes, but more
than that for their own candidate. In 1880
Garfield received 81, s9l votes in the State.
The decrease in four years from $1,000 to
81, 600 Republican votes was due to the shot
gun method and Democratic intimidation. In
1884 Blaine received 46, BAT votes, against
81, $40 for Cleveland. If the Republican vote
had been cast and counted Blaine would have
carried the State. Probably enough Repub-
ican votes were cast to carry the election,
but were not counted. Under these
circumstances there very little
encouragement for the Republicans to work
they are waking up. The quarrel between
the Democratic factions has reached point
that Governor McEnery recently made pub
lie statement that in the next election there
should be free ballot and fair count. This
is all the Republicans ask, and on this
assurance they propose to revive their organ
ization, nominate State ticket and make
fight for the State. In short, they wide
awake. 1t is the firm belief of the leaders
that with a fair election they can carry the
State by handsome majority, and taking
Governor McEnery at his word, they propose
to try it. The State convention is
attended by about 300 delegates, be-
ing the largest ever held in the
State. Among the white Republicans pres
emit are Henry G.. Minor, who is spoken of
for Governor He is a native of the State
a wealthy sugar-p planter. a gentleman of edu-
cation and culture. and of the highest charac-
ter. Ex-Governor Warmoth, the largest
sugar planter in the State and man of pre-
eminent ability, though not in active politics.
is taking part in the reorganization of the
party. Joseph FL. Ogl esby, president of the
Louisiana National Bank, and brother of
Governor Oglesby, of Illinois, has lived in
New Orleans since long before the war, and
is stanch Republican. Albert Baldwin,
president of the State National Bank, an old
citizen and one of the wealthiest men in the
State, is an unfinching Republican. Andrew
Hire, an ex-confederate soldier and prosperous
lawyer, has been a pronounced Repub-
ican since the war. These are a few
of the prominent white Republicans, of
whom many more might be mentioned. It is
probable the choice for Governor will fall on
one of those above named. All the Repub-
lcans in Louisiana ask or have asked for
years past is a fair election and an honest
count, and with the prospect of that they are
recognizing the party and clearing the decks
for action. We confess we have not much
faith in Governor McEnery's promise being
carried out. The Democrats control all the
election machinery of the State and we doubt
if they will surrender the State under any
circumstances, but that is no reason why the
Republicans should not assert their rights and
make an earnest effort to hold McEnerv to his
pledge of a fair election. If they do we may
look for political revolution in Louisiana