The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1896-02-29
An Address,.
LAFAYETTE, La, Feb. z

| An Address,.
LAFAYETTE, La, Feb. "a, 1896.
| To the Democrats of Lafayette Parish:
| The delegates selected at tn
Democratic Mass meeting held a
! the Courthouse of this parish OF
the 1st instant to represent you a
the Democratic Senatorial conven
ton at New iberia on the 22d in
slant to nominate candidate TO-
senator, have, in view of what tran
spired at said convention, appointed
us, the undersigned members, as {
special committee to make state
ment of the position taken by the
delegation showing thereby the man
ner in which they have carried ouI
your Instructions:
At the mass meeting at which the
delegation was selected, the follow
ing resolutions were passed:
"Resolved, That we, the Democ-
racy of Lafayette parish in mass
meeting assembled, are unalterably
opposed to the adoption of the Con-
sttutional amendment On the quail
fcation of the right of suffrage, and
appeal to all good Democrats to
join US in defeating it at the polls at
the election in April, 1896; and we
hereby Instruct the delegates CHI osen
at this mass meeting to not z'o<e Jo,
any one as the nominee for the SEN
ate, IF not opposed TO said amend
ment."
s'Be it further resolved, that we
are in favor Of the free and unlimit-
ed coinage Of silver at sixteen to
one, independently and without the
concurrence of any other nation;
and hereby positively instruct our
delegates this day chosen to not zote
far any one as nominee for the
Senate unless in favor of this prin-
ciple, and further that he vote for a
United States Senator in favor of
the free and unlimited coinage of
silver at said ratio, free and indie
pendent Of other nations.
Constituting the above resolutions
as positive and mandatory, your
was confded, with an eye single
the servants or agents of their con-
stituents, after consultation, deter
mined that their first duty was to
carry out your instructions, regard
less of other considerations.
The following, emitting details,
is correct statement of what took
place:
Of the thirty-one delegates Sc
lected to represent the parish, TWEEN
ty-eight were present.
The permanent organization of
the convention being effected, Judge
Fred l.. Gates, of Iberia, and James
Simon, Esq, of St. Martin, were
placed in nomination. Several bal
lots having been taken, and no
having been effected,
Mr.. Simon's name was with
drawn. The fourth ballot being or
dered, and Judge Fred l.. Gates. a
strong adherent of the suffrage
amendment, being the oHZy one be-
fore the convention for the nominal
ton, the chairman of the delegation
explained to the convention, that
being instructed net to zofe fer any
one .taco>iN.g the amendment,
and knowing that Judge Gates ia
vored it, the delegates were bound
under their instructions to retire
from the convention, the result of
which would leave the Democrats
free to vote as each thought proper.
And we retired.
OF the six delegates from St.
Martin, two Of them, although not
instructed as your delegation had
been, but voicing the sentiments Of
their people, also retired from SAID
convention.
AS apprehended, we heard that
those who remained in the conven
ton nominated Judge Gates for the
senate after we had retired.
Thus we have acted, and submit
same as the manner in which we
haye executed your instructions.
Respectfully,
ORrHER c.. MoUToN,
A. NJ. MARTIN,
los. DUCOTE,