Year: 1876

simply seek 1t elsewhere.


Q.%What Is your opinion OF Packard


the head Of the ticket?


A.--As to Packard, we could have no


personal objection to him; we believe
him honest. and think him disposed to


do what is right; but the way the narty


now stands organized and Is aimed to be


run, I think I knowsthat IL elected he


would be chiefly controlled by set OF


corrupt ring masters and political cor


moraDts, who would 80 hamper and


demoralize his administration as to


make IL not only individually dis


reputable, but totally impotent Of


any common public good. But


however good and well intention


ed Mr.. Packard may be In nature,


Southern Republicans, who have lived


here always, and who. at least, com


mand the personal confidence and re-


spect OF those among whom we have


lived so long, do not feel that he has
any claims to such position over our


lifelong associates and friends, or any
particular reason to expect our support.


We have had one Governor since the


war, just from Missouri via Illinois,
and then one from Illinois direct, and


now we are expected to take one fresh
from Maine; and IL this process keeps
on In this direction, our next Governor
after this must come from Canada, and
the next perhaps from the North Pole y
or perhaps the Man in the Moon" will
be sent down to rule over us, with a
regiment of heavenly bayonets to back
him up. As Republicans, who have
stood upon principle, and aimed only at
the com mon good OF our common cOun-
try, we, of North Louisiana, are tired OF
this thing, and will have no more Of it.


Q.-Do you really think he Is in
earnest when he says that he will run -?


Al think he Is. j think he would
run even though he were sure to be de-
feated, for then he would stand ready,
in the event Of the election Of Hayes, to
monopolize, with his ring, all the ma
tionaI patronage in Louisiana, as he
has done during Mr.. Grants admins
tration.


Q.-Don't you think he will invoke
the bayonet power, and what is your
opinion of the use OF that power in
times past and to come?


A.-Mr. Packard might make q show
Of doing so, but really think the power
of the bayonet in political contests in
the South has about played out" 1t
has rot in the past brought any practi-
cal and safe relief to anybody, and GER
tainly not to the Republican element of
North Louisiana; and we there want no
more OF it, and will positively support
no man and no ticket which has to be
backed up by the bayonet. So | do not
think any one need to have alarm OF
loss or hope OF gain In the pending
election from any such source or power.


Q.-On what do the Republicans of
North Louisiana base their present de-
termination not to support ticket
backed by the bayoBet?


A.--For two reasons: In the first
place such interference has only result
ed in increased personal danger to
and in the next place they
can plainly see and think it quite time
to acknowledge that party which has
to be 80 backed up cannot run or ad
free republican government.


Q.-Do you think the colored element
in your section apprehend any danger
or any abridgment Of their rights should
the Democratic party acquire control OF
the State government?


Al do not, because the colored ele-
ment in my section, particularly in the
hill section, have found, from practical
experience, that the only protection they
have is at the hands Of the white ele-
ment among whom they live; from
whom they obtain their support and |
daily bread, and they neither want
office themselves nor are they AZ all dis |
posed to entrust political and official
power into the hands Of the so-called
leaders OF their own race.


Q.-What is your own individual opin |
ion OF the practical result Of Democratic |
rule in Louisiana


Al do not honestly believe that it
could be any worse than Republican |
rule has been, and not half so destruct- |
i've to the colored element. Indeed, l |
think it would much more effectually |
protect the honest colored masses who,
most OF all, need protection. Our Re
publican administrations, as is shame !
fully we'll known, have been totally in
to execute the laws to the |
protection Of any one, and 1 have rea-
son to believe that the Republicans |
Of the North would feel relieved
TO see the Southern States generally |
come under Democratic rule. When
Mr.. Fry was here on the Congressional
Committee, l heard him
say to prominent Democrats Of New
Orleans that the Republicans Of the
North really expected the Democrats to |
obtain control Of Louisiana at the next |
that they were tired OF the
strife and confusion which pretended |
rule had brought about in
The South that the whole North wished |
10 be relieved of it, and that all they |
asked of the Democrats was, that when |
hey went into power they would sim
ply recognize the rights OF the negroes
Is citizens.


Q.-Won t Kellogg use his patronizing
power to coerce the white and colored
Of your section; and can
ne not do 80 effectually?


A.-The executive patronage Of my |
section amounts to very little at
most, and il attempted to be
lsed in the most tyrannical man.
ner could not effect much; such an
effort would result in much more harm
than good to the party, for it would SO
incense and disgust every Republican
Of influence, whether white or black, as
TO bring out power Of resistance which |
Ill the ring influence of New Orleans
could not checkmate. But really do |
lot believe that Kellogg will attempt
any such thing. For, with all his unac-
freaks, think him to be by
instinct rather a kind-hearted and
man when left to his own
native volition, but at times terribly de
il not corrupted, by the |
vicious influences which he permits to |