Year: 1871




mediately went to work to elect delegates
to represent us in this convention. No
sooner did We do that, than throughout the
length and breadth of this gfeat State
letters were sent to every leading Repub-
lican, attempting to set our friends, both
black and white, against the leaders OF the
party. These men did not hesitate to
send letters in which they said: "You
must not trust any white man, but must
send only black men to the convention"
They did not stop at that, but they cir
eulated every plausible falsehosa against
the officers OF the State government and
against the men who have kept together
the Republican party i'll this State, and
have led it to victory SO many times.
[Cheers. The result is this, that con-
vention is called in this city, and nOtwith-
standing that the resolution calling the
convention indicated the place of meeting,
Marshal Packard, with Collector Casey,
struck out the name of the hall indicated

| in this resolution, and published it without
any place of meeting named. We raised
no question even on this point, but We
said when they give us notice of the place
of meeting We will be there. [''Good "
and applause. They gave us notice yes
terday morning. What notice did they
give us? That they would hold the Con-
vention in the United States courtroom
in the United States Customhouse, and
that no man should pass the door of the
hall who did not have ticket from the
United States Marshal. Laughter and
eheers.l We did not even contest that.
Not only did they do this but they alb
solutely told us that if We ''made any fuss


by asserting our rights, they themselves
being the judges of whether We were max
ing fuss or not-that they had plenty OF
United States Marshals to arrest us. We
even submitted to that, and this morning
assembled together and went down to the
postoffice and got our tickets at least
some of us got tickets, and some did not.


Postmaster Lowell told gentlemen that


Marshal Packard had no right to indicate


the postOtlice as the place of giving out


tickets and that he would not give them


To others he said there were no tickets


and many had to apply two or three times


before they got their tickets. Applause.


Some of ,ls that had obtained tickets Went


to the Customhouse and found all tn,


great doors closed and barred. We fount


that even the commercial men of this city


We're not permitted to enter that Custom


house to transact their commercial busi


ness, unless they had ticket from Mar


shall Packard. The government of TIN


United States has seen fit to suspend th'


business of tue CustomhOuse of this por


in order that its peculiar friend and cham


pion may be. [rhe remainder of th,
sentence was drowned in ringing burts O


applause After waiting some moment


at the door OF the CustOmhouse, the Unit


ed States Marshal had concluded to ALLOW


me to enter. / was followed by ninet,
;. delegates, the large majority of those seat
are on the record of the State Committee
without contest We went in by tn
great door and mount ed the main stairs
and when We got to the top what did W


lind? Right in front of the door Of th
hall which these people had selected a


the meeting place OF the convention, stoO,
two companies of United States troops
with muskets, and lightning rods at til
end of them. Laughter and cheers
? What did that say to us? 1t said tina
United States Marshal Packard, Unite
United States Postmaster Lowell, Unite


States Assessor Joubert United State
Collector Casey and United States Deput
, Collector Herwig and the balance Of tn


crowd were determined to have their con


vention to themselves, and that if We in


terfered with them or dared to protest the
would arrest us by United States Marshals
: or, if not strong enough, they would tur
us out of the hall by the aid Of Unite
States troops.


A friend of mine once in Cuba had
conversation with a prominent citizen G
: that island, native of Spain. He toll


him that there was great contest goin
, on in the United States Mt that time be
tween the Democrats and the Wings fo


the election of President. Said til


Spaniard to him: ''Sir, ON which side {
g the contest is the army ! In Spain, as tn
army goes SO goes the election" 1t ha
been our boast, up to this time, and Ou
> pride, that the army of the United State
: has nothing to do with the election OF cal
!; didates, or the control of the people whe
!. they assemble in public convention
: [Cheers.l This is the first instance in Ii
o record of our great republic when it hs


been otherwise. lCheers.l May it be Ii
: last. Renewed cheering.l


ri There has not been throughout Il
|. length and breadth Of this State up to tn
4 day one sincere Republican that has NJ


been in favor of the denomination of Ger
. eral Grant II there should be any diffe


ence on this question in the future, l
= must attribute it to the conduct of his fe,
Il eral officials and to those who control h


army here at present. loud cheers
n May we not hope that this conduct b,
u been without the knowledge of Presidel
a Grant "a voice, mo doubt of it y a
% disposed to say believe there is no doul
D. oft (Applause.) But if it should 60
ID the people of this country that he b
Of sanctioned the calling of Republic,