Year: 1871

lie quarrel between two factions III the
/ Republican ranks in Louisiana seems u
| grow in intensity, and, if reports can be
| credited, not without some reason. 1t ap.
pears that a State convention was called
| for certain day, but no place of meeting
was specified. just previous to. conyening
| it was announced that the courthouse room
| in the Customh0use would be occupied.
One Packard, Marshal of the State, had the
audacity to surround the building with
United States troops and the faction with
which he acted had the still more insuffef-
able effrontery to allow no one to pass into
the room without a pass from themselves,
settling the point that the bearer was re-
gularly elected delegate OF course, the OPP
posite faction, on that plan, had not the
ghost of a chance for fair play. Warmoth,
the present Governor, with some eighty odd
delegates, undertook to enter the conyen-
ton room, but was thrust out with the
bayonets Of the soldiers, and was not even


allowed to speak to his associates from the


steps. He Withdrew with his followers, and


held a separate convention. Meanwhile the


other side fixed up set of.aelegates to suit


themselves, and went on with their pro-


gramme very harnoniously. This is about


the substance OF the affair, and to speak of


it as merely disgraceful would do injustice


TO the proceedings.


1t is such an infamous case as never be-


fore happened on this continent, and such


an example should be made of the partici


pants that it should be the last one. The


marshal who called for troops to take pos


session of peaceful political convention,


and the military officers who obeyed snch a


call, knowing the purpose, should be sum


marily discharged the service. This is the


least punishment that so gross an offense


calls for. We take it for granted that no


man in his senses will pay the least atten-


ton TO the Customhouse convention, or any


of its doings. Its action can bind no one.


From the Columbia (south Carolina) Union.I


THE LOUISIANA MIDDLE.


The recent action of the United States


officials in New Orleans, in attempting to


control the action of the Republican State


Convention, which met in that city few


days since, calls for the most severe condem-


nation. Not that we indorse the action of


Governor Warmoth and the faction which


supports him in his efforts TO secure a re-
nomination, for we abominate the one as


much as we abhor the other; but we do de-


mand, in the name of tree people, the


right to meet peaceably in epen convention,


and deliberate upon questions which con-
eern the entire body polite.


Marshal Packard. with his body of United


States troops, may have thought he was act
ing the part of prudence in attempting to
prevent disturbance which he and others
like him think was imminent, but we sub
init that something else than idle threats by
interested politicians were required before
he was justified in calling to his aid the
strong arm of the military to prevent an
apprehended trouble. Better have waited
till the outbreak occurred than to have in
fringed upon the rights and privileges of a
single individual


While we DO not dispute the right to call
upon the military to protect the citizen. in
his right to the ballot, we deny the right of
any political party to use the military as a
means of furthering their particular inter
ests. Only when the interests of the body
polite are in jeopardy is there any justifca-
ton for the use of the military. Such-was
not the case in the late New Orleans con-
vention. 1t was nothing more or less than
a partisan meeting, called for the sole pur-
pose of manipulating party affairs. If one
wing or faction OF party fears it is not
strong enough to overcome the other by
fair open warfare, it has no shadow of
right to call to its aid the power of the
federal administration. Here is where the
opponents of Warmoth exhibited their
weakness. They should have met in open
convention. and trusted to the good sense
of the people to sustain them in their oppo-
sition to the selfish ambition of one man.


The military should only be used in the
interests of law and order. We can con-
ceive of a case where it might be necessary
to take such steps as were taken at New
Orleans to prevent an outbreak, where the
results might be disastrous, not only to
party, but to whole communities. Such
case was recently presented in the election
at Charleston, where the military was called
into service to preserve the peace against
any outbreak from whichever party it
might come. This we believe was perfectly
justifable. and we do not think any well
disposed man could find fault with the ac-
ton taken in that case.


The New Orleans trouble was not only
not such a case as the one just quoted, but
one Numerically opposite. 1t was fac
tional fight, and one in which the public
had not a particle of interest. The Presi-
dent should not permit federal officers to
thus abuse their power. The military being
subordinate to the civil power, of course
the officer In command at New Orleans
could do no less than obey the requisition
of Marshal Packard, and send troops
wherever they were deemed necessary, but
the marshal should be taught wholesome
lesson at once, and that is that he can not
use the powers at his command to perpet-
uate the existence OF any party faction,
whatever that party may be.


We have no sympathy with either party
in this contest. 1t is disgraceful struggle
on the one side to perpetuate love of
power to class of men whom the people do
not trust, and on the other side it is strife |
TO control State politics by class of men
whose only interest appears to be to hold
the offices which they now possess. This |
has been the great trouble with Southern |
politics. A few men, when elected, or ap- |
pointed to United States positions, presume |
TO dictate to whole States the policy they |
must pursue. These men forget that all the |
power, or prominence they possess is due |
70, and is derived from the people.


These men must understand that the men |
who made them all what they are, and who /
elevated them to the positions they now oc- |
,upy, can also unmake them and hurl them |
% merited obscurity. We hope and trust /
hat this will be done wherever such flagrant !
of TDwer are presented as in
he recent affair at New Orleans We are /
confident that President Grant does not,
md can not, sanction such high-handed pro-
seedlings as recently took place there, under
ind by authority of United States officers.


Governor Warmoth will doubtless make
he most of this blunder of his enemies, but
We protest against the blame of such pro-
eedings being charged to the Republican
,arty. The people intend to manage their
POLITICAL affairs as shall suit them best, and
hey will not be dictated to by either United
'tates Senators, Representatives in Con-
,ress, Governors, or United States marshals.
Iuch officers will count without their host if
hey Imagine for moment that thew can
hape the political affairs of their respective
'tates. 1t has been done for few years
asst, but 1t can not be done any longer. and +
be sooner these gentlemen learn this fact
be better it may be for them.