LOUISIANA. 



475 



to the National Convention at Cincinnati. 

 They condemn the Administration of President 

 Grant, and accuse it of unwarranted interfer- 

 ence in the affairs of Louisiana. 



The Democratic Convention, which assem- 

 bled on the 18th of April, continued in session 

 three days, and finally adjourned to the 3d of 

 June, without making any nominations. The 

 time was taken up chiefly in heated discussions 

 on the condition of affairs in the State and 

 the proper course to be taken by the party. 

 The following address and resolutions were 

 adopted : 



The present struggle of the people of Louisiana 

 is for their homes and their liberties. 



They are crushed with the weight of taxes ; their 

 courts are but a mockery of justice, and their Execu- 

 tive is a tyrant, who exercises an open and boasted 

 control over the Legislature. 



It is time, fellow-citizens, to assert your manhood 

 and dignity to cleanse the Augean stables to re- 

 establish the rule of law and justice, of economy and 

 constitutional liberty. It is time to put the brand 

 of infamy upon the brows of those who have dis- 

 honored and plundered Louisiana ; to expel them 

 from their high places, and make them give way to 

 honest and capable men the only fit representatives 

 of a free and truly republican people. 



Citizens of Louisiana ! The Democrats of the 

 Slate here assembled in convention, after delibera- 

 tion in a spirit of harmony and patriotism, have 

 come to the conclusion that the Democratic party 

 shall confine its action to the selection of proper 

 men for the redemption of the State from political 

 and financial ruin from tyranny and oppression. 

 Let us, while we do justice to the colored man, do 

 equal justice to the white man, and secure to every 

 citizen the blessings of liberty and good govern- 

 no ent. 



Resolved, That our designation of "Democratic 

 party of Louisiana" is significant of the power of 

 the whole body of the people, and is used to express 

 our determination to secure to every citizen of this 

 State the equal rights guaranteed to him by the Con- 

 stitution of the United States and the constitution 

 of Louisiana, and the laws made in pursuance there- 

 of, and to effect a thorough reform in every depart- 

 ment of the government of the State. 



Resolved, That the union and cooperation of all 

 the honest and patriotic citizens of Louisiana are 

 necessary to defeat the unprincipled party now in 

 power in this State, and to place the destinies of the 

 State, the rights, liberties, interests, and honor of 

 the people, in the hands of her noblest sons ; and 

 that we do most earnestly and respectfully invite 

 the good people of the State to support the candi- 

 dates who may be presented to them for the great 

 and necessary work of reform. 



Resolved, That the candidates for the offices of the 

 State, whenever selected by this convention, must 

 be honest and capable men, known by the people, 

 and entirely worthy of their support and confidence. 

 Resolved, That this convention is of opinion that 

 Governor Warmoth is. unworthy of the respect and 

 confidence of the people, and that any political con- 

 nection with him would be dishonorable and injuri- 

 ous to the best interest of Louisiana. 



A convention of that portion of the Repub- 

 lican party of the State known as the " custom- 

 house ring," and headed by TJ. S. Marshal S. 

 B. Packard, was held at New Orleans on the 

 30th of April. It was in session two days, 

 and chose delegates to the National Conven- 

 tion of the party, and candidates for presiden- 

 tial electors. A long series of resolutions was 



adopted, rehearsing the history and achieve- 

 ments of the Republican party, and indorsing 

 the Administration of President Grant, and 

 commending the general policy of the national 

 Government. The resolutions relating to the 

 affairs of the State were as follows : 



Resolved, That it is a matter of congratulation that 

 the national Kepublican party in this State has 

 united to expel from the party H. C. Warmoth, the 

 corrupt Chief Executive of the State, who has fraud- 

 ulently manipulated the election laws, passed for 

 good and proper purposes, to maintain himself and 

 his minions in power and in order to enable them to 

 plunder the State Treasury ; and who has, by revo- 

 lutionary acts, and by bribery, and by the unscrupu- 

 lous use of the power vested in him as commander- 

 in-chief of the metropolitan police and militia, con- 

 trolled the General Assembly, so as to prevent him 

 from being impeached for high crimes and misde- 

 meanors ; and who has refused to permit reform 

 measures passed by the last Legislature to become 

 laws by withholding his signature therefrom, among 

 which acts are those guarding and restricting the 

 registration and election laws, so as to prevent elec- 

 tion frauds, although the passage of such acts was 

 recommended in his messages to the General Assem- 

 bly. 



Resolved, That this convention approves and 

 adopts the principles of State reform contained in 

 the resolutions passed at the National Republican 

 Convention of this State, on the 9th of August, 

 1871. and enlarged on by the resolutions adopted by 

 the State Central Executive Committee of the party 

 on the 7th of November, 1871, and which measures 

 were reduced to the form of bills and introduced into 

 the Legislature at its last session, but failed to pass on 

 account of the opposition of the friends of Governor 

 Warmoth, or failed to become laws on account of his 

 withholding his signature. The following are some 

 of those bills : 



A bill to amend the registration law. 

 A bill to amend the election law. 

 A bill amending the printing law. 

 A bill amending the law in regard to assessing and 

 collecting State and parish taxes reducing the ex- 

 penses thereof. 



A bill providing for the general expenses of the 

 State, reducing the expenses of the State govern- 

 ment to within $800,000 ; whereas it is now more 

 than double this amount. 

 A bill repealing the constabulary law. 

 This convention, on behalf of the National Re- 

 publican party of this State, pledges itself that the 

 above and all similar State reforms meet with its 

 earnest approval, and that this convention recom- 

 mend that no candidate for State office shall be 

 nominated by our party who is not by his acts and 

 antecedents, as well as by his pledges, fully commit- 

 ted to all such reforms. 



Resolved, That while steadfastly maintaining the 

 integrity of the Republican platform and organiza- 

 tion, yet, in the interest of reform and good govern- 

 ment in view of the present exigencies of our State, 

 we welcome the cooperation of all honest men in 

 securing the deliverance of our people from their 

 present distresses ; and to this end, as far as may 

 be necessary, we are willing to concede such personal 

 considerations to those of our fellow-citizens who 

 may differ from us in political convictions, as will 

 not conflict with our obligations to our party, and as 

 may be needful in compassing the common objects 

 sought by the good people of this State. 



Resolved, That, in the opinion of this convention, 

 the only legal remedy left to prevent the repetit 

 of the election frauds, perpetrated under the direc- 

 tion and control of Governor Warmoth at the elec- 

 tion of 1870, again at the election next November 

 (inasmuch as he has refused to sign the amende< 

 registration and election laws, passed at the last ses- 



