The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-03-08
Address and Exposition to The Citizens Of New
Orleans and State Of Louisiana,

Unanimously adopted by a Mass Meeting Of the
American Party, held at Odd Fellows Hall on
Monday, February Is, 1856.
The principles and objects Of the American
Party in Louisiana, were proclaimed to the
people of the State by an American State Con
~vention, and are familiar to every honorable
and candid citizen Of Louisiana. 4
To uphold the Union--to maintain the
Constitution in all its purity, with equal Justice
and good faith to every portion Of the country
Ito inculcate and enforce respect for the laws
and a cheerful and steady compliance with their
mandates-to protect every citizen in the r
enjoyment of oil his rights, civil, political
| religious-to effect such q reform in the
ralization laws as will exclude from the
Of citizenship the uneducated and
hosts Of immigrants daily arriving
shores from the despotic countries
World, and as will preserve our N
tegrity as the American People,
the United States-to purify GU
government, and to elevate thu
character by giving a just and ma
ence for Office. from among those
it, to the natiye-born sons of Al 10
adopt On American policy with respect to our
ambassadors as well Is other public Ministers
and Consuls, sending none to represent the ma
ton abroad but Americans. These constitute
The main principles and objects of the Ameri-
can Party.
That ~demagogues and ofice-hnnters, seeking
their own profit and personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT,
should, during q struggle for power, misrepre-
sent these principles and objects, was to be
expected by every man who knows anything
Of human nature and Of the character of the
leaders of the anti-American party in this
State. But that a Governor Of the State should
so far lose sight of the dignity and self-respect
and of his regard for the truth as to impute to
the American party of Louisiana principles
and objects different from, and at variance with,
those they profess, will excite both indigna-
ton and surprise,
Gov. Wicklifie, Notwithstanding the publ
cation of the Platform Of the American party,
deliberately denounces. the party as q secret
society, and misrepresents the purposes of its
organization. lie styles it a secret society,
organized for the purpose of depriYing citizens
Of their legal right. by the unjust, If not I'M
constitutional, perversion of the legitimate pur.
poses of the ballot-box."
He also asserts in express terms, and with.
out the shadow Of fact to support him, that in
the late election, the American Party made
religion q test for Office. And not content
{ with these and other Misrepresentation of the
principles and Objects of the American Party
he speaks OF the breaking of the ballot boxes
and other violent and Illegal acts committed
during and since the election-giving out by
/, way of inference or insinuation that those acts
are ~chargeable to the American PARTY; and
adds !:
1.-The recent political contest has inaueu
rated Nh era of crime in NewOrleans, hereto.
fore distinguished for her love of peace and
order, There must be fault in the law or its
administration there must be something radi
cally defective in the government OF the city
and ifso it should be thoroughly remodclcd.
The American Party is an order-loving and
u law.abiding party, and it is no more respon.
sible@ for the Htts' uGnipiGinta 'of~fsiauo 4soT t}S
misaeeas of Tie political friends at -Govrrno,
WickliIfe. 1t agrees with the Governor il
this There is a taalt both with the law and
the administration Of the law in Newurloans.
The City Of New0rleans had a good govern.
ment that secured peace, and safety to life and
property. Tho present Govcrnor-Gen. Lewis
the Mayer Of the City-Mr. Noise. the Attor.
ney General OF the state, cooperating as mem,
bors of the Legislature in 1883, ovcrthrev
that government, and thereby left the City OK
posed to tamglt, pilIage, popular disorder
violence and crime.
The Criminal law has for months past al
most ceased to be administered In Tie aitv. /
l. saia there are now more Than IL th0u<am,
criminal eases 10 ne DISPOSED Of. Lei it IN re
MGWuT!Il .au, his i a state If things ~pTistiu,