Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-03-08
The Old Freemen of Louisiana,

nounced the arrival 10 this city, on their way to
Washington, OF delegation from the free col
Ored people OF Louisiana, to present to the gov
erument their claims to bo invested with all the
rights, civil AMI political, Of free native citizens
OF the United States.
My recent visit to the Department OF the Cult
afforded me the opportunity OF becoming &C.
quanted with many important facts with regard
10 these people, that think cannot fail to be oil
interest to your readers, and therefore take
the liberty OF sending to you the following
brief statements;
The free coloTed people Of louisiana, preysous
70 the rebellion, constituted about one-tenth OF
her Vho.o free population, According to the
state Register Tor the Year 1888 there wero but
one thousand adult males out Of a population
OF from twenty-five thousand to thirty thousand
OF these free coor.d people who could not read
and write. Aud in the year 1860 they were
assessed Tor state and other taxes, upon real and
/ personal estate to the amount of nearly fifteen
millions OF collars. BY a comparison Of these
statistics with those Of the white population
relative to the same subjects, it will be found
that they are a body Of people not only as well
educated as, but richer than any other equal
portion Of the inhabitants Of the State
1t is true that, while they have been compelled
to pay the school Tux upon the large amount
above stated they have been rigidly excluded
from any participation in the benefits OF the very
schools they were compelled 10 support But
they have amply provided for the instruction of
their children IN private institutions. Ma y OF
the most wealthy Of them have been accustomed
10 send their children abroad, and especially to
France for their education.
Many ,ndeed the greater norton Of these
neonle are the descendants nf the frat Spanisb
, and French se,tlers while Louisiana was still
ga colony mr. nroyinco If France and at the
norioI of the t,e,ty of cession TO The United
St,t,s rea. free A any other notion of its
inhabitants rb Frspch renublic. mindful of
tLe r,,bts Of ali ia citizens. and fuly trusting
in the co,d faith of Ne sister republic. believed
# bad nroyided for a complete recognition OF
tbesa r5bts in the third article of the treaty of
: co.,,n which was in THIS, words viz.
O., rho inbahit,nts If the coded territory shall
he ircornornted into tho Union of the United
State, I'D admitted M s,on AZ nossibe ac.
coTdioo ~ The nr,ncnc4 Of the federal Constl.
tuition IN ,bs aniovment Of all the rights. ad
yonta',os and r,rnIitie, Of citizens of the
F t'ni,nd S,otes -
T,., ,,oa,, ,,clndod and s;gned at Paris
en- Tho 20th dav of Anr,l 1903 the FIRST Napo.
laon hs,n, ,bon NJ, Eon,nI
AGo, n Ianse NJ nors than sixtv year, NAV
rot ,Lo cb,idror or ,be ,,nbab,tants - whose
RIGHTS rriy,leges and immunities were euaran.
rod no Iii, treaty r,asonablv ask Tor lis fulfill
ment m tho mart of the Inited States1
~. ,Lc,o Ilo,,,lo A., hv m ,neans tound tAeir
|cl,ir, 70 reco,ritior nron tbis ancient nledge
|of gooJ foilb If tho national government. s5l.
orne ne ., man .i,ro In themselves and in
,bo;, ,nt,;n.io qualifications 10 discharge nj the
d,t,os or c,t;,oI.h,n tsev claim to stand unon
a le,ol y,,,h aog ntber norton of the necnle of
onisiona Ayd cert.,nlv az far a, nv krowl.
adga g''as orter ~ inconsid.rable inonirv from
49, 1I,,'r,, tho ma, intimate knowsdos 1i their
49,. ~ 80, -, ;a,,lj,onca GOOD cha,octer
,,I,.,,a o,,t nroro-tv n ye na9sr hoard their
49,. 41.,,,,d a., ,v tho NEST r,eipdiced On.
ronon,s rio ono sirsIs ob;oc,ion 10 the io,s
ffor manv Of tbcm are even hirer in complexion
MI, 49, n = c,lorsd ri,n,ont IN ,ba;r ou.
,icis
Rnt ;,s, ,ou Mr. Editor the question Of
lovaItv m tho nation, government IL Of the
dcSne:y, ;n,ercs, in Ionisiena The re.babilita.
,ior n ,bo Sto,e Win a trnlv loval constituencv
is tho one great need there as we'll as elsewhere.
And in th,s regard how do these free colored
naonlo Of Tnn,s,ans sand Let the facts spoak
ior ftbam
In ,Inne last while General Ranks WAS layiny
siege IN Port Hudson. leaving the city of New
Orleans with few ,roons for ;ts defence. re-.
49,, oo,,o - C,ovaroor Sbenlev ,hat Nagruder
r;tb to,ce Of ffreen thousand men was advsn.
cing on tho citv and wa. already no, far in the
reas oC Affairs Tho I,tIa village On the onnosite
hank of the river Goy. rnor shepley imme.
diatelv ,ssnsd a call IN tho loval White lnbabi-
,an,s If Tho ctv n rallv IN il. defence and pro-
vid,d far their orc ,niz9tion into regiments At
tor waiting several DAYS and after escertsining
tbat m,ny ,r tho noIico and other natriotlc Off.
eials of me cty had resigned and retired into
nrivote lifa and that there was little helm To be
boned for from that ouarter. Governor Shepey
called for volunteers from the free colored peo-
nle. III is call was made on the morning Of the
Oh If I,lv and bafore NIGHT more than n hun.
dred If The stores and worksbons of the CITY
ware closed nv tho occnnants and on the 4th OF
Julv. the first regiment was already organized
armed and ready for service and in seyenty.tvo
bonrs afterwards n second regiment was IN the
field Arnold Bertonnoap. one Of the deeea.
ton now in this civ. was a captain in the frs,
Of ,bsso recimonts
Magrudsr did no, make his ann.arsnee. and
some a. weeks afterwards the loyal white men
ho,,on 10 voInn,eor and n mart of tho reyimen,
/ was believe. subsequently raised under the
call of Governor shepley.
Al his nresant momen, New Orleans ia not
ag;toted bg threatened attack of the public
enemy. I'M; bv the question as to who OF the in.
3 bnmtsnts Of the State are entitled to the high
nr,v;lens Of aid,ns in the restoration 10 tRe
Union In this e.igencv these free co ored