The Black Republican., 1865-05-20

NE, liberty and the pursuit Of happiness"
feEoW-citiZens- there are some question
which the loyal people of the State mul
soon determine What shall be til
Inture policy of the Union men in thi
oIate IN relation to the State govern
entE We want the representation c
Our State in the Federal Congress
HOW are we to accomplish that object? w
nave already started an organization.
Constitution has been framed, q GoYerno
elected, and Legislature convened. Tha
constitution Was submitted to the people
ana rahhed by large majority. 1t wen
INTO operation under the representatives 0
| the Government here. No one that | hav
seen has any objection to the Constitution
except those men who would object to an
constitutions But some gentlemen, anC
they are as good men as live-so they say
object to the manner in which it wa.
framed, and to the people who framed it
The question should be: "Is the ConstitU
ton good one, or win it do for the Govern
ment Z" II SO, let Us all unite on it, lar
down our platform for the next election
and elect Legislature. That viii give tC
the colored men the right to vote, disfran
chising for the next ten years those mer
who have been officers in any of the rebel or
ganizations, civil, naval or military, and re
stricting for few years those who have beer
in the rebellion Ia any capacity, trusting
to the future for the9rest, IApplause1 Lei
met tell you my fe1low-citizeIis, and / be
heVe l know, for l have talked in tht
last few weeks to many Of the promi
nenb members Of Congress, that dele
cations from Louisiana, or any State
that has been in arms against the Gov
ernment, viii not be admitted again
into Congress unlil yoa give TO them
some assurance that the State win meyer
fo11 honI s-aRo L. g fhH fyxx11c
enemies. Congress viii require strong
guarantees that standing army will moi
have to be supported to maintain loyalty
and allegiance in these States. Now how is
this to be done? The only way can see is
to elevate to the ballot-boX those men to
whom you have given the cartridgeb box,
and if they bear themselves as well as cleo
tors as they have as soldiers, have not mis-
placed my confidence.
No discrimination must be made between
Northern men and Southern men, for there
should be none. Those soldiers who
fought their way from the North to
this city, redeeming it with blood,
must BE allowed to make their voices
heard. Applause Let us forget the past
as far as it is within the power of men to
forget, but hold the leaders of the rebellion
to a just accountability for their crimes.
Let the masses who have from excitement
VI LlISS NltWS DEeIl uTIWH InLO IlS
avalanche of ruin, be treated with clemency
and Kindness. Heal up the wounds of the
nation; remove from the hearthstone of
every family the drapery Of mourning, and
let the Angels trumpet sound: Peace on
earth; good will TO men," ICheers and ap-
plause.l
Mr.. A. P. Stone was then introduced by
the President and spoke as follows:
speech of a. r. Stone, Esq.
FelJ0,ccjtizeRs--I am truly glad that |
am permitted to address the people of
Louisiana once more as my fellow-citizens
and as felloW-citizens of the United
States. For, whatever preiudices or pre-
objections others may have, for myself and
FelloWcitiZens, when left the CITY of
New ORLEANS, some three years ago, the black
flag of treason Haunted where now waves
-he glorious banner of the Republic Then
treason fiourished over the people of Louis
ANA. Since that time darkness, desOlation
and death, the legitimate offsprings of this
angodly rebellion have brooded over this
unhappy land. Since that time have spent
nearly two years in the Northern States of
this Union, advocating those PRINCIPLES
which bid fare soon to triumph in obliter-
ating the last Vestige of that damnable con-
;piracy against truth and justice. / now
return to you again-to this lovely land,
.he land Of my adoption, the land
where have spent the happiest days of nv
life, the land from which / was torn by
rebel hands--tO live again with you-to
DIN my destiny with yours-as one who in
3Ommc1 with the loyal men Of the South,
<noW what it is to suffer for principle. And
return to you, thank God ! under the pro
lection 6 that same flag, that when / left
you, was trailed by traitor hands in the
streets OF this lovely city. But / return
q far vic -fTi11 ant %hn
eternal emblem of liberty and of law. But
IN all thisI have neither been deceived nor
for / have never once des-
paired Of the Republic, nor forgotten my
allegiance to the Government of my
fathers. and although forced-no thank
Cod not to fight; but to stand up and be
shot at bt my own kindred and my own
friends, yet have never forgotten to love
my county, nor have ever failed, no not
even whiH surrounded by rebel bayonets,
Or listening to rebel boasting, or reading in
ying rebd newspapers of the continuous
1efeat of he Federal aIms-neyer, for one
aot even in the darkest hour of
our histo1g have ever failed to have q deep
and abiding faith in the ability and wisdom
Of our form of Government. :
But it islnnecessary to animadVert upon
The rebellion The rebellion is dead and
slavery hu died with it. The great question
therefore that now presents itself, and par
.icularly tt the people Of Louisiana is re
and re-representation in Con-
gress. ! viii not discuss this question on
ihe present occasion, but | will state that in
of the affairs of this State,
5he loyal citizens Of Louisiana have pecu-
lar reason FOR gratulation-in that the ma
ority of the citizens Of Louisiana never
were secess onists, never believed that our
grievances we're sufficient to justify rebel
ion; never voted to separate themselves
rom the Government Of the United States;
lor ever willingly acquiesced in his rebel
ion. | viii state here, and you win par
Ion me il l seem to attribute any
,onceit to myself, that for the
ast two years in my intercourse with the
Northern people, and while at the city of
Washington, for the last FIVE months, in
every one 0f the two hundred speeches
which it was my fortune to make in the
Northern States, and have spoken face TO
ace with more than three hundred thousand
IF her citizens, / have never failed to vim
llcate the loyal citizens Of Louisiana, and
nave ever said as ] repeat here tonight,
hat the people Of Louisiana never were
'ebels. [Cheers.]
And I would observe also that in my in
crcourse with the North, have discovered
hat there are two distinct and antagonist
cal elements composing the Republican
larty. The one, mad, VlndIctlye, tyrannlcal,
Who are disposed to disenfranchise at one
ell swoop almost the entire voting popula-
ion of the South, and rule the loyal
md disloyal alike with rod of
ron. The other is conciliatory, humane
Ind just. Under the narrow minded
policy of the one--the policy of bigots,
and knaves, who would reduce
he State of Louisiana to the condition of
conquered territory, and her loyal citizens
10 that of the most abject yassalage; who
would deny us Of every right belonging to
reemen, and make ignorance, superstition
md infamy the masters over intelligence,
wisdom and virtue. Under such a policy,
ay to the loyal people Of Louisiana the end
ng of the rebellion is but the beginning of
sorrow. But under the liberal and humane
1ohcy of the other-the policy of statesmen
md Of men, the courage, honor and intel
ect of the North-that policy which is wise,
humane and just-that policy which know
% be the policy Of the President and his
Cabinet, of Grant and his generals-under
uch policy, what a glorious future nave
We spread out before US! Under such a
policy America win bound forward in q
,areer such as the world never saw, No
onger trammeled by the blighting, blasting
,urse of American slayery-no longer fet-
ara1 nv qriEt0crorip infuaucae bsx4 F-oo 20