The Black Republican., 1865-05-20
q. !. .ne ....er.l et..s, seelared in insar

| ~ T.ouis;ana aeem it expedient at sucl
) q time to make known the views which tnel
/ | desire tn see exempEfed in tSe future clTl
, nOlity of Louisiana: Therefore De 1t
Resolufd, That the unity OF this country u
Indispensable to the perpetuatlon OF q truly
republican government snat tns I[eea11 -
for which our forefathers fought can oniy Ok
! secured to us by o steadfast adherence 10 tht
great principles of liberty, equality and ira
PesolpeG, That in view of the speedy ter
| mination and extinction of this rebellion, n
is the dutK of every loyal citizen to use ms
best efforts to secure the reorganlzatioh o.
civil government throughout the ooasnern dIsr
States. We, therefore, Gmphaticaiiy declare
that in our opinion those leaders, VINO oy
their pen, their purse, the sword, or their
vote in high places, have instigated, foment'
ed and carried on this infamous rebellion,
have forfeited all rights of cltizenshlp.-haF-
ing voluntarily trodden them under loot
and that they should forever remain ais
| franchised.
Resozued, That the rank and file Of the
rebel army, and those persons who regis
tered themselves as enemies OF the United
States Government, though less guilty than
| the leaders, have by their conduct rendered
| themselves liable to disfranchisement and
other punishment; but looking upon tneIn
as much misguided as guilty, we trust they
viii be permitted, as soon and in such man
ner as the safety of the Government and
| loyal men will allow, to resume the relations
| and privileges of citizens of the United
States
Resoloed, That to those who have
| promptly, honestly and in good faith, avalIed
| themselves of the Proclamation of ANN esty
| of President Lincoln, and who have by their
| cOuntenance and support, aided the military
| authorities of the United States in their eff
forts to re-establish republican institutions
| in the insurrectionary States, are emitted 10
| the sympathy and regard OF oil good cltl,
zens, and to o full restitution of all political
rights at as early a day as may be practl-
| cable.
| Resolped, That in our opinion, no man
| who has ever held any Office of trust or
emolument--civ naval or military-under
| the rebel authorities, should be permitted to
| hold office under the United States Govern
ment. -.
ResOlUed, That in re-establishing civil
| Government in the Southern States, our
| only safety consists in making all loyal men
equal before the law and that any Govern
| ment established that does not recognize
this principle, is neither just nor equitable,
and consequently not a republican Govern
ment.
ResolUed That while the loyal men
Louisiana were appalled, at the brutal assas
sinatiOn, and sincerely mourn the loss OF the
wise. humane and noble President Abraham
Lincoln, they hereby express their confidence
in the patriotism, ability and discretion OF An
drew Johnson, President ofthe United States.
That his long public career, unDIemlShed by
any stain of disloyalty, great in noble and
successful devotion to the peoples interests,
especially marked by his earnest opposition
to treason, has given him the right to oilr
warmest admiration and heartiest support
that we pledge to him our constant aid In
the work of re-establishing good Govern
.a,,+o 1+~y in 1IsaC Cor1+ +1lCr1l
ReSOtUed, That we, the loyal men of New
Orleans, who for the last two years have
fought for Free State principles, see no rea-
son for changing our name, and that we
desire to be known only as the Union Free
State Party, now and henceforth.
Res0IUed, That j. Madison Wells, acting
Governor of the State who received the
united vote of the Free State Party has
proved false to the high trust repOsed in
him, in appointing to Office men who signed
the ordinance of secession, and registered
enemies to the United States Government;
that his course as Governor has been reac-
tionary, calculated to work injury to the
Union cause, and that he is no longer en-
titled to the confidence and support of the
Free State men of Louisiana.
The President then came forward and
said: It is my good fortune to announce to
you that q dispatch has just been received
from Mobile, dated this morning, which
states that Jeffe.son De.via staH, with all
his party except Breckenridge, have been
captured and sent to Washington
The announcement was received with i'm
mense enthusiasm.
Address by Judge HIestand.
Judge Hiestand was next introduced and
said: If there was anything that should
cheer the hearts of the people and excite
feeling of the greatest enthusiasm, it was
the intelligence Just announced by the
President. He was not sure of expressing
the views Of any one but himself on the
matter which had called them together; but
hoped the assembly would agree with him.
The Constitution of Louisiana was all that
was desired for a free State, and it made no
difference by whom or how it was framed
The system of slavery was forever done
way with, and, hereafter, the farmer OF
small means would not be deprived of culti-
waiting as much land as he could manage by
the slaYocraCy that formerly monopolized
the broad lands Of the State. All men were
to be created with perfect equality before
the law. No matter from whence they came,
and those who had aided in putting down
the rebellion-black, though they might
be, Were made worthy oftrust and confidence
than those intelligent persons who signed the
ordinance of secession, and supported trea-
son against the just, notwithstanding they
were white, and boasted of a proud descent.
The greatest event of the past eighteen
centuries was the issuing of the eman-
cipation proclamation by our late
President, and the speaker was
the first man that dared justify that
document at the City of New Orleans. But
a small portion of the rebel territory was
then occupied by the Federals. Now almost
ton of Union bayonets, and then every
slave became at once and forever free.
Though the rebellion is now put down, the
spirit which brought it into existence still
lived, and much remained to be done vet. !
As they loved their liberty and
their country, he charged them to
watch for the manifestations of this disloyaI
feeling. Throughout the country was felt
the determination to crush etfectually this
spirit in whatever form it might appear.
. Persons who signed the Ordinance of Sc
cession had been allowed to hold responsi-
Die offices, and were supposed by the peo-
pie, who were unacqualnted with them, to
be good Union men. He knew how difficult
it was for men, during the early part of this
struggle, to maintain their integrity and
be true to the flag; but for men of intelI-
gence and position, who in Liberty Hall de-
hberately signed the secession ordinance. he
mad no Charity whatever, and in neither
their acts nor their words could confidence
be reposed. In conclusion, he CHARGED all
loyal citizens to watch all such men, and
the moment they departed from the path of
their duty, visit them with the punishment
they deserved.
Address by Rev. Mr. PeaEne.
The Chairman next introduced the Rev.
Mr.. Pearne, who spoke with great earnest |
ness and power at some length. He thought
tAat much had been said that did not belong |
to the subject that had called them together
They had come merely to resolve and de- |
clare they would sustain the Government |
and the President of the United States. in |
his endeayors to put down the rebellion.
This was the universal feeling at the North |
party questions, and Joined together +o
she'd their blood and lay down their lives
TOR the preservation and perpetuation of the
Union. They had nothing to do in this
meeting with party factions, but only to saw |
this wicked rebellion should be crushed,
a. anu tne R great Republic preserved during ali |
time. Ihe nrtWard ON Ilnr.,u &c al.a- - =