The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-13
VOICE FROM LOUISIANA
JUDGE PITKIN AT NATIONAL HALL
& Patriotic Speech Upon the
Issues Of the Day.


IsPLcIAL PHoSoeRAPHIo REPORT ToR TIE EvEA-
ING TELEGRAPH
Last evening, National Hall was crowded by q
large and enthusiastic audience, TO hear Judge
F1tkln on the issues of the day. Lo1g before
the arrival Of the gentleman, the hall was
crowded, and when he appeared upon the plat
form he was greeted with round after round of
applause.
The Satterlee Band was in attendance, and dis
coursed some excellent music.
Daniel Greble was elected Chairman.
Judge Pitkin, upon being introduced, said:-
Kind friends and lovers of Union, In appear
ing before you tonight come with a cold in
ms heaG, and very bad one, from the fact thai
have been very busy ever since my arrivai
here last Tuesday night, and most of the time
talking IN the open air. But in appearing in
compliance with tie very courteous invitation
oi the Union League OF your city, and with the
permission of your State Central Committee
whose servant am until the termination Of
your present campaign (applause), / feel It due
alike TO you and myself 70 acknowledge most
gratefully at the outset the generosity of the
people OF Philadelphia to myself and my ell
lows in recent convention from the South.
l feeI likewise indebted TO the ladies Tor their
presence here tonight. There is charm about
a lace peeping from bonnet, or rather from
those little telescope, substitutes for bonncts,
Your audiences in philadelphia are very good for
one thing, they are true voters bat Chey are bad
for sitting too loug in the hall-they viii never 90
home. Q.aughter.l had hoped tonight 10 well
atsome length upon the general issues of the ddy:
but as ] have been specially requested to speak
more OF the political features in my own State
and section OF the country especially with refer
ence 10 the recent mas acre in New Orleans
trust that the portion o. nay remarks at the out
set may not seem dull, by repeating, to those
who may have bad the misfortune to near me IN
other parts OF your city.
Speaking OF the Convention at New Orleans
he SAID that a quorum had assembled to ascer-
tain how many of the members were still defiant
TO uebel menace, and would at all hazards per-
form their duty. This was the sole object,
THIS they accomplished atrcr hall AN hours
mutual converse. Which done, they prepared
to return when they were attacked by the in.
iunaed mob with pistols, clubs, etc., and
by the police OF the infamous Mayor, John T.
Monroe. They had created no disturbance.
Thev had met SIMPLY IN the quiet discharge of
tneir functions, and in earnest Consclenuousness
on behalf of the Slate. They were ready to
respond through any judicial tribunal as to the
avowed illeealitg Of their assembly; but TO ther
honor be IL said, they were not to he daunted by
the Rebel authorities. (Applause)
| assure you tIat this quIes assembly was
seized upon by the Rebels as the best occasion
to wreak their vengeance upon the loyal men,
while they were unarmed and insecure. 1t was
evident p crisis was at hand. Small bodies OF
cOlored citizens had gathered about the build
ING IN a peaceful manner, and upon them the
mob first fell. / saw negroes who had once but
toned on the national uniform, and nobly
honored it on the field Of batte, sink to their
very knees and beg tor mercy but IN vain. |
saw them appeal to the british police but TO
sink before their clubs. / saw Doctor Dostie,
whose name is so fanllar 10 you all (applause)
"a manly, conscientious Union man = shot
down to the earth-sbot repeatedly after he
had fallen. Ee mentioned several others of his
friends who were beaten by the police, one
especially who was Knocked down and beaten
with his own crutch. He said the dead and
wounded were carried away In carts, in one OF
which ne saw two negroes attempting to dis
mnnplan
when TWO policemen blew out their brains.
Some may doubt what say. but am prepared
10 prove It. need not contin1e these sicken-
ing details; suffice to say that all charitable
cons ervatism in the hearts of loyal men IN
Louisiana expired on that day. (ALplause.)
Mir. j. Heron, an eS-major general in the
United States army, who had been appointed TO
the August Wigwam by the Rebel State Com
mittee, sa. down at the table i'm mediately after
the Iiot, and wrote his declension TO the chair
man Of that committee, saying that In view of
what he had witnessed he could not consclen-
tiously ATTEND the Convention. (Applause.) }
While Union men were qualling before this hor-
riblc butcbery an appeal was made 20 the
President, who responded, and said the
military would sustain the courts Mr..
johnson well knew then - and such IS
ibe case now-that there is not court
in Louisiana to which a Union man IN such
case can apply. Ten days prior to this Mr..
johnson inquired by telegraph OF our Governor,
J. Madison Wells, under and by what authority
he had convoked that Convention. Mr.. Wells
call for the election Of the delegates. 1t was
thus as / said the other evening on the steps OF
the Union League House, / would have an
sWered Mr.. JOhnsOn:-I am Governor of L0Uisi-
ana, and not you, Dir. President. tApplause. }
by what authority-t0 use your own words-do
you lntrude upon my office? ? II that ConVen-
ton met to Tatify the Constitutional amend
ment and send her representatives to Washing
ton, IL is not your business; Congress alone
decides that. (Applause.)
Despite all the dispatches that have been re-
ceived from General Sheridan, Henry j. Ray
mond got up in the August Convention and read
a braZen lie, which, after due nudgne of the
elbows of the Rebels, and clapping of hands
was recognized as an address to the people o
the United States. / ask you whose word bes
deserves credit, Phil. Sherldan's (applause), Ol
a set of villains who came here to Phiadelphk
after they bad scampered from YOU in the 6eld
NV State has been sggrieved and have pledged
myself to-day, through all legal means, tC
ayenpe il as soon as | can. (Applause) have
addressed letter 10 Governor Wells, letter In
which told him that that Convention must b.
conyoked soon, and l shall SIT IN 1t 10 enfran
chise, without reference to color. and disfran
chise Rebels Cheers and waving of hats, etc.
Most OF YOU have observed in the papers tina
Mayor Monroe has invited the President to visi
New Orleans (Laughter.) l am sorry he ia
declined. / want him to go. want nun :
leave one OF his Constitutions win Mayo
Monroe. One thing is evident, however, ne
so orOdgal with his Constitutions that he neVt
has a copy. Let him go down there ana me-
the tratOrous people gloating over their 0u
cherry. Let the good work go on; let hlm al
tribute his pardons everywhere, and ais omc'
too, if he chooses. Your task is not at an END, n
4 friends, simply because a certain nuuDer
rites have been grounded IN captulation 10 yo'
superior proves IN the field; you must no
CON bat a faction. As soldiers, the Rebels we
manly II you ,ibut as partisans they