New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-10-02
LnINr nIscussION.
Between Republicans and Democrats at
Amite-General SlPher va Thomas
Greene Davtd.On.

l ~EGenc OhNldsOus
ANTE CRY, La, September 26, 1868,
EDITOR REPUBLUAN-Our village was
the scene ofthe most interesting political
meeting held in this section of the State
since the war. About week ago posters
were put up throughout the parish an
nouneing Grand Republican Mass Meet.
ing for Saturday the twenty-sixth, at
which General j. II. Sypher and other
speakers from your city were to speak,
The Democrats of Amite addressed let
ter to General Sypher, proposing a dis
custom between the Republicans announced
to speak, and some OF the Democrats OF
Amite. Civil and courteous treatment
was promised, in case the challenge was
accepted
The proposition was signed by E. J.
| Ellis, James J, Lemon, E. Spiler A. Ii.
| Greene, n. A. Stuart and j Michel.
General Sypher promptly sent a
dispatch accepting the challenge, and in
forming the Democrats that he would ar
rive here on the next train.
On receipt Of this dispatch the Democrats
OF our village were in high glee. expecting
a great victory over the carpet-bag General
and his party, and they at once dispatched
Tor the Hon. Tom Green Davidson, the
heaviest gun of the Democracy, who was
to be held as masked battery, which was
TO annihilate and put horS de combat the
whole carpet-bag fraternity. On Saturday
the speakers arrived. Tley were General
J. II. Sypher and Captain Sam H. Houston.
They were waited upon at their hotel by
committee of the Democratic party, who
introduced themselves, and few moments
We're spent in pleasant conversation when
the rules to govern the time of the speak
ers were drawn up and signed. The
rules were, in substance, that Republican
orator should open with speech of half
an hour, followed by Democratic orator
OF an hour, then a Republican of three |
quarters Of an hour, then another Demo- |
cratic orator an hour, and Republican |
orator was to close with an hours time. |
The meeting was called to order at one
O'Clock, by Mr.. Fred. Butler, President.
General Sypher was introduced, and read
very carefully prepared speech o. about
twenty minutes, in which he reviewed the
Democratic party, showing that it ruled
the country for more than twenty years
previous to the war; it became corrupt and
despotic, the enemy of liberty, the impla-
cable opponent Of the Union at Charles
ton it consented to its own disruption to
lay the foundation to dissolve the Union.
de SAID the same men who ruled it then
led 1t to-day. They controlled the nomi-
nations at New York, and they were now
on the stump advocating the election of
seymour and Blair upon the same issues
involved in the war. General Sypher
quoted from Wise, OF Virginia, that the
election of the Democratic ticket would be
he triumph of the ''lost cause" Itwould
secure by the ballot what they had lost 6
With the bayonet. He quoted Cobb. H mn J
on, Vance and the violent journalists f
ne South to show that the honest men OF
be South were again being driven on TO :
nln and perhaps rebellion itself by the
ID party whip applied by demagogues. I
lie closed by assuring his audience that i
rank Blairs revolutionary scheme, which c
al secured him the nomination at the y
ands OF Southern delegates, and which
ad ilred the Southern heart almost TO open y
ebellion again, would fail, and General
rant wonld be elected by an overwhelm- a
lg majority. /
E. j. Ellis, Esq, Democratic sneaker I
'llowed General Sypher with a rehaeh of t
II misrepresentation against the North D
NNh4Oh oAOuS CuulueIu POLITICIANS | l.,
venty years ago-such as the Northern ID
eople "soid their niggersto the SOUTH that II
i the slave ships were fitted out in Bos. u,
n, He made the absurd statement. and
tempted to prove it, that the "Dj01erS
ced their freedom to the Scmh." He then
unched off into the financial question. L
Captain Houston followed this AiJbtv
zap, who quotes Milton like Pat performs
amlet, and measures finance by the mile
I'M very soon found something dead IN he
m bread, and in a few sentences brushed
lde the mist in which his opponent left
) audience, and then he made a sonnd -
gical speech, interspersed with bumor-
$ stories, which pleased and convinced
erybOdy present whose minds were open Re
conviction.
Captain Houston was followed nv Hon
I'M Green Davidson, who was expected
! 10 leave even grease spot OF The
rpet-bdgJerS.
lie commenced very much as did Mr..
lis, who 70 doubt is one Of bis disciplcs
saying the North had sold all their Re
ygers South. that Boston had built all tn
; slavers He then attempted to prove 90
1t the old planter was The colored mans IN
'st friend" He then Jumped into the i Ie
ndholders, and trc~ted (bored) his au- at
'nee with some confused idecs on tn,
ance and taxation, closing by saying ma
1t it was the fault of the Republican jou
rty that shifting and shoes and other
icles OF clothing, and the necessaries Of
cost more now than before the war. r.,
also stated that the national debt could --''
be paid; that he lodS in tdUcr of reputEd- A
=, he gave the carpet-baggers a severe
hing, but complimented General Sypher
IN bis coed looks.
lie was followed by General Sypber. -
bad not spoken scarcely fifteen min
8 before both the Democratic speakers
the meeting, aud many of their party
owed. General Sypher went prepared To
refutes falsehood-he had law, history ~ n
statistics with him, and to show the L
ndship of the South to the colored man a
Iuoted the apprentice and vagrant and a
or laws passed by rebel Legislatures in Il
5 and '66; he furnished the statistics of S
number of murders committed in Loni- anG
"a and Texas in the last year. T III
q fact, we are entirely unable to make Ma Ma,
report OF General Sypher's speech. In inh
ter it was truthful and mastery in de- Ibe
ny 1t was highly pleasing to his friends bel,
meeting passed off quietly and order Han
and we think good feeling prevailed line
ing all parties. The result was highly zen
stactory and encouraging to our Re- Se
lleans, and we don't believe the Demo- and
8 will challenge General Sypher very the
4 again in joint discussion, nan