New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-06-21

nothing more; we will submit these ques-
tons of politics to the Judgment and dis
erection of the people. In calm discussion
of them and a final decision we will all
abide. This is all we ask, but in asking it
we feel that we have the power to secure it
and the power to enforce it. CHEERS
Fellow citizens, you are here tonight not
to hear me make speech, but to hear
other and more able and distinguished gen.
tlemen. You are here to listen to your
favorite orators men, both white aud
black, whose patriotism and fidelity to the
country is known aud appreciated all over
the land. have the honor and pleasure OF
introducing to you on this occasion gen,
tlemaR whose duty he appreciates, and
whose courage has led him to execute, that
duty amid all the social and political pro
scriptions that have been enforced against
him-Jndge Howe, Of our Criminal Court
Speech of Judge Howe.
FELLOW CITIZENS: The place in which we
meet tonight is peculiarly appropriate and
the occasion is one of the deepest interest.
We have met in Lafayette Square, named
after gallant young soldier of our first
war, to ratify the nomination for President
of the hero of our last war. Lafayette freely
offered his fortune and his life in support of
the declaration Of independence of l776,
while General Grant stands to-day the
chosen standard bearer of the party who
strive to carry that declaration of independ-
ence into full practical effect in 1868. Latay-
cite drew his sword for the doctrine of
equality of all men before the law, and to-
day General Grant is our leader in the great
struggle to make that doctrine living and
dominant truth in the whole land. 1t is tit
and proper that for such an occasion we
should meet in such a place.
need not weary you with dry discussion
| of dogmas tonight. We all know that the
| late war left the rebellious States without
any legal governments. We know it be-
cause Andrew johnson told us SO in his
proclamations of 1865. We all know that
| the Constitution of the United States re-
| quires the United States to guarantee a
republican and of course legal form OF
| government to every State. We also are
| sure of this because Mr. johnson told us 50
| in his proclamations of 1865. We know
| that Mr.. Johnson instead of taking the
| true course, which was to allow the United
| States" to act in the matter; that is, let Con
| gress pass the necessary laws, the President
| execute them, and the supreme court inter
| pref them in such cases as might properly
| come before tive know that Mr.. johnson
/ started on the wrong track, and undertook
| to be the Omitted States all by him
| self, and to set up in those States
such governments as suited his own
| ideas. We know that Congress tand
we think wisely took issue with him,
| declined to recognize his governments, and
at last passed the reconstruction laws, un'
| der which at last we have a constitution of
| equal rights before the law.
BY these events the lines have at last been
sharply drawn, and so far as we of Louisi-
ana are concerned the contest comes down
| to one point. On the one side we have the
| Republican party of the nation, with Grant
at its head, pledged to protect us all in the
! enjoyment of equal rights to liberty, to
| franchise, to education, and to religion un-
der our new constitution. On the other
| side we have the Democratic party, with
| nobody at its head at present, pleag-
and every declaration of its prin.
ciples to take away those rights. There
| could not be simpler issue. If you are for
equality before the law for all men who
have minds to be educated and souls to be
saved you vote for Grant; if you are against
such equal Justice you vote against him.
| WHOM General Grant? / claim the priv
ilegee8g answering this question, for l
served under his command in the campaigns
of Corinth and Yicksburg; and though my
| modest rank did not bring me probably TO
his notice, yet it gave me a chance to OBJ
serve him. l observed his habits and his
| methods of action, and since the war has
been over l have watched narrowly his
course at Washington, and say in all earn.
| estness and honesty that | believe him to be
the best candidate for the Presidency ever
offered to the suffrages of the American
people since the days of Washington.
And yet we are gravely told by the editors
of the Democratic press (and you know
they always speak the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the TRUTH that
Grant will not make good President be-
! cause he can not make long and pretty
| speech. Well, if the only duty of the
President of the United States is to
talk there would be some force in the
objection. But alas for our Democratic
friends, we do not want President to do
our talking for us. We have plenty OF young
lawyers and politicians to do that. What
we want in the White House is man OF
action, not a man of words; a man who can
seek and see the will of the people, es-
| pecially as embodied in the laws of Congress,
and then execute that will. Why the fact
is that professional oratory sought for its
own sake is about the cheapest and poorest
thing in the world. The lesson of history
is that oratory, as a trade, begins just
where heroism leaves Off When ! hear a
man making a speech Just for its own sake
man at country party, who, on being in
troduced to young lady, and not knowing
exactly how to begin conversation, started
offin this way;
'.Do you known anybody that would like
| to buy shirt ?p
why nor said she, shave you got one
to sell?n
''Ho, oh no. only said it for talk
And one great curse of our country in its
politics is thai orators are always saying
things "for talk So far then as this OBJ
lection to General Grant is concerned, ]
think it greatly in his favor. When he shall
be elected (and he certainly will be) we
shall have President who will not talk
much, but who will act good deal.
There is another remarkable objection to
General Grant which our virtnous aud
truthful friends, the Democratic editors
have raised. They say that he is not great
| soldier. And they not only say this, but
they ask us to believe it. Was there ever q
more remarkable proposition presented tC
human credulity2 General Grant was IN
active service four years In the last wal
alone. He was pitted in succession against
the chosen generals of the Southern armies
The accomplished Sidney Johnston, the
| scientific Beauregard, the cautious Joe
Johnston, the tenacious Bragg, the
skillful and educated Lee, all con.
tended against him with all thai
subtlety and learning and valor could &C
conplish, and were defeated and captured
Donelson, Yicksburg, Mission Ridge, the
march to the sea, which It Is now known
at Richmond, these, we are asked to believe
were all matters Of good luck and not d
1 skill, science, and vigor. In other words
that for four years the destinies Of this
tremendous conflict we're ruled by chance
and not by the laws of God. 1t was NOTHING
but great game Of roulette, and that GRAM
was successful because he was lucky. II Ii
by such puerile conceits that our opponents
hope TO mislead the people.
You have all perhaps heard the old story
OF the man Ia Noah's time, who would mo-
believe there was going 70 be deluge, and
made light Of the la0Ors Of the patriarch
But when the deluEe came, and the