New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-03-18
GRAND RATIFICATION MEETING.
The st. Bernard Republicans.
SPEECH OF GENERAL sYPHER.

lSEGIlDltu az INC Al mass Llttl-
ing to ratify the state ticket headed by the
Hons. H. c. warmoth and o. j, Dunn. At
II o'clock the meeting was called to order
by J L. Dupart, Esq, who nominated for
president DR.. A. G. Chorntoy, who in taking
the chair made a few appropriate remarks
for the occasion, and the following vice
presidents, General A. L. Lee, Thomas Ong,
Basil Olivier, Reuben Johnson, P. A. Rous.
seau, Frejus Morales, Henry Hall, Charles
Hayward Alfred Coleman, and William
Butler; and as secretaries, Grief Robertson,
j. /. Dupart and Philip Temple.
The first orator of the day was Judge II.
C. Warmoth, who made a most eloquent
and appropriate speech. The next speaker
was our candidate for lieutenant governor,
| the Hon. o. j. Dunn, who was followed by
the Hons. =. B. S. Pinchback, Thomas W.
| Conway, Solomon r. Moses, Norbert Vii
lere, and General J. H. Sypher, our candidate
| fer congress.
The following is a synopsis of the
SPEECH OF GENERAL ]. H. sYPHER.
Mr.. President and Fellow Citizens: II af
fords me no ordinary pleasure to appear
| before this large and intelligent assemblage
of citizens of st. Bernard parish. l have
come among you to-day to counsel with you
| for q short time concerning some Of the
issues of the campaign upon which we are
| about to enter.
For many lozg, weary years you have
| looked into dark and impenetrable future.
! You have endured all the horrors of slavery,
| where, like galley slaves, you were chained
| to the oars of unceasing labor, denied the
right to call your household your own, and
to protect your wives and children from
| insult and injury. Through all these loug
years of oppression hope shone out as a
pillar Of fire." and after great suffering the
God of liberty answered your prayers by
the deliverahce of your race out Of bond
| age. tremendous applause)
The old master in his mad attempt to
riVet more tightly the chains of slavery
upon your people, rebelled against the gov
ernment of the United States. This rebel.
lion was suffered to go on by a wise Provi.
denCe until the petty tyrant had dug his
own grave. Then he was hurled into it by
the freemen of the North and q mighty
thunderbolt of freedom and emancipation
struck the shackles from every slave in the
land. Immense applaRse) Emancipation
gave you selfownership. 1t resurrected
your people in the South, which fear will
never happen to your oppressors. Laugh-
ter.) 1t made you freemen, and there is no
power on earth to return you to slavery.
(Great applause) The congress of the
United States conferred upon you the
rights of citizenship. They made you
voters, and gave you the right to partici.
pate in establishing and administering the
government.
Accepting these rights, you assume all the
grave responsibilities of citizens, and the
friends of freedom throughout the civilized
world will hold you accountable for the
manner in which you acQuit yourselves in
1 this new sphere. In accordance with the
laws of congress constitution has been
framed for our state, under which weexpect
to live the remainder of our lives
! That constitution speuraE fraalCrn ius
tice, equality to all the inhabitants of the
state. 1t provides for a system of common
school education for every child in the
state; it gives every man a fair chance il
the race of life, with an even start. know
r you will ratify this constitution in thi.
. parish by an overwhelming majority (Yes
yes.) But to receiyeithe full enjoyment o
all your rights and privileges under tn,
t constitution we must elect good men to fill
|. the offices who will execute its provision
in letter and spirit; unless such men ad
} minister the laws they will be a nullity.
The constitution framed in eightPel
hundred and sixty-four provided for sys
TEN of common schools for all the childrel
in the state. viii you point ME to a CON
mon school in the state in which cOlore
children are being educated? rebel lee
. islature interpreted that provision to meal
all white children, and the colored childre
were left without school privileges. 70
Q want no more law making of that kind
d Then look well to the men VIII
aspire to be your rulers: let them b
men who believe in universal liberty, i'm
partial justice, and equal rights. (Grea
enthusiasm.) Such men are our standard
> bearers, nominated on our state ticket, Wi
you stand shoulder to Shoulder and elec
them? g. Yes, yes.n) | know you will
d The rebels say they can buy your votes Wit
n money and whisky. Is that true? o. Nc
4. no.D Well, l did not believe that yo
- would sell your freedom for money. ('Nc
we wont.D
Then, if the rebels attempt to bribe you
A. tell them your freedom is not for sale-teI
ss them that it cast thousands of millions Q
dollars, and the lives of hundreds of thor
= sands of brave soldiers. Tell them tina
when you get ready to go back into SLAYER
you will vote their ticket. daughter an
q. applause.) Now, my fellow-citizens, dt
sire to say few words to you on anothe
subject. ! desire to see every colored ma
W in the state OF Louisiana get home of hi
own. tremendous applause.) That wi
make you Independent, and aid you great
" in securing standing as good ciuzenl
There is no shorter method Of crushing OF
the prejudice existing against your race tina
bv the acquisition Of property. Now. t
get homes you must buy land, Whic
every INDUSTRIOUS, economical man can d,
II is not necessary to buy a large planta,iO
to get home. Buy one acre If y0u are nj
Il aOle To pay Ior more. Land is very cheaI
The very best is selling tor from five /
twenty dollars per acre. Now there is nc
a man in this large assembly who has tw
4. good hands and an able body who can nc
IN earn money enough in one year to get hin
self nice home. But some one SAYS tn
IN land all belongs to rebels and they wont Sc
re to ''niggers.' Qaughter). Ny friend, the
Or will do one of two things mighty sooI
=, They win either sell or starve. (That
ID so, surel. I think they will sell 20
land enough if you have the money to pa
for it. Rebels like 'green5acksn Just ,
much as Yankees. tLaughter and al
plause).
Then be Industrious; save your none,
get homes, educate your children, an
strive to be good citizens. The whole ci
ilized world is looking toward the colort
American citizen. The friends of freedo
a everywhere are speaking in your prais
Show TO the world BY your progress in g
ucati0n and wealth that YOU =
not only capable OF selEgoyernmen
but that ron are capable
governing thcee Who claim % Be 70