New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-06-20
THE GRAND MASS MEETING on
WEDNESDAY, EVENING.

Remarks OF the Hon. H. Q. WRrmOth.
Lieutenant Governor Dunn on calling the
meeting to order said:
FELLOW CIrIzENs-I have the honor to
call this meeting to order by nominating as
its President his excellency H. G. Warmoth,
Governor of Louisiana.
Governor Warmoth was then introduced
and said:
FELLOW CITIzENs-I thank you sincerely
for the high honor you have conferred upon
me in selecting me to preside over this very
large and intelligent assembly. We have
met tonight for the purpose of ratifying
the nominations of the Republican party
for the offices of President and Yice.Presi.
dent of the United States. This will be tho
first occasion on which Louisiana has had
to vote for the first offices within the gift of
the people of this country for the last
eight years. During that time wonder.
ful changes have been brought about
in this Southern country. The
black thousands / see before me
tonight have never before had the privil-
ege of expressing their preferences as to
the chief rulers of this great republic. But
to night we take the initiatiye-we stand
here together, and under the blackness of
night we see no color whatever in each
| others faces, we recognize no distinction
whatever on account of color; but standing
/ together as American freemen, having but
one country and one flag we unite our
voices together and declare which one of
| these parties we will stand by in this con-
test. (Applause.) We are to say tonight
whether that party which has ruled this
| country for the last eight years amid trials
| and difficulties never before known to our
history shall rule it for the next four years
/ to come. We are here to say whether the
loyal men of this State will agree that that
1 10
/ pie freemen and enfranchised citizens
/ shall still nave the confidence OF the
| American people. / believe that the heart
/ of every loyal man in this State responds to
the sentiment. | believe that no men could
have been selected as the representatives OF
the principles we have advocated who would
give greater satisfaction to the people than
those we have nominated. We have said tc
the American people, both friends and foes,
politically, all we ask is peace. We ask moi
the blood of any man. We have prosecuted
this war that we might save the nation. We
have expatriated none of those who were
against the country; we have executed none
of those who fought against the republic
however criminal they were; we have con
fiscated none of their property; we have
prescribed only such of them as was neces
sary to secure the peace of the country.
We come before you to-day in thii
canvass on the same platform-no discrimi
nation-nO conhscatlon-no executions
but with a demand for peace and the. hopI
of prosperity. This and this only is oul
platform. When General Grant said in the
concluding words of his letter of accept
ance "An we want is peacen he sounded the
key note of the Republican party. Give u
peace in this broad land and we will asl
nothing more; we will submit these ques
tions Of politics to the judgment and dis
cretiOn OF the people. In calm discussion
of them and final decision we will al
abide. This is all we ask, but in asking i
we feel that we have the power to secure
and the power to enforce it. (Cheers.)
Fellow citizens, you are here tonight no
to hear me make a speech, but to hea
other and more able and distinguished gen
tlemeA. You are here to listen to you
favorite orators men, both white an,
black, whose patriotism and fidelity to tn
country is known and appreciated all owe
the land. have the honor and pleasure Q
introducing to you on this occasion ger
tleman whose duty he appreciates, an
whose courage has led him TO execute tina
duty amid ali the social and political pre-
scrfptions that have been enforced agains
him-Judge Howe, of our Criminal Court.