New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-11-11
ABDR OF THE REP UBLICAN
STATE CAMPAAGN COMMLTTEE,
Consisting of s. B. Packard, NJ. a. south-
worth, w. Is. Armstrong, L. A. Del
asize aSd w. 3. Mudgett
NEW ORLEANS, November 10. 1865

New ORLEANS, November 10, 1868.
The Republican State Committee con
graduates the law-abiding citizens of Lou
isiana on the success OF the Nationa
Republican party. Good citizens can nov
confidently anticipate the time when al
will be protected in their rights, The Law
be enforced and the guilty be punished
With tie inauguration of General Grant a.
President of the United States, a new
era of peace and prosperity will dawn
upon Louisiana, in which men can fear
lessly express their political sentiments and
vote as their consciences dictate.
But while this committee congratulates
lie good citizens of Louisiana on the cleo
ton of our national candidates, it, in com
mon with them, deplores the lawlessness,
violence and intimidation which have dis
graced our State and country. and made
the election in Louisiana little better than
farce.
Believing there was danger of collision
between the clubs and members of the op-
posing parties, this committee, about the
first Of October, proposed that both par
ties should abstain from mass meetings and
plrades until after election. 1t also ia
vited the Democratic Executive Committee
to select three days of the week for the
mass meetings and parades of the Demo
cratic party, the Republican parry to use
the three remaining days of the week, and
neither party to encroaeh on the days a.
lotted to the other. Neither proposition
was accepted; and it is the duty of this
committee to state that not one instance of
conflict has come to its knowledge in which
a Republican club has been the aggressor.
Oar cGlored citizens have sought to ex-
erCise the rights bestowed upon them bv
tie laws and Constitution of The United
States and of this State the rieht to
peaeeably assemble in political me tings,
to vote as they chose, and to hold office if
duly elected or appointed thereto. The
eX-re5el and Democratic party opposed
and determined 10 prevent their exercise of
these tights unless in accordance with their
own principles and policy. twas evident
from the election in April last. and the or
ganization and strength of the Republican
party, that colored voters would not be
deceived or pursuadei into following the
opponents OF reconstruction back to the
borders Of slavery, but that il left free to
exercise their rights thay would vote SOL
idly to sustain The principles and policy Of
the Republican party. II was found that
colorad men would earn and receive money
for marching in Democratic professions
and contribute il to Republican clubs
that members of so-called Democratic col
ored clubs wee generally members of and
in full sympathy with Republican organiza-
tons and that large sums of money ex-
pended to make coorel Demo
cratic converts" failed to make Of them
reliable Democrats.
When the campaign commenced the
Democratic colOred clubs melted away like
mist Il sunrise. Our colored citizens raj
lied around the Republican party, and II
was evident that we could carry this
State by more than twenty thousand ma
iortty.
But Tie teachings Of The Democratic can
didata for President, and OF the Cop
perhead press of the North, were repeated
by the Democratic leaders and ineendiary
press Of the South. and We're believed by a
party and class confident in their strength,
and anxious for any pre.ext to repudiate
reconstruction and resist
the constituted auho,i.ies OF ide State.
By falsehood5 and misrepresentation
the Democratic masses We're made to be-
lievc the false and absurd charges
that the predominance of the Republican
party would lead to 'Regro supremacy
and social equality and financial ruin;
that our State Constitution and laws made
hereunder were null and void; thaf our
State Government was usurpatiOu, and
that Offices filed by Republicans must be
to Democratic aspirants. They
were told that Louisiana must be redeem
ed from Republican control at all hazards
and at whatever cost and only too well
have they followed the instruction OF their
leaders.
The secret semi-military organizations of
the Democratic party in this city alone
number eighteen thousand armed and
drilled men, and similar organizations exist
in every parish in the State. That
party also embraces the greater part
of the wealth and intelligence
of our people, and it has had an almost
unlimited amount Of money at its COM
mand. 1t also has had the avowed sym
pathy Of Major Generals Rousseau and
Buchanan, 9ud the moral support of their
association and countenance, On the con-
trary the Republican party, the party
which has accomplished and adheres to
reconstruction, was poor,
and unarmed, and unable TO obtain arms
for self defense. \ majority of its mem
bers were not only unaccuatomed to the
duties and responsibilities of citizenship, but
were habituated to violence and perseeu-
tion, and the REIMBURSEMENT of individual
rights.
This committee was able to expend only
about eleven thousand dollars in the late
while it is believed the Demo-
cratic party expended several hundred
thousand dollars. Nevertheless, our organ
zation was as perfect as theirs until that
party inaugurated its policy Of lawlessness,
violence and intimidation, which the Re-
publican party was unprepared and unable
10 resist. During the last month of the
this committee has employed
more than one hundred canvassers, it has
published $4,000 copies of campaign pa
per, and various circulars and address
as; it has distributed more than 300
300 campaign documents, il has print
ed and sent throughout the State
i25 600 tickets, aud it is satisfied that with
a fair election the result would not have
been doubtful. But the Rebel-Democracv
determined that they would carry and con-
troll Louisiana by whatever lawlessness,
violence and intimidation might be neces-
sary to that end; and because of facts
which we have previously stated, and be-
cause United States law forbids the organ
ization of a militia IN this State, and be-
cause they had the avowed sympathy of
the military commander of this district
they have been able to dishonor the prin-
a., E,f fraa