New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-04

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do not, however, consider the victory
completely decisive, except theoretically.
| 1t remains for US to labor increasingly to
make the victory practical. Resistance has
been made, even to the "last ditch" But
| do not feel perfectly assured that the last
| foe fell, or that the last resistance was made
| in that 'last ditch.o Practical liberty is
never secure except through the wstchful,
sturdy, and united efforts of all lovers of
| mankind.
There is much promise in the thought that
all men must appreciate that security to
every man, whether he be white Or black,
| native or foreign, rich or poor, exists wholly
in the practical recognition of the princi-
Piles of the thirteenth, fourteenth and ff-
teenth amendments to the constitution of
the United States.
The doctrines of the Declaration of Inde.
pendence: have indeed been carried into SOL
emn, fundamental law. AS the day OF the
adoption of that Declaration by the Cont
mental Congress has been commemmorated
annually for nearly centuary, and as the
American people are accustomed to meet for
rejoicing at each anniversary for national
independence, which has been secured, SO
| ought the day on which the President OF the
United States proclaimed the final
ratification of the fifteenth amend
ment, and that it had become a part
of the supreme law of the land, to be CON-
memorated for all time to come, with in
creasing gratitude and terver, for this last
and greatest event in our history. Now
national independence is rendered more
glorious by this comprehensive guarantee of
individual liberty and power.
Very respectfully,
Your Obedient servant,
L. A. SHELDON.
Some of the gentlemen announced as
speakers were unable to attend, but their
places were ably supplied By others.
Hon. H. C. Dibble, Judge of the Eighth
District Court, was the frs. speaker, and
favored the audience with short address,
taking for his text the words:
Observation-Disclosures
Lincoln-EmancipatlO
''Grant-Universal Suffrage"
Which appeared upon one of the numerous
banners of the procession Of the day-which
was listened to with marked pleasure by
those present.
Mayor Flanders was the next speaker, and
spoke of his experience in the city during a
residence of some thirty years, and of the
difference in position and treatment of those
who rejoiced most to-day, in years gone by
and now.
Hon. John Ray, State Senator, was next
introduced, and delivered the following ad-
dress:
Mr. President, Ladies, and Fellow. Citizens
of New Orleans: The event We celebrate to-
day is the finN consummation in this coun
try, so far as legal enactments can do it, of
one of the great movements in the progress
of humanity and civilization OF modern
times.
Among the different govern ments of the
earth that of the United States is justly re-
garded as the only one predicated on the
equal civil, political and pubic rights of the
citizen. It is part of the history of the
country, that long before, and at the time of
the revolution by which the colonies OBJ |
tanned their independence of England, the |
of slavery existed in the colonies, |
and in the organization OF the government, |
both under the articles of confederation and |
the constitution, persons held as slaves were |
not recognized as citizens, or taken into |
account as having any civil or political |
rights.
From the time of the Declaration of Inde- |
pendence, philanthropist5 and statesmen, |
among whom Washington aud Jefferson may |
be ciassed as at the head, were opposed to |
the institution of slavery and op.
position to that institution gradually man
attained greater and greater intensity, until |
it eliminated in civil war in 1861. The |
main purpose and object of the war was to |
extend the area of slavery By forcing it !
into territories Of the United States, where |
it had not formerly existed, thereby |
strengthening and perpetuatng the in
stitution.
The institution of slavery, lying at the |
bottom and being the cause of tNe war, the |
of the war urfavo-ahla IN the si6a |
for its extension and perpetua.
ton, as necessary consequence, destroyed |
the institution, and the result of the war iu |
that regard was legalized by the new con-
stitutions OF the States in which slavery had
existed before the war. and by the adoption
Of the thirteenth amendment. to the Consti-
tuition of the United States, declaring that
g Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude,
except as Il punishment for crime, whereof
the party shall have been duly convicted,
shall exist in the United States, nor any
place subject to their jurisdiction" Thus
terminated the institution of slavery in the
United States, the longest stride made
toward carrying out, in its true spirit and
the principles announced in the
basis Of free government.
But the destruction of the institution of
slavery left that numerous class of our
people in the situation OF freedmen,
without the rights of citizenship, and the
refusal OF the law. making power, in those
States in which slavery had existed at the
of the war, to accord the
rights of citizenship to the freedmen, made
it necessary that those rights should be
by constitutional enactment;
this was done by the fourteenth amendment
to the constitution of the United States;
this marks another step in carrying out the
true theory OF our government.
But in order fully to accomplish the work
and to carry out, in its fullest extent the
true theory of free government, and the
legitimate consequences of the war, another
step hadtO be taken, which constitutes the
-rowniDg act OF all. Freedom and citizen
ship being secured to the freedmen, fully to
protect them in their civil and public rights
as citizens, and to place them on perfect
equality before the law with all other Citi-
zeDS, it was found necessary to take another
step, that was to secure to them the right of
suffrage or equal political rights with other
citizens, this has been accomplished by the
fifteenth constitutional amendment, which
declares that, ''the right of citizens Of
he United States to vote shall not be
ienied or abridged by the Unites States or
)y any State, on account OF race, color or pre-
yious condition of servituoe." 1t is the final
adoption of this amendment of the const-
ution of the United States that completes
he work OF free government in It's true
pirit and intention, and this is tne event
We celebrate to-day.
So far as constitutions and legal enact
nents can do it, all the inhabitants Of
he United States are secured in equal civil,
political and public rights. The final con-
ummatlon OF this advanced progress in
rec government was deemed of sufficient
'ublic interest by the President of the
United States upon which to congratulate
he people of the United States through