New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-10-23
THE GOVERNOR AT SHREVEPORT
A Magnificent Meeting There
WARM0TA, SHERIDAN AND PINCHBACK
Good Effect of Their Speeches
COURTEOUS TREATMENT BY OPPONENTS
STARLIGHT PLANTATION, La, Oct. II

EDITOR REPUBLICAN:
My last closed with the arrival of the Gov
ernor and party i'll Shreveport Many
doubts were entertained as to the treatment
we should receive at the hands of the peo-
pie. After reading such articles as the fol-
lowing, and not knowing in what degree
they represented the feelings of the people,
it was natural we should have some appre-
hension of dishonorable treatment.
The Daily Goeettc, of October 9. says
SThere rests no obligation on our people to
recognize Warmoth as the Governor OF Lou
isiana, or to identify him with the office
which be holds He is unworthy of the
distinction, which, in times past, the
people felt no degradation in according to
their chief magistrate. If he is the sensi-
bic man he is represented to be, he would
laugh at all public demonstrations of re-
spect as hOllop pageant1y, because he must
know the general estimation LII which he Is
held. We think the presence of Governor
Warmoth should be wholly ignored"
The Ga:ette owes its prosperity to the pa
trOnage of the State.
The Weekly Ga:ette of October IA, says:
eve are sure the readers of the Bulletin
would never charge 1t with desiring to
honor Warmoth with a public reception.
We certainly could not The Tri- Weekly
Bulletin says: 'Our proposition was to
meet this man Warmoth and his henchman,
Sheridan, on the hustings, expose in open
discussion their dirty HISTORY, their foul and
shameful political records, and leave them
to the sc0rn and contempt of all honest
men present, either black or white"
On our arrival in the city we were met
with the sad intelligence of the death of
General Robert Z. Lee Business was gen.
orally suspended. The Governor and Gen
eral Sheridan were waited upon by General
McCleery and other prominent citizens, who
welcomed them to their city. The desire of
both Governor Warmoth and General Sheri-
they were pleased to learn would be insured
to them by the Democratic press, in the fol-
lowing article: "If these men are willing to
meet us in open discussion, we think the
Fourth Ward Club should guarantee them
q fair hearing and honorable treatment.
1T any rate, let the responsibility of refusing
to openly discuss the issues before the country,
and ,chich so deeply concern the people, rest
upon. THEM"
Very strange to say, however, their
courage had all oozed out by the
time the :. Gopo.nor and his heneA-
men, arrived and expressed their de-
sire to have fair hearing. Nor could
they be prevailed upon to moet this indi
ridual Wnrmch and the man named Sheri-
dan" in free. fair and honest discussion.
They would prefer to indulge in such argu-
ments as "hOrse thieves. ''plunderers,
"carpet-baggers,' and ''scallawaggers, and
as they were acquainted with no more forci
BILE style, they Of course, consulted their in
terest by drawing in their horns" They
had been boasting loudly while no enemy
was in sight, but at the first appearance of
foeman, retreated disgracefully. The fol-
lowing extract from the Daily Southeastern,
proves the limited capacity of their minds,
for which it is an apology:
1--WE learn that Governor Warmoth and
henchmen have extended, or purpose ex
tending an invitation to the Democratic
party to meet them in discussion. We can
not say whether any member of the Demo-
cratic party will so honor them, but can say
that we are not in favor of it. A discussion
could only resolve itself into charges Of pee
uL1tiO1t and robbery on the one poyt and bold
denial O,, the other"
The meeting was held on Market street.
The audience was composed, in very large
proportion of white men, among whom fig
ured largely the odd Line Wings Gen
eral McCleery presided. and first introduced
Governor WarmOth 1t was really amusing
to watch the countenances of the men who
to see one-eyed, scar-faced and
hideous- looking monster in the person of
Governor WarrnOth The looks of aston
could not fail to be perceived.
They seemed to say. with a great sigh of re-
Lief, "Why, he is man after all" And
from that moment there appeared evidences
of their satisfaction that the treasury Of the
State ras in safe keeping.
After the Governors conclusion, General
made one of his mastery speeches,
and captured the entire audience. One man
walked up to him, at the conclusion, and
said he did not think it possible for one man
to love another until he listened to his elo
quent speech.
Hon. p. b. S. Pinchback was next intro
duced and delivered peculiarly forcible
speech. Cries of ''We are with You, Pinch
back" came continually from the white
portion of the audience.
During Governor Warmoths remarks
some one in the crowd cried out. Its
id lie" On looking, we beheld Mr..
Hyams, one of the proprietors of the But
letin, being led away by one of the guar
dianS of the peace We understood after
ward that the gentleman was placed in safe
keeping, and then released under one thou
sand dollars bond. General Sheridan was
also saluted with the lie" but We noticed
the crowd moving impetuously in the di-
rectiOn of the offender, and had some solic-
tude for his safety. Nothing, however, was
heard from him after this; whether he was
annihilated or died of modification we are
are unable to say.
After the speaking, the greatest enthusi-
asm reigned throughout the audience. Gov
ernor Warmoth and General Sheridan
could, with difficulty, make their way to
the hotel amidst the congratulations of the
crowd. Men rushed to shake them by the
hands, saying, You are the pioneers OF the
party in the northern part OF the
State" I'VE were Wings, but see our duty
now," and God bless yOu,' etc. 1t was
truly one of the most exciting scenes we
ever witnessed. The very men who said
these things were those who had come there
with faces set with scowls to see the mon
ster who, as they had been informed, had
been committing such depredatiOns and OPP
pressing the people to such an extent.
Not until the Governor and the General
had left the levee at Shreveport, on board
the steamer ID. l.. Tally, did ttA congratu-
latiOns cease to pour in upon tH0m.
There were from five to six thousand per-
sons present at the meeting, and
with the exception of the cases above
mentioned, TIE best feeling prevailed.
We heard the Governor remark that she
wished there was some way by which he
could express his qualification and thanks
for the courteous treatment he and his
friends had received at the hands of the
people of Shreveport
We arrived at Starlight Plantation on the
morning of the sixteenth, and are being
kindly entertained by Messw. Devices and
Twitchell.
Further developments in our next.
Yours, in haste,