New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-06
Lieutenant Governor Dunn and the
Ball of the New Orleans Tanners
Society.
NRW ORLEANS. March 5. 1870.

EDITOR Republican,:
On Saturday evening last, the Turner's
Society of this city had a ball at which
was present the Lieutenant Governor
of this State. He had been introduced
by some members OF that society. His
an,earance there was deemed to be SO Often
siye as to demand the calling ola committee
of the society, which resulted in that COM
mittee passing unanimously resolutions de-
nouncing the presence of the Lieutenant
Governor at the ball, and determining on the
expulsion from the society of those by whom
he had been introduced. These resolutions
Won will find at length in the Times and
Bulletin of Thursday, and in the Bee OF
Yesterday. The presence OF the Lieutenant
Governor at the ball, in these resolutions, Is
denounced as crime, and ''gross violation
of decency." The Bee, unquestionaby the
ablest of the Democratic papers Of the city,
has been at the special pains to approve
these resolutions. OF course the Turner's
and other private societies have right to
admit to their meetings whom they please !;
and in the exercise of that right the public
are utterly Indifferent. But the case is ma
terially altered when the Turner's, or any
other society, publicly pronounce their rea-
sons for the non-admittance OF any stranger,
particularly if he appears among them, not
intrusively, but as an invited guest. In TINS
special instance the course followed by the
turner's Is deserving VI grave anu ue0lsI'e
public Reproduction.
Lieutenant Governor Dunn, of whom,
| amidst the present reproaches against State
officials, not whisper mas been heard
challenging his integrity, has been objected
| to solely because of his color; because OF
his being as God has been pleased to make
him-that God, who, on viewing all things
| which he had made, pronounced them as
| the Scripture story beautifully says, very
l VnS for fnrcnnfh
| turner's dare to say his appearing among
| them is ''crime and a gross violation of
decency." This resolution of the Turner's,
particularly as it has had public Democratic
| approval, must not be permitted to pass
unnoticed, as it is blow at the sacred
rights Of freedom secured to the colored
people of America at the expense OF an IN
paralleled amount of blood and treasure.
If the colored people are to be treated as
outcasts, as pariahs, as unworthy of social
| equality with their felow-citiZens, then
their enfranchisement is incomplete, is a
sham. a delusion and snare. This resolu.
ton of the Turner'S is fit adjunct to the
resolutions proposed at the second OF the
late Democratic meetings in Lafayette
Square, in which, if you remember, return
to the attrocious star Car system was recon-.
mended. The public expression and avoWal
of this cruel revolving, horrible and I'M
christian spirit can not fail to be productive
of good, as it will recoil on the heads Of
those who possess it, and will in
sure support to that political party
in the State by whom this spirit ha:
been assailed. Nay. more, it will cause ever.
right thinking citizen to shun any polltlcs
party holding so barbarous doctrines TOWARD
the colored population. 1t Is true ina
Lieutenant Governor Dunn did not appea
at that ball officially, but as a private gentle
man. Yet it is impossible to associate iron
him his high position, when he may ming
with others as private citizen; therefore 81
much the more strongly is the insult to tn
whole colored people in Louisiana, Offered
through him, to be denounced. The colore'
citizens of this State have not forced them
selves intrusively upon general society
therefore so much the greater need for thei
social rights as men to be conceded to them
If I mistake not, this Democratic part
| would, if they dared, deprive foreign borl
citizens too of their rights. It is fair t
argue that political party which wantonl
tramples under foot the rights of one sec
ton of the community, will not hesitate S
to treat others, if, by so doing, they deer
their own selfish interests advanced; there
fore it is imperative in foreign-born citizen
to guard against party hiled with know
{ | nothingism, as well as unchristlan an
, uncharltable feelings toward the colore
people.
am not an American by birth, and there
/ fore care not for the names of parties: ou
, so long as l see so sound legislative meas
ures passed, as is now being done by u
present State Legislature, by what is Gale
the Republican party, to that party, so Ion
as they pursue faithfully the public wea
will [ give unhesitating support an
allegiance. PETER SMITH.