New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-26

candidate for the Legislature in the parish
Of Claiborne, and was defeated. This Will
not seem strange, when it is remembered
that in 1865, Grant and Colfax received
only two votes in that parish. / received
6S7. At the Homer precinct, where live,
ton, l was the foremost candidate on the
legislative ticket.
These facts mention as tit prelude to
what now have To say to you. and not as
data of complaint over my defeat; for GER
tainly all things considered. have cause
to feel compimented ut the vote received.
could justly complain that was defeated
by other than fair and legitimate means
by that overpowering influence OF intimida-
ton and terror which carried Claiborne
parish and tho whole State OF Louisiana
sweepingly for the rotten Democracy two
years ago; but shall make no special COM
plant of this sort i'll my own behalf, what
have to say to you now being entirely IN the
interest Of other parties.
1t is doubtless well known to you that
was candidate in my parish more for the
purpose of assisting and strengthening the
general Republican ticket, than with any
great hope or even special desire Of being
elected myself; for, Notwithstanding it is
| we'll known that upon a fair and impartial
poll the parish Of Claiborne is Republican
| by several hundred ma jority, it would have
been expecting too much to have supposed
| that any one man, or even dozen OF men,
| could stand ont against the well disciplined
| Democratic brute force in that parish, and
| rally it for the Republicans. But it was
| thought that as u candidate j might do
| something for my party in raliying and in
! spring others tO come out and vote the Re-
| publican ticket.
This l tiatter myself did and it is pre-
cisely in connection with this part OF the
subject that wish to address you few
plain and candid words, and l desire and
expect, a plain ard candid response.
In order to induce men to come ont and
vote the Republican ticket at the ate cleo
tion-the ticket of their choice&l assured
them they should be protected against
brutal harm; not only on the day of election,
but atterward. Men did not SO much fear
on the day of election, as they did what
might follow. reminded them that Pres-
dent Grant had promised to me, from his
| own lips, that should be protected III the
publication of my paper, if it should require
| the entire force of the government; and
pledged myself that you. as the Governor
of Louisiana, would do the same thing. II
necessary. in behalf of those who might
come out pcaceably and quietly and vote
the ticket of their choice.
What l now want is an official response
to this proposition. ! want You to say to
1 ii
vigorous and special means. to have the law
executed against those who may rise mp
| and molest, and harrass, and murder men
because they arr. Republicans; because they
are the friends # the government; because
they are Your friends, and my friends, and
the friends and advocates Of freedom an'i
tastice.
and want it, with this letter, published. SO
| that those who have trusted in my promises
NAV know that have at least attempted to
carry out my pledges.
could say much to you by way Of in
ducing you to do what l think you should
do; but it would be really an insult to your
| intelligence and patriotism. feel sure that
all which is needed is merely to give you an
intimation Of what Justice and truth de-
| mand in my section.
You know--as the public knows-that
both politically and personally l am the
most torbearing and forgivlng; but nave
SO long witnessed the unavenged suffering
and torture Of the friends OF the govern
ment, that / have become thoroughly con-
vinced that there is, sometimes at least,
| more virtue IN stones, than IN either KIM
| words or soft missiles.
| Az for myself, ! can perhaps afford to
forgive-and could pray God that might
| forget-the long list of infamous and COW
ardly prosecutions heaped upon Inc Tor
opinions sake; hcaped upon me because |
| have not been a traitor to my country ana
! to liberty. ask no ''armed intervention
| for nv protection. | am a white man, ana
have not been raised slave. / labor not
under the disadvantages Of caste. ask no
man any boot in an open conflict; ana my
| enemies are afraid to attempt my assassln;l-
| ton. They are afraid to shoot me even from
the bush. | have sous as brave and manly
as ever honored a parent or breathed the
! free air of America, and have hosts OF per-
| sOnal friends, even among my political OPP
ponents, who would protect my person and
avenge my blood against the assaults OF the
assassin. 1t is not for myself that speak
| and ask protection, but it is IN be-
half of the colOrcd men Of my par
ish. who are true. to themselves, to their
country and to their God. You do not
know, and may never know, what these
men have bad to brook and endure, even
since tlley were liberated from bondage by
the Federal arms. They labor under many
disadvantages. They have been raised
| slaves, and in most cases are now the hired
| labOrers of their former masters, who
| still own the lands Of the country. The
| law declares them free aud equal, regard
less of race, color or previous condition"
Yet their race and color, and previous con
dition, still bear heavily upon them, and
ever will 1t is hard for a white man to get
over this prejudice; and, perhaps, 1t Is +"
| some degree unnatural that he should ever
| be able to do so altogether.
Still. under all these disadvantages, the
colored man is true to his country, and KIND
and obliging even to those who mistreat and
abuse him. He is. even by instinct, true to
| the flag which freed him; and this also
| preiudices some against him-the low, the
vicious, and the centemptible. These
| are few. perhaps. but then they are numer-
Gus enough to do much harm, unless de-
tered by the strong arm OF official power
| And when thus deferred, they may become
good citizens and live to bless the hand
which yielded II salntary restraint and cor
| rection. Men sometimes live in history as
! great heroes and patriots, who, without
| the application of strict law and rigid
| discipline, might have died the death OF
cowardly felons. Leonidas and his three
! hundred Spartan patriots, are famed IN
! Greciau song and story for their deeds of
| da,.ing and devotion at the Pass OF Their
mopyTe: but if there had not been a law OF
! Sparta visiting the death penalty on every
| soldier who should turn his back upon a
| foe. it nipht have been otherwise than it is
with Leonidas and his valiant band on the
pages of their country's history.
| But it isuseless to make to you these reier
! cnces and illusions. IOu do not require
them only wish to be distinctly under
| stood by the public, and am therefore more
minute than / otherwise would be.
| In addition, / simply inclose to you some
| official data, "sworn to and subscribed"
which will servo to show something of the
necessity and justice Of what l here ask OF
you and which u for your own private in
! formation, ~ . publication Of the same
would doubtless be death to some Of those
implicated.