New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-22
ORLEANS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER q 1871

headed "a Common Sense View" it wen
for me. Now, then, why publish all owe
the commonwealth such matters about mt
when 1t is so easy to meet the argumen
that am right There is confession @
guilt on the part of these people, and Pre-
pose to reform it. break up the Reput
lican party! and the general started bacl
with theatrical gesture, and churned tn
| air with both arms, and hurled defiance a
an invisible enemy. Now" said the gen
eral, Il have seen an article in newspape
Order said the general, 'one thing at
time.1 have seen an account of pOlitica
gathering, if secret session can be q
called. Cheers, yells and CRIES Of all de
scriptlons.] Well, they let one fool in
laughter and applause and here fnt
respectable gentlemen getting together t.
see how they can prevent Mr.. Butler from
being governor"
BE CORY said man, that was George
S: Merrill 1T wasn't said another
No shouted third. Now why no,
come out openly about it, Fair play, NJ
back down in secret caucuses. DOM
attempt to mislead and 1nisyovern the
commonwealth. A voice: Good boy, Mr.
Butler [Laughter.]
why can't you be as good Democrat
as you were beforel' asked a man at the
right of the general. Tremendous applause
and cheers.] While the general slowly
wiped the perspiration from his brow a
voice cried out. Good boy. Tommy
Now. then said the general, I'VE will
discuss what Democracy means, and think
We shall find that it don't mean anything
except what is good for the people. save az
it has got into the hands Of those who do
not know how to blow the Democratic bel.
lows. Now look at the prohibitory law for
a moment. There has been a prohibitory
law on your statute book for seventeen
years, and it has not been enforced until
two days ago there came out an order, as
you know, to enforce it. Why do they want
1t enforced just now! Why, Ill tell you. 1t
governor. and they hope to head him of
that way. [Laughter.I Well, they won't
enforce it. They think they will; but they
don't know how" Laughter.l And from
this subject the general passed on to con-
sideratiOn of labor reform and what the
laboring men had asked of the last Legisla-
ture What argument is there on the part
of the Republicans who opposed them! Hu-
manity. Judgment, reason, candor, the WELL
being OF the State, all are in favor of
some legislation for laboring men.
gold, the curse which God sent on
mankind, is against it. You know what
was done with what they asked for in Re
publican Legislature. 1t passed through a
Republican House. and the laboring meu
are told. 1.-The Republican party has passed
your bill" 1t was killed in a Republican
Senate, and the capitalists were told,
there the Republican party has killed your
bill. Applause and cries Of that is true y
stand to-day on this question of hours Of
labor where have stood for twenty years.
We fought it out in this State at time
when men were working thirteen hours a
day. with half an hour for dinner, and they
ran far into the night. and l said that was
too much and fought the matter out here in
your Legislature, and there was final
compromise on eleven hours a day, and now
you have got the ballot in your hands. 1t
is the greatest blessing of the world. You
have got it and you can use it.
And here the general paused again,
glanced over the meeting and again
whipped out his wipe" which he applied
with great diligence to the great beads of
sweat upon his countenance, for the hall
was warm and he was becoming tired.
While many pressed forward to expert
ence the pleasure of personally congratu-
lating him the band played. and the au-
dlence gave three cheers for the orator of
the evening and the meeting quietly broke