Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-10-08


Radical party, whose noble exertions
achieved for you and your children the
privileges you to-day enjoy. When you
feel yourselves becoming engrossed with
thoughts of freedom, and likely to 'forget
the giver of the gift, and forget the work
and struggle OF your friends, who gave
you all the liberty you realize aud enjoy
to-day, and which distinguishes you from
the slaves of six years ago, and your present
free condition; yes, when you forget how
and by whom you were made free, call in
and collect the vacillating thoughts of an
infatuated mind, and go on an imaginary
tour the hills and plains where generals
Grant, Butler, Sherman and Sheridan won
their great victories, and look at the graves
Of those sterling patriots 'who died that
you might live;" see where they sleep, all
along the banks and valleys of your own
Red River. Visit their graves, and while
there meditating, think of their fathers,
mothers, sisters, and little children, at
their distant homes gazing on the vacant
chairs around their hearthstones. Look
at them and weep; shed q tear Of sympathy
for their grief-stricken hearts, and remem-
Der that from every belch of the cannon,
and roar of musketry made to achieve
your liberty, sorrow, like a sirocco-blast
swept over the land, piercing with sadness
congenial and kindred hearts. And when
you forget that President Lincoln died at
the murderous instance OF your enemies,
and that near four hundred thousand brave
men persisted on the field of battle, in the
hospitals, and faced the missiles of death,
that you might walk the earth breathing
the pure air Of freedom and independence,
l should conclude that you were unde
serving the most worthy sacrifice made
for you. But no man who has o heart and
soul will forget them. And feel assured
that you will do nothing to retard the
march Of the Radical Union party; and,
if you should vote for your enemies, that
it would be through error, or the misrep-
resentation of some partisan of the oppo-
site party who led you to believe he was
your true friend.
Twill now venture to remark about the
Radical party of which you form part.
This party is not of recent origin, not of
modern birth, it sprang into being many
years ago, before many of you whose de-
Ginning strength indicates your near ap-
proach to the grave, had an existence.
Two or three of Gods noblemen sprang
into being, possessed of that godlike mag
nanimity of soul, that told them that all
men, regardless of color, should be free
and equal throughout Gods green earth
and these men, born for noble purposes, a
divine mission, were gifted with that in
nate energy, industry, and perseverance
necessary to achieve grand results. They
withstoOd the taunts, anathemas, and
bitter invectives of the opposing mas
ses; the unblushing and stygian de-
nunciations of printed sheets; and
through time acquired strength and
numbers which enabled them to in
struct their children to be champions
and advocates of cause that has cul-
minated in the release from bondage
of four millions of cOlOred Americans.
who were unjustly and cruelty deprived
of their rights and liberty. The de-
cree has gone forth that slavery shall
no longer exist in this land, and every
loyal heart throughout the North and
South, East and West echoes the decree.
You should not grow jealous nor appre-
hensive of the fidelity of your friends who
were SO industriously 10 work for you
while you were toiling in the cotton and
sugar cane fields, unmindful of what was
going on. "You trusted your friends in
the dark hours of the past, when to be
your friend was to give up society and
hide in natures caves and temples, free
from the reproachful eye and prosecuting
tongue of your enemies" 'You trusted
them in the long struggle for freedom.
You trusted them to fight the battles of
the Union" You trusted them in their
giant efforts to secure to you the rights of
suffrage, and they have not and will not
deceive you.
When you contrast your freedom with
slavery. your present condition with what
it was several years ago, when you were
slaves and subject to the will of another,
one whom you were instructed and made
to call master; when your children were,
or could be bought and sold and separated
from you, l cannot believe that you will
so far forget yourselves, that you are SO
void of gratitude, SO inhuman, or migrate,
that you will prove treacherous to the
party, or turn against your benefactors or
that you would not for the present select
the best patriot and wisest Republican to
represent you in the councils of the nation.
And, gentlemen, as one main object and
grand feature in the Radical party is to
establish free schools for the mental cul-
ture and advancement of you and your
children, and give you that education so
necessary and auxiliary to your success in
life, you, by diligent application, can
soon prepare yourselves for official posi-
tons. And We doubt not, but that in a |
few short years. some of your race will |
hold high positions in the municiple gov