Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-10-08
OF
W. B. p HI L L 1 PS
Political Meeting at Nj. LaySard's Store,
IN RAPIDEs PARISH, La,
Delivered last Of June, 1867-Some
Seuea or Eight Hundred Per-
sons being present,
WHITE AND COLORED.
FRIENDS AND FELLOW CITIZENS

hatred, envy, or malice towards any peo-
pie brings us together; but at the behest
of generous and patriotic love for the
good of our common country, we are as
sembled.
A mighty revolution has altered the old
order of things, and produced changes,
recognizing in you the right to participate
in the formation and control of the polit.
cal and civil machinery of the govern
ment.
And I recognize in this grand and
proud era in the progress Of civilization
and humanity, when all classes and casts
of fellow beings. regardless of race or color,
can meet and consult together for the CON-
mon good.
The results of the late war have forever
set at rest and buried all apprehension OF
this government being rent asunder by
the inglorious act Of States peaceably
Withdrawing from the Union, and giving
birth to four millions of colored Americans
who were unborn to the rights and privil-
eyes of citizens, and issued the Immortal
Proclamation, that they are forever free
Yes, you are free to conduct yourselves as
citizens and not otherwise; free to do right,
but not to do wrong. You are free-and
without distinction of race or color you
will always be protected by the govern
ment when in the right, and punished or
held amenable TO the laws when in the
wrong,
And, for the protection of this govern
ment. it matters not, where you may
chance to be: whether out on the boundless
praries of the West. or in the more thickly
settled lands of the East; whether in the
icy North OF sunny South; whether in the
land of strangers, or home of your fathers;
| whether you are OH distant continent, or
here near the graves of your fathers, moth
ers and children, who sleep in the soil on
the different plantations in this parisN,
your government is powerful to protect
you.
And even when abroad, should the SUBJ
jects of any foreign power maltreat you,
mo sooner would the tidines of injustice
reach your native shores, than every sword
in the land, and every gun-every arm in
the land and every heart-every drop of
blood in the land, and every dollar would
pass into requisition to redress your griev-
ances;" and as your army of friends ',clad
i'll arms and glittering in STEEL" marshal
their strength to redress your wrongs, the
procession as they move off would girdle
the globe with the light of your banners,
the American flag. This, gentlemen is
due you for your fidelity to your country.
Every qualified voter has taken solemn
oath to support the Constitution and Laws
of the United States, and your protection
in person and property is the reward for
doing so. Therefore, to entitle You at all
times to claim this protection, you must
conform to the laws when made And as
you, for the future, have voice in select
ing the parties who are entrusted with the
grave and important duty of enacting laws
under which you are to live, it behooves
you to be careful and sure you are right,
before you cast your vote for the person
who is to legislate touching your interest.
See to it that he has the wisdom and in
telligence necessary, coupled with the firm
ness to contend for and permanently fix
your rights beyond future cavil or aues-
ton.
will briefly allude to the political or
CARNATIONS Of the country and give you
what conceive to be the purpose of EACH
The Conservative and Republican par
ties divide the minds of the people, the
Democratic party being absorbed in the
former. The Democratic party that so
long welded the scepter of this govern
ment were opposed to your friends; and
had they not have been defeated in the
presidential canvass that resulted in tho
election of President Lincoln, would have
continued the institution of slavery in the
South, and postponed the glorious era of
which is now at hand.
The Conservative party is nothing more
nor less than catch-word, to unite North
ern Democrats with the white men of the
South who engaged in the rebellion, in the
hope of controlling future elections by
their coalition. But, gentlemen, We trust the
remembrance of the past; the unnumbered
acts of wrongs and oppression, cruelty and
injustice separate you from this people,
and do not presume it necessary to con-
sumo time in rehearsing their history, as
am persuaded that you will never give
your support to any man who was oppo-
sed to your friends; and particularly that
class Of men who, prior to the war, worked
bought and sold you, as SO many mules,
oxen, and horses, and waged war to per-
petuate your period of slavery, that laid
waste and desolate our far-hmed and
beautiful land; turned our valleys into an
ace!dama; dedowered the earth of its
pristine beauties; denuded society of her
growing talent; involved prosperous
people in bloodshed and debt, and cast q
sepulchral gloom around the hearts and
hearthstones of a once happy people, from
the eastern wave Of the Pacific to the west
ern wave of the Atlantic.
l have no desire to delve down into
your hearts. the great reservoir of your
feelings, for the purpose of stirring up the
unpleasant memories of the past, and ex-