New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-21
LETTER FROM THE RED RIVER
col NTRN.
Grand Republican Demonstration in The
Parish of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of Re
preventative SOuer-Enthusiasm of the
PeOpIe-Speeches of The Hon. j. l..
Souer, Judge Sloanaker and Others-
Incidents. tc.

Souer, Judge sIoanaker and Others
Incidents. tic.
From Our Occasional Correspondent
M>RKsvILLE, La, May 10, 1871.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:
As the people of our parish are de
pendent on the main TO your valuable
sheet for the news of the day and the need,
of our times. l have thought it appropriat Il
10 burden the columns of the REPUBLIC An
with one of my occasional epistles. The
routine of the parish has been enlivened by
the business prosecuted in our district court
which has Just closed its session here with
an enviable record. for the District Attorney
has successfully caused the conviction OF
the petty larceny thieves in our live stock
and our Judge has well sustained him by
/ giving the severity of the law To these cor
mOrants of society. This has met with the
hearty approval of all classes of our people.
The absorbing topic of interest. which
has moved our community out of their usual
apathy. and caused rejoicing among the
Republicans. and which may be considered
as the event of the hour, was the reception
extended to the Hon L. j. Souer, our Rep
reSentative in the Legislature. on his return
in our midst. This was celebrated by a
general mass meeting of the parish. held at
Moreauville on Sunday. the fourteenth in
slant under the auspices of our Republican
Parish Executive Committee.
The day was all that the friends of the
occasion could desire, although the high
| state ofthe water and bad condition OF the
roads prevented many of our friends from
being present; but, notwithstanding these
| dltnculties there were over one thousand of
the stalwart yeomen of the parish assem-
| bled. At early dawn the appearance of
/ MOreauville, indicated that something more
than usual was to transpire during the dag,
| for the flags were the insignia OF the ap-
! preaching celebration. After the usual re-
! Ggious exercises in the morning procession
was formed and marched 10 the grove the
| place OF the meeting. which, at two o'clock
was organized under the presidency OF
Sheriff Noguez, assisted by long list OF
/ officers.
! After several speeches by our local ora
/ tors. Mr.. Souer was called upon by the null
| titude to speak, and received with the great
est enthusiasm when he, in an honest.
| Straightforward manner, rendered to his con-
stItuents full account of his Stewardship
as their representative. which gave entire
satisfaction to all there assembled He
showed them what he had individually en-
! deavored 10 do in favor of general amnesty.
civil rights. education. and the local meas
ures OF the parish. as well as the general
measures of public policy that are essential
TO the welfare of our State, and the pros
pelity of our people.
In alluding to the amended civil rights
bill. he sustained the former course of Gov
ernOr WarmOth on that measure. and
While he supported the present bill which
the Governor so heartily approved Of he
wanted it distinctly understood that the
black man was to have all the rights en-
Joyed under our system OF government by |
the white men; and the sooner that all |
classes in good faith accepted this inevitable |
conclusion arising out of the results of the 1
war the better it would be for the further |
ance OF the good ends of society; but. !
nevertheless. he would remind them that no |
law or custom could break down the social |
barriers of society, for every mans house
was his own castle, and his own COM
paniOns was the matter of his personal |
selection: and there always would be, as
there always had been, rich and poor. edu-
Gated and uneduCated persons of different
hues and compilations which was regulated |
by itself through the social channels of
combination and interests arising through
life and departing therefrOm by the
natural advancement of society in its
march of civilization. Hence, into the
courts of Europe color has never been
question of caste. while blood and birth
always was, but in this country. our caste
heretofore has been color, and the laws
enacted now was TO give all alike the COM
mon public rights leaving the social rights
TO each individual within himself as the
surest method of mankind's capacity to
sustain himself privately in society as pub
liclv his privilege, to have an even chance
in the race of life under the blessing of our
government. Therefore he had, in advo-
eating the civil rights of his colored fellow
citizens. endeavOred to promote the good
cause of the education of their children. but
not only their children, but all children
for education was the greatest boon that
governments can confer upon the mass of
their vOtaries, hence the defections in the
old school law has been remedied by new
legislation, and the school system is now
lnaugurated and in operation, and its GOOD
results VIII be found IN the future. for he
assured them that he would cause IN he
established at least eight schools in the
parish. at the earliest practicable moment
for he was determined to have the doors of
learning thrown open alike to the DOOR
est OF the poor, the whitest and black
est skin, and that, without regard
to wealth race, color. religion or ma
!loIalltS, ana he was proud to say that
IN the future as in the past his constituency
could rely upon him within his humble
sphere to uphold the principles of the Re
publican party and the maintenance of the
~ interests OF the whole people in the fur
therance OF the prosperity of the parish.
otate ana our common country. The last.
ouI NOT the least, speaker of the occasion
was was mat humorous orator of your city. :
Judge Sloanaker. who had not spoken
more than two minutes before the immense !
crowd rOared with laughter. He is one of =
The men that can not be reported. 1t is as g
much his manner as what he says that |
moves the people, and quite as much his 4
lumor and ability to tell good cdote n
we'll as either of the others. He alluded to /
he occasion that brought them to rejoice: a
or an acquaintanceship of years with him I
: HON they delight TO honor warranted {;
nm in an assurance to them that n
hey had found the right man for the right "
place: and he gave fine pen portraiture of h
Ilr. SOuer, following it up with a magniti- {;
ent and eloquent review of the private
haracter and administration of Governor :,
Narmoth. and the humiliation he gave the "
Governors foes will be long remembered y
Y our citizens, especially our colored peo- :,
lie. Close on the heels of this he gave n Il
lasterlv review of the administration of l.,
resident Grant, and then proceeded to Il,
ispatch our prejudices against the coIored a,
len in a manner that was rich in the ex h.
RENE. His illusions to the peculiar rela- ~
Ons that many of them bore to the whites. if IN
OF particularly complimentary, was anus r.
lg IN the extreme. He hit the nail on the w
cad IN every particular in his immense ar pa
nment, and in regard to the subject of RI
avery he made the most common sense re- re-
lew that we ever listened to. and was fr
specially applauded when he declared to hi