New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-17
FOURTH WARD CLUB.

FOURTH WARD CLUB
Speech Of Lieutenant Governor Pinchback.
AlaFge meeting of the Fourth Ward Club
was held On Monday night, and the hall
was filed throughout its extent.
Governor Pinehbaek was invited to speak,
and repairing to the place Of meeting, was
greeted, on his appearance, with tremens
dous applause. The routine business hav-
ing been accomplished, Governor Pinch
back took the stand and spoke as follows:
| Gentlemen of the Fourth Ward Club
| feel highly hattered by the complimentary
reception that you have given me, and as
| sure you that I feel quite happy since my
return from st. James, for / found while
| there that the people were with US, and l
! believe may state here, without eXagger-
| alton, that the CustOmhOuse clique can not
| poll fifty votes in that parish, at the outside.
| What is true of st. James is true Of st.
| John, Ascension and Assumption, l learned
on this trip. You will see, therefore, the
/ necessity of making our convention OF the
ninth Of August not only success, but
/ body consisting of the best men in the COM
! munity. of sound discretion and good judg
ment, for to them viii be committed the
| task Of perpetuating Republican rule and
! the preservation of the rights we now en-
/ ioy Applause. A great deal has been
/ said about our not having. civil rights" IN.
Louisiana, and will admit that they are
curtailed here, but we do have many civil
rights not enjoyed by our people in other
States of this Union, where they are
| under Democratic rule. 1t is true that, IN
/ Massachusetts, the cOlored people are ad-
| mitted to the sleeping coaches and most OF
| the hotels, theatres and public saloons; but
how does It stand when it comes to official
recognition Why; there are more colored
] ~ -, off al
| than there are in the whole State OF Massa-
cbusetts. The same can be said of every
Northern State. ] think that if our people
will look into this matter carefully. they
will find that the colored people are better
off in louisiana to-day than IN any State OF
this Union, and we had better let well
enough alone. When General Butler was
here. many Of US were officers in the army
/ and wearing shoulder strap. We became
| dissatisfied because the white soLdiery did
not give us the usual salute. Nearly every Of
fieer of the Third Regiment OF Native Guards
rendered their designations. This Clssatl5-
faction spread, and finally led us from bad
to worse until the army was rid OF nearly
every eolOred officer, some being mustered
out, others forced to resign. Thus you will
| seethat for the smallest pretexts we lost
our official positions in the army. The
cause of complaint among Republicans IS
: hardly more just than that which led to the
/ HlgHUeGBlOu III Nu6 We AOW Ia .
free schools, are recognized IN official posi-
tions. hold offices all over the State OF
honor. trust and profit. There are now no
political distinctions recognized, and 1t be-
hooves us to be careful lest these immuni-
ties and privileges be lost. Hound the peO-
ple in st. James, like we are here troubled
about the national politics. Now my ad-
vice is that we allow every man TO vote just
as be chooses on the national question.
There is no necessity for US to quarrel on
this question among ourselves when we
know SO well what viii be our condition If
this State passes into the hands Of men not
in sympathy with US.
1ropose to show this night to my people
that what has been the cause OF some dis
content will, when it is understood, entltle
me to the confidence Of my felloW-cltlzens,
and make me more popular than ever
have been. This is my support OF the State
administration. About one year ago saw
leading men in the Republican party trying
to destroy the confidence OF the c0lored
people in their Governor. l knew that it
was necessary that some one should step IN
between these men and the people; and pre-
vent what felt would be political disas-
ter. They evideatly intended to drlve the
Governor over to our enemies, which would
have led to the displacement OF every
colored man who held an appOintive Office.
In this city alone there are no less than i've
hundred families whose support depended
L upon these men keeping these otnces, and
in the State there are at least one thousand
more who we're in the same circumstances
when those engaged on the pubic WORKS
are included. / felt it to be my duty to
protect these men in their places, which, |
am happy to say, in the main, succeeded
ia doing. The party, however, became di-
| yided, and ] believe you Will bear me out
when / say have labOred as earnestly to
heal the breach in the ranks as l did to
keep these men in their positions, though
| nv success in that direction, AN sorry TO
saw. has thus far been complete failure.
You all know how 1 chartered steamer
and took our convention to Baton Rouge,
with a view of consolidating the. party, and
putting in the field a ticket that ali Repub-
Iicans could support You know, too; how
we were treated there. We Were1tOld 1--WE
didn't represent anybody" that we were
"Warmoth eInissaries, thugs" .'ruttans,
and that they "didnt want anything to dc
with u.s." and one Of their speakers Illus
trated what he considered our position by
telling a favorite story Of lis, take. this o.
die" They put up ticket which THINK
4 if we take we will die. L am convinced tnal
we are now in a position 70 prescribe thai
| dose for them, but l advise that we do nc
such thing. | am in favor Of letting them
all come into our convention and assist US
in putting into the field ticket that all Re
publicaus can support.
The time has come when we must lay
aside our personal preferences and make
selfinterest a secondary consideration
Remember that all classes of the people
demand representation, and, in my judg
ment, no class will be satisfied without it
Therefore it is of the highest Importance
that in making up our ticket we should see
t to it that it be not only composed of good
c men, but that all classes be represented OF
it. This done, am certain we will win {
victory, and that peace and contentmeni
0 will reign in Louisiana, and the cry Of oner
4 Gus taxation, venality, Corruption and or
:, ! nanized innarance be heard no more.