The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-08-28
Number 6.

caH youI dtteHtion, SentieHeh OI thS
Convention. Remember that if you
once allow a white mans party to get
into power in all the branches Of tho
State government, upon an understand
ing that this is to lie a white mans
government alone, that you will be d
disintegrated, isolated, helpless and
powerless--not people-but mass of
small, distinct communities. To-day;
in this State, there are parishes in
which you have no clubs, no speakers
M leaders in which the colored people
for the past four years have had COM
munication with the Republican party
in this State. If defeated in this con-
test, all the parishes of this State, cx-
cept few Immediately surrounding
New Orleans and on the river, will be
the same as St. Landry, jackson, Cald-
well, Franklin and VIM are now. II
this Convention takes the course ad-
vised by Governor Pinchback to-day;
two years from this time there will not
be single Republican convention sit
ting in this State representing any
body but these few immediate parishes.
When Governor Pinchback goes back,
two years after his defeat, to appeal
again to lis people, with those clarion
notes which have resounded so often
throughout the State, and to which
such grand responses have been made,
he will find no people to appeal to and
will call forth no response from tho
depths of the State. All will be silent
and desolate. $3.50
Now, on the other hand, we saw 4
sight in this city the other day, con-
vention representing 10000 Eof the
white votes of this State, composed Of
the most intelligent, influential and
respectable in the country, Of their
own accord, and without bargain or
trade, offering to you ans alliance, as
with an independent and equal body;
an alliance based upon the recognition
of your equal rights, recognizing every
essential Republican principle, giving
you the most liberal representation
upon their ticket, and nominating
colored men for prominent positions
upon it,. For the first time in the his
tory Of Louisiana, or ofany Southern
State, has such i scene been witnessed.
In this summer of revolutions was the
most remarkable revolution of all
that the white people of this State,
-ex- Confederates; native Soutllerneis;
assembled in Convention, should send
their plenipotentiaries to a Republican,
Convention composed mainly Of col.
ored people, and formally, in the pres
ence Of that whole Convention,l tender
to them such an alliance, was one of
tho most wonderful scenes that las
been witnessed in this country since
the close of the war. / would say
right here and be borne out in tho
statement by tho Lieutenant Governor
himself, that in all conference of your
State Central Committee with these
gentlemen, we were most profoundly
impressed with the candor, sincerity
aud friendlincss of their bearing to-
ward us as Your representatives. I
believe that these gentlemen were
sincere in every word they uttered,
and more than that; that they were
anxious to have you accept the alliance
and as guarantee Of tile fullfillments
of their promises, you had security
worth more than all the bayonets Of
the Federal Government, the honor
and faith of 10000 Of the white people
of Louisiana. With this alliance you
will secure d Governor and State off,
GERS friendly to yon, based upon the
principle that it is better for the white
and colored people to be united in a
political party, than that they should
be divided politically, white against
black 7 And just here I wish to CALI
your attention to the fact that the only
distinction between the Liberal party
and the Democratic party is just on
that one point. They are botlr sup
porting Greeley. They are both rec
ognizing the results Of the war and ac~
cepting the situation in every particu-
lar. Their platforms are almost iden-'
tically the same, there is but this one
difference between them; the Demo-
cratic State party is based upon . de-
sire to unite the white people IN a
party and make this a white mans
government. The Liberal State ticket
is based upon the desire to unite a por-
ton of both white and black, and to
prevent forever the division Of white
against black. You will have the Same
alliance in the city and parish of Or
leans, by which you will hare your
fair proportion of tie municipal and
parish Offices, employment on the
streets aud police. You will have a
majority of the memlerp elected to
the Legislature, friendly to all your
rights; you will have scnt to Congress
from three to four colored men, who
for the first time win go to Congress
endorsed by the votes of yonr white
fellow Tifizens and will cnnsocuantl,,