New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-28
nleeeine of the Eleventh Ward Reform
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the meeting was called to order by Mr..
Slayback, who nominated r. M. Harrison
as chairman of the meeting. S.B Newman
was chosen secretary. On motion Of James
Buckner, that a committee be appointed to
draft bylaws and constitution for the
guidance of the club, the following gentle
men were appointed by the chair: Messrs.
Kennard, Fenner and Griswold. Mr.. Ken
nard read and offered a constitution and
| bylaws, which were adopted. After the
adoption of the constitution and bylaws 1t
was moved and carried that the club pro-
coed to an election of officers.
Robert Huyghe was unanimously elected
president. There was some discussion,
| pending the election for president, object
| ing to any gentleman holding an office In
the club who had held any office in the
| Democratic or Republican party before or
since the war. On motion, James Buckner
| was unanimously elected vice president
Messrs. Andrews and Simeon Toby were
| nominated for the office of secretary and
| treasurer, which is combined i'll one. just
at this moment a colored gentleman pre-
| scented himself and desired to know what
was the object of this meeting. and he was
| told that it would be explained at the prop
er time. Mr.. s. Toby was elected secretary
| and treasurer.
The election for officers being over, the
| president called on Mr.. Kennard to explain
| the object Of the meeting, which he did; and
| then read the following resolutions, offered
by Mr. Christy, which were unanimously
adopted:
WHEREAS, A number of representative
| colored men of our city and State have pub
| lished card in the New Orleans Times ad-
yocating reform, but at the same time refuse
| to coalesce with the reform party advocated
| by the Committee Of Fifty-one, on account,
| as they say, of an omission in the address
| emanating from that committee said ad
dress not fully recognizing and guaranteeing
| their present civil and political rights as
now guaranteed by the constitution Of the
| State of Louisiana;
| ResolrOd, That in order to quiet any
| anxiety on their part in regard to that
| point, and to more fully assure them that
| their fears are groundless in regard to the
| honest intentions of the reform party to-
ward the colored people as race,
| ResOlyed, That we guarantee them all
| ioyed under the constitution of the State of
| Louisiana, with the assurance to them on
| our part that the reform party now organ
| iZing in this State is the spontaneous up
rising of long suffering people to elect
| honest men to office, regardless OF race.
color, or previous condition.
| Resolred, That we invite all men, regard
| less of political party, to join us to accom-
| plish that purpose alone, which, in the pres
| ent state OF corruption in political affairs. we
deem Of paramount Importance to the self
ish purposes OF any pulltlcal party, Repub-
| lican, Democratic or sectional. In cOnclu-
sion. we particularly ask the cOlored people
to reflect and ask themselves If they expect
any reforms of substantial nature, or bene-
tit of a lasting kind, SO long as they con-
| tinue with a set of men who have no princi-
| pies but plumber, who as a class, are ready
to adopt any measures to keep themselves
| in power, in order solely to rule our city
| and State, and then to carry their ill-gOtten
gains to some other place. leaving our State
! that mnch poorer. We ask the representa-
| tive colored men to reflect, for the time will
GOMEZ when those they represent will
| surely bring them to an account of their
stewardship; and as they, or most of them,
| we believe, do not expect to turn carpet
| baggers, but expect 10 live and die among
| their people, it behooveS them to have a
care and counsel their people in the right.
| The following additional resolutions were
adopted:
WHEREAS. The present condition of the
State of Louisiana and city Of New Orleans
| demands the prompt and active co-opera-
! ton of all good citizens who desire the
restoration to the people. OF all classes. OF
their inalienable rights and material pros
| perity; and
Whereas, No existing party gives hope OF
our early redemption; and
! Whereas, Our evils are OF such magnl-
tude as to sink into Indifference all past
party affiliations; be it
Resolred, That, forgetting all past differ
ences and abandoning all prejudices OF race.
we or,lain and establish in this ward a club
TO be known as the Eleventh Ward Reform
Club Of the City of New Orleans"
|. That we invite the cooperation of
| every voter of every party and race. who
will aid in the redemption of the State and
city from their present political and
| financial distress.
g That we leave every voter Joining this
movement free to select whatever candi-
date he may prefer for any all national Of
| fees.
4. That we discountenance all useless
| agitation OF past issues, accepting as ac
cOmplished facts all the amendments to the
constitution.
5. That we oppose all legislation, national
| or State, in the interest of any special class
or race, believing that the true policy, ma
tional and State, is to know no black man,
no white man.
6. That we oppose the present license
| system as unequal and an uni ust tax upon
labor; and we oppose all other taxes that
discourage labor and industry.
7. That a fair vote and an honest count is
the corner stone of republican government,
and we pledge ourselves to see that no man
shall be disfranchised practically who Is en-
titled by law to the ballot.
8. That capacity and integrity shall be
the requirements for holders of office.
Q. That we invite our sister wards, and
every parish in the State, to organize imme
diately, and to elect delegates to the State
convention, to be held in New Orleans on
Tuesday, April 49, 1872, under the direction
of the Provisional State Central Committee
Mr.. Kennard then made speech, the
tenor of which was relative to what the
Citizens Committee had done, and the re
port of that committee to the citizens Al
the mass meeting lately held opposite the
City Hall.
On the conclusion of Mr.. Kennard, Mr.
Fenner was called upon, and told the meet
ing what was expected of them; that they
should make no distinction between white
and cOlored men; that all were equal; tina
they should go to the polls and vote, ant
see that their votes We're not thrown Ou
or counted for some one else: that in time
of peace he was a peaceable man, but i
they could prove, to mathematic calcu
lation, that their man was elected ant