The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-09-28
The Republican Mass Meeting
i'm MOrehOuse. A
SPEECHES OF MEssERs. KELLoGG,HA IAN
TOME, AND OTHERS.
[From the Bastrop Conservative, Sept. IS.

tFf0m Ene bastfop conservative, Sept. 10
The grand meeting of the Grant
Kellogg party which came off in our
town on Saturday last was apparently
a success in point of numbers and dis
play. At an early hour the cOlOred
clubs from every direction came pour
ing into town in martial array-sOme
on foot some on springs and some in
zig-Zag cayalades, enveloping the town
in clouds of dust. Some of the pro-
cessiOns were large and some small.
Some had a " right smart s~prinkling "
of boys to swell the ranks. ROsettes,
blue ribbon, black feathers, white
gloves and sashes were displayed, and
we did see one section commander
stalking about with his old cavalry
sabre at his side. Several flags t1Oated
high up over the thronging crowds, of
patterns that were distinctive indeed.
We noticed One-a white ground with
nine blue stars prOmiScuOusly studded
over it. Another, the ordinary stars
and stripes with the addition of Il large
red star i'll the centre Of the blue field,
and in the centre of that a small white
star. The concentration point was
fixed a short distance from town i'll the
grove opposite the old cemetery, and
which was more particularly designated
that day by the smoke that arose from
the pits in which the meats were being
prepared to feed the hungry multitude.
At an early hour the speaking COM
menced by a few remarks from Mr..
Stevenson, of New Orleans, who is GER
tainly il new convert, for one Of those
small " reform" feathers still peered
from out his hat band. This gentle
man set out by asserting that he was
not a public speaker nor a politician
and would cOntine his remarks to the
State of Louisiana, which he did
throughout, giving, some yholGSomead-
vice to the cOlOred people. He said
I" The white and black men in our State
are to-day partners. My interests are
his interests, and any man that steps in
between me and my partner is not my
friend. The white and black people
must live together in peace and work
together in harmony" He did not want
any more WarmOths or Sheridans in
Louisiana-fOr various reasons that
have been 50 commonly urged that it is
useless here to give them.
Hon. VIM. Pitt Kellogg was then in
trOduced. His remarks were mostly
confined to State issues and the causes
| of the division in the Republican party,
casting the blame for the disruption
upon all those who do not now occupy
| his side of the question. He also gave
some good advice to the colOred people,
telling them that I" any man who at
temptS to put the black man against
the white man is a demagOgue and is
not to be trusted. Your interests and
your old masters interests are identi-
cal, and there should be N barrier be-
tween you." He then went on to es-
| tablish that the Federal Government
was not responsible for the condition
| of the State government of Louisiana,
and shortly after stated that the State
was not in such q deplOrable condition
as represented Asserting that Mr..
Greeley had changed, he cOntended
that he, with the Democratic party,
now stood upon nothing, as the prin-
ciples of the Democratic party were
gone, and they had taken up those of
the Radical party. He stated to the
wanted either negroe equality or afri-
canization, and urged them to let by
cones he by-gones, hoping that there
would be a fair election and that they
would give their support to the party
thatliberated them. That the presump-
ton was that good men had been put
forth upon his ticket, and he was salts
fed they would vote for them.
MI. Antoine, the cOlOred candidate
for Lieutenant Governor, next came
upon the stand. He said that it was
the moral pressure brought to bear by
the good Democrats Of the State, that
caused the ticket that he was on to be
nominated at Baton Rouge. That it
was the bad men of the Democratic
party that opposed it, and it was they
Greeley to get control Of the Southern
States! After urging the cOlored peO-
pie to do all in their power to induce
ultra Democrats to vote for Mr.. Grant,
he desisted. :f.-s
Col. A. P. Fields then took the stand
and confined his remarks to the Federal
issues, making a strong appeal to the
white people of the South to vote for
Grant, grounded upon various sundry
sayings of Fl. g., which were taken
from old files of the Tribune. Fl. G. had
been everything at times and nothing
long in anything except his hatred to
the Democratic party. Office had no
charms for him (the speaker.) Wants
nothing but peace and Cancellation and
the good of his country, and expects a
large Democratic vote from personal
friends in that party. sss--
Afew preliminary remarks from Rev.
W. n. Childress, (colored) in regard to
charity and kindness, claiming theright
to wear any kind of boot that fits him,
disclaiming the idea of any one. seeking
an ofice-until he had sense enough to
fill it, were closed by announcing din
ner. ..H.Hs 4#s e.. .-~.5. d.
In the evening Mr.. Tucker, (c0lored)
made, and it was given up so to be, the
best speech of the day. He occupied
almost every ground, and while he en-
deayored to make things appear clear
to his audience, we don't think he was
well understood by the colOred people.
They did, however, understand him
when he told them that they were de-
pendent upon the white people of the
country, and that if any man came to
them and tried to put them in OppOsi-
ton to the white men that this mai
was their worst enemy-to let the past
be buried and vote as they please, hut
vote for honest men for Office. .5sr4
Col. Lewis {eolored) closed with q
speech OF a mild nature, cOmplimenting
the citizens of the parish. He had at
tended mass meetings Hover the State
? and this was the first one he had evel
been at where he did not see a single
drunken or disOrderly man. He told
the eDlared men to watch these men
+ who came around them hunting an
office. Honor nowadays was played
out, ''and you don't see men running
around now after it alone. We have
had bad men i'll Office, but let all joiI
together in peace and sucure an homes
government The crowd then dis,
peTsed in a quiet, orderly manne with,
out any cheering demonstrations what,
Q ever. .~ a#saEfa s.
We have taken up a great deal O.
space in giving a partial synopsis Of