New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-20
PINcRB q To rHa PEoPLE.

Kellogg
On Thursday last, in compliance with the
request of a number of the leading Repub-
Hcans of st. Helena and Tangipahoa, Lieu.
tenant Governor Pinchback and General A.
E. Barber proceeded to Amite City in order
to address the people of those parishes.
On arriving at tAmite, the Lieutenant Gov
ernor and party were received by a COM
mittee composed of the Hon. w. D. Floyd,
Messrs. John Evans, DR.. johnson, DR..
Moore and Squire Roberts, who imme-
diately placed them in carriages and drove
to the place of meeting bridge
on the Tickfaw river.
The weather during the day was exceed
ingly unfavorable, the rain descended in
torrents and. the roads were almost i'm
passable; but, notwithstanding these draw
backs, the party pushed forward, and were
gloriousIy rewarded for so doing on arriv-
ing at. Wheat's bridge, where they were
greeted with shout of welcome from a
thousand throats such as the woods of st.
Helena never echoed before; and, as if to
add its greetings to these already given,
the sun, which moment before was OBJ
scured' by dark, watery clouds, shot forth
brilliantly.
But little time was spent in arranging the
preliminaries for meeting, which was
called to order by noble looking old scion
of the colored race, Squire Roberts, Mr..
Fletcher Primus and Mr.. T. Watson were
respectively nominated as president and
secretary. and were unanimously elected.
The president in brief and lucid manner
explained the objects of the meeting, and
introduced Lieutenant Governor Pinchback,
wio delivered speech which, for want of
space, is only summarized.
The Lieutenant Governor said:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen-We have
unpleasant times to have our little talk. l
did not expect to find so much water up
here. but it is perhaps better to have a lit
tie too much water than to have what |
find in some parishes little too much
whisky.
In opening my remarks, / must state
that have not come here so much for the
purpose of making q campaign speech as
for the purpose of setting myself right be-
fore you, and l am deeply grateful for the
invitation which has afforded me so good
an opportunity to do so.
The lieutenant Governor then, in very
forcible and polished style, reviewed the
charges made against him by the emissa-
saries of the CustOmhOuse ring, with view
especially to destroy the confidence of the
colored people in him, and which had made
strenuous etfsrts to prevent them from at
tending either his meetings or those of his
friends. Referring to the latter fact, the
speaker said: s"If the charges these men
make against me are true, they can prove
them, and they would be willing to allow
YOU to hear my defense; but they know full
well that they are false, and therefore they
strive to prevent you from hearing me or
nv friends in my defense. Isn't that sol"
TLoud cries of yes, yes; it is 80
And not only are the Customhouse satet
lites opposed to hearing of or from me, but
they are afraid to permit discussion of their
own principles and policy. l say afraid, and
mean it. They do not dare to meet in de-
bate any one who is familiar with their
acts They want to keep you in ignorance
of the true state of affairs, as IN that lies
their'only hope. They seek darkness /; they
shun the light, one ray of which would ex-
nose all the hideOusness of their acts. /.
affirm, without fear of contradiction, that
any set of princiL les, or any policy which will
not bear ventiIatiOng must necessarily be
bad. That's so, that's so. Fair dealing,
honest men are always willing to give their
opponents hearing and leave the verdict
to the people, who are the proper persensto
decide which side is right and which side is
wrong. For my part, am ready at any
time to meet and discuss any political ques-
tiOn with whoever desires to do so. l
may not, it is true, use such nicely turned
sentences, or such elegant English and per
feet logic as some college-bred gentlemen,
but in my own quiet, plain. homely way, l
will state the tacts-the truths as they APP
pear to me.
Addressing himself to his white auditors,
of whom there were above a hundred,
most Democrats, he said; You, gentlemen,
complain that we cOlored people are trying
to Africanize this State. Nothing is fur
ther from our purpose, nothing is more
foreign to our desires. We have never
thought of such thing, and it is only
through designing, Unserupul0us dema-
gOgues that you have been led to believe
such an absurdity.
Again, you urge that you do not wish to
be ruled by ignorant men. In this you are
right. But do not blame the cOlored people
for being ignorant, for it is not their fault.
Ordinarily, it IS a fault, amounting almost
to a crime, to be ignorant; but it is no dis
grace to the cOlOred people to admit their
ignorance, because they have had nc chance
to be otherwise. And right here, / may re-
mark that ignorance is not confined .ex-
clusively to our race There are great
many whites who are ignorant also, not
withstanding their opportunities 1t you
desire better government, then help us to
make it by coming into our convention at
New Orleans, on the ninth of August, and
putting up q ticket that will command not
only the attention but the respect and the
votes of the whole people
The Republican party is equal to all the
demands of reform, and we mean to have
it. Come with us, and rest assured you
will find how false the statement is that we
desire all the offices for ourselves. IA
voice: "DO you mean thatPl do mean
it. ["Bully VI just take hand in your
local affairs and send us good delegates to
our convention, so that we may be able to
select the best men for the State ticket.
And when your parish conventions meet
just settle between yourselves who are the
best fitted among you for the parish officers,
but don't try to keep the cOlOred man out
altogether simply because he is col0red, or
on the plea that ne is ignorant and ineompe-
tent. There are great many eolOred men
well qualified for several of your parish
offices, and who are perfectly reliable, and
to such men y0u ought to be willing to give
whatever positions they are capable Of fill
ing.
Referring to the late convention of the
CustomhORse party at Baton Rouge he
said that the grand objection to him was
told in a few wOrds-words of the Custom
house people themselves: "If we let Pinch
back come in, why he will run it,"
Now, gentlemen, doesn't it look little
singular if what they said before and since
their convention be true, that / represented
only myself, that / could run their conven-
ton How could one man, without any
supporters run a convention It's funny,
isn't it? Men without constituents don't