New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-25

past has been an unmixed blessing; nor do
mean to say that the rule of our political
opponents has always been blessing.
| think there has been wrong done both I'M
der Republican and under Democratic rule,
| but much of that wrong, as far as Republl-
| can rule is concerned, has arisen from the
| fact that the supremacy of the Republican
party at the polls has never been recog-
| nized by the people of this State, which has
| resulted in the placing of power In the
| hands of the Governor and the returning
| board and the registrars of election to Sc
cure control of the Legislature which the
votes of the people did not authorize him
to exercise. This has given rise to feel
| ing of uneasiness among the people OF this
| State, and this feeling of uneasiness has
| prevented the Legislature from enacting
| such laws as would have been wise and dis
| Greet under the circumstances. l think
| that if we could have an election once In
| louisa aa. and there could be victory OF
the Republican party, as, IN my OPINION,
| there might be, which would be beyond
dispute, then the people would be prepared
for the enactment and maintenance OF such
laws as would secure to all citizens the
| rights of free government. l want no
man to be abriged in his rights. want every
man to 90 to the ballOt-box, and l want HIM
to have equal legal rights in the courts and
everywhere else. When the day comes
| when we shall have economical and true
| Republican rule, then we can have PLAIN,
clear untranmeled victory at the polls. |
believe the blessings of free government
| will be better secured by the Republican
| party than by any other party in this coun-
! try. | believe that it is the party OF peace
| and progress, and order and law and llb-
ertv, and that all these benefits are show
cred down upon the people of this country
| IL, nF the RpDuDllcdn
party. But I believe, as party IN tins
State, we need pruning and purging FER
| hans il NAV be necessary to go through de-
feat in order to bring the party up to the
standard of these principles; but II the
people should think otherwise-f they
should think fit to entrust us next year
with the government of the State-iet that
decision be recorded in such language that
s.he who runs NAV read" and that he who
reads can never forget.
Mr. Barber-I have listened to the elo-
Guence of the gentleman who has just sat
down, and l listened carefully to the
speeches on this subject yesterday, and 1t
appears to Inc that the gentlemen VINO nave
spoken have taken advantage OF this dls-
cussion to make political speeches outside
of the question at issue. l would not have
had ANYTHING to say at this time II the gen
tleman from Carroll (Mr. McMillenl had
! not made use of some remarks when
think are not applicable to the class OF per-
sons to whom he applied them. Tbs qnes-
tion is one of great Importance to the class
represent on this floor. L will not follow
him through his arguments. l think we
can reach decision on this question by
square 1@r vote? y; .,o ano..;on, r ia simp]v to
provide board of returning officers that
will saw to the bad elements in this State
Here is "a law under which every man
| A. 50, cd 70 do ana
be registered and vote. but if you attempt
to prevent men who have equal rights from
the exercise OF that privilege, the vote In
that locality shall have investigation by
men who will give it an honest and tar ex-
animation and if it is found that violence
and intimidation is used to prevent 1air
election, that vote will be thrown out. ,
Such a provision as this, think should
meet the approval of all good citizens:
| II is only the bad elements that VIII
object to it. 1t is an old maxim
which l have heard from boyhood that
clocks and keys were not made tor honest
people, but to keep thieves out OF places
proposed to be introduced INTO TINS Dill VIII
not operate against citizens disposed to
obey the law. It is desi gned to operate
against that class of men who are disposed
10 prevent the class of men whom both the
Senator from Claiborne (Nlr Blackman)
and the Senator from Carroll Mt Nc H.
lenl profess to represent from casting their
votes at the polls. What do the class
that l represent ask Do we ask any
special law giving preference to us over
any other class of men! We do not We
simply ask equal justice. what mas Deel
the history of this State IN past time . l
incurred OF the, Senator from Carroll tMr.
McMillen whether he had voted for General
Grant in 1868 He said he did. and that
! (,appral Grant majority.
He saws that in New Orleans 1t was poiltl-
cal eowardice on the part OF the men VINO
did not vote. | am apt to believe the gen
tleman STAYED out of New Orleans during
that time. | am apt to believe II be had
, been here attending the ward clup meet
ings he would not report that II was pohti-
cal cowar,ice of the Republicans to re-
frain from voting when the residences OF
prominent members of their party were
broken into and searched for arms: when
their clubrOoms were sacked, ana they
were not permitted to walk the streets I'M
molested When and where were they to
look for protection admit there was
political cowardice on the part of some he
pubicans. but where did it rest 1t be-
ionged to that class that the gentleman
himself represents in the Republican party
and when the time of danger came these
were not found. Some that should have
been the first ones were skulking leaving
the cofored men to fight their own battles
Mr. McMillen-The Senator then admits
, there was political cowardice somewhere!
Mr. Bacber-I say, if there was, 1t was
not with the class OF men whom represent
but with the class of men whom you repre-
sent
, Mr. McMillen-I don't care where it was
so long as you admit it was there.
Mr.. Barber-it was evinced by the class
of gentlemen who assumed to be the lead
ers of the Republican party in this State
, RI was evinced by the class of men whom
the gentleman (Mr. McMilel) represents.
Mr. McMillen-I acknowledge the fact
that was a leader of the Republican party
in my parish, and my parish gave General
, Grant upwards of ego majority.
Mr. Barber-For the benefit of the gentle
man, ! will make an exception in his favor
, The gentleman lives up in the parish OF
, Carroll believe!
, Mr. McMillen-The parish of Carroll
Yes, sir. Does the gentleman know where
t it isl
Mr. Barber-Yes. sir: have been there a
= number of times, and before the gentleman
himself. was going to say that perhaps
that parish was not under the same lnttu
, ence VIII the gentleman from Carroll
Mr.. McMillen) say that in other parishes
t where the Democratic party was thorough
: ly organized, that one could go and vote
= without fear of assassination
Mr.. McMilen-I say that they did it il
my parish and in the neigh5oring parish OF
: ! Madison.
Mr.. Barber-I was here in the city OF
! New Orleans. and in the ward in which
=, lived the Democrats had an organization
t and resorted to the most desperate meas
r | ures, and if the cOored citizens had at
= | temntpd to 90 the polls and cast their votes