New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-18
Their Debt to he Republican Party.

Hon. p. B. s. Pinchback, of New Orleans
delivered an address last evening in the
Olivet Baptist Church, on the status of the
emancipated colored men of the South, to a
crowded audience. The address was made
at the request of Hon. John Jones and sew
eral other influential members of the church
where it was delivered. In opening, the
speaker said that, in order to define the
standing of the colored people of the South
it was necessary to 90 back little. At the
close OF the war nearly four millions Of col
cred people, ignorant and poor, were
thrown upon the charities of the world.
Their enemies said they were indolent.
Did the facts now patent bear out this
stigma He believed not. In Louisiana,
at the close of the war. 100000 growing
youth were in the State, of whom not 20,
600 attended schools. These were white; of
cOlOred children it was needless to speak.
They did not attend at all. but were whipped
when seen with a book in their hands. Now
they had 100 schools in the State, and over
l00, 900 scholars, Of whom more than one
halt are colored. AN the change had been
accomplished under Republican auspices.
He represented class of quadroOns, who
had white fathers and cOlored mothers, VINO
inherited the wealth OF their fathers. The
property Of these quadroOn children was
about $l2O00,00O. Now the cOlored people
owned $50, 0OO, 600 out of the taxable prop.
erty Of the State amounting to $225, 100000.
Though tho colored people owned little
less than fourth of the property, they paid
more than q fourth of the taxes, because
many of the property owners were tax-re.
sisters. The cOlored men we're the produc-
ers; the blacks alone titled the soil; they
were the only people who could till it. The
productions of the State amounted yearly to
$4,000 600, and of this amount ST., 100000
was not only produced by the cOlored
people, but was owned by them. They were
their own prOprietors, These two elements,
education and wealth, made the State 1t
was no disparageIAentf for the cOlored people
to be ignorant. But they were not remain
ing ignorant and the progress TREY had
made in enlight ument was probably with
out q parallel. In the face of the facts it
was an outrage to claim that the colOred
people were making no progress. 1t was
contended, after the war, that the free ne
gro would breed pestilence and riot, and
when it was found that such things were
not coming to pass, they tried to make it
true by organizing Ku-Klux Klans. 1t was
also said that the cOlored people were dy-
ing out. Neither was this true. They had
increased ten per cent since the war. 1t
was also said they would migrate. If they
did they would move south. But he did
not believe they would move much There |
were too many halfway places. Prejudice |
still stood in the way. but it was vanishing. |
When he went to school in Cincinnati, in |
1876, he did not dare look decent in the |
street for fear Of being rOtton -egged. All |
this was changed. Formerly darby did |
not dare pass the front door of hotel. |
Now they accommodated him the same as /
q white man. This was a glorious eonsum-
nation. 1t was proof beyond cavil that
the old prejudice was weakening
But they owed nearly all they were to |
the Republican party, and they were but !
paying debt to stand by it. So long as |
the Republican party was the party Of /
equal rights they could belong to no other |
There was now some fear that another
party would get ahead of the Republican |
party and pass Summers civilr lights bill.
At the close Of the address the following |
resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That we recognize in Senator 1
Pinchback a proper representative of our |
race, and that in his success in receiving re- |
cognition of his right to seat in the United |
States Senate. we will find another oblga-
ton to add to the many under which we |
how are to the Republican party.
A subscription was then taken for the
benefit of the Southern yellow fever suffer
srs, and generous sum was realized
Chicago Post.