The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-05-17
Patriotic Thieves.
THEY HOLD A MASS MEETING IN NEW Or
LEANS AND PLUMBER THE GUN STORES.
from the New orleans Times, Nav 9TH

|
LEANS AND PLUMBER THE GUN STORES.
! From the New Orleans Times, May 7th.l
At about the hour of noon on Tuesday
! there were posted on the principal thor
/ Oughfares placards bearing the follow
| ing:
"RALLT! RALLY! RALLY!!!n
| "All citizens who are opposed to the sending
Of armed mercenaries into the parishes to in
timidate or felOw-citizens are requested to
meet at Clay Statue, at p. M, to express their
| condemnation of the course OF the usurper Kel-
| iogg and his cO-cOnspiratorS.''
At the appointed hour the vicinage of
Clay Square was enhyened by the pres
ence of groups of persons, disposed at
the neighbOring corners, where they
| seemed to be awaiting the tide in events.
At Bis Mr.. E. J. Ellis and Mr.. Gabriel
/ DEF Feriet took the initiative by moving
on the statue, and this being by common
censent accepted as signal, the people
followed and soon surrounded the rOs-
trum in dense numbers. Messrs. Ellis,
! DeF'e let and others marched within the
/ railing when Mr.. DeFeriet, calling the
assembly to order, begged to introduce
Mr.. E. j. Ellis, who would briefly ex-
plain the object of the meeting.
MR.. ELLIS SPEECH.
The speaker entered at once and with
vigor into review of the present dis
tractod state of affairs, depicting in
| glowing colors the fact that the rights of
the people were i'll such imminent dan
| ger from the avOwed usurpatiOn of Kel-
lOgg that their lives and their liberties
were so threatened th,st they would be
| the Veriest slaves to longer submit tame
". He spoke then of the conflict in St.
Martinsville, and eulOgized Gen. De-
Blanc as man who would resist the in
roads of KellOgg's myrmidons with the
determination and bravery worthy a true
son of the South. He wanted to know
whether there were any before him who
were willing to rally to the support of
that brave man, to which was answered
by many voices, eyes, let us organize
| now, we are ready" ..-
Mr.; Ellis-I have heard you talk that
way before; but if you mean what you
say, there will be plenty of work for you
todo.
| A voice-Yes, we mean it.
Every WE'LL" returned Mr.. Ellis, I'll
take you at your word, Win you all as
sembIe in Lafayette Square tonight at
seven o'clock, to enroll and arm your
selves and go forthwith to the support of
the people of St. Martinsyille ?" TO this
the crowd returned multiplied and vo-
ciferOl- ''Yes.H
The speaker continued it'll reference
| to the unhappy condition of the Deop1e e
| of the State, and an impending worse
fate.
"You think the worst has come," said
he; "but | tell you it has not"
Are not
THAT sCOUNDREL DIBBLE,
| that traitor LOngstr Get, and Heron, even
| now plotting with the strutting Kellogg
new schemes of .Ilainy and oppression Z
Are they not seeking to indict Govern
| OIL, McEnery Mr.. Field may try his best
to carry out that black design, but tell
you that Judge Abell will not lend HIM
self to it.; She iff Patton will be no party
to it, but knowing that, what will Kel-
lOgg, the 1lsurper do? Why he viii call
his Legislature to address out of office
S leh men as Abel and Patton; he will
substitute creatures who will do his will,
and then what safety, what liberty will
there be for you, or me, or anybody? If
he had his way he world indict us all
for treason, and hang us like dogs.
That's the worst which may come if we
do not arise in our might and throw off
the yoke of this usurping tyrant.
We have got to that stage that our
| only recourse lies in our strong arms.
| ask you to come to Lafayette Square
| tonight prepared to go to St. Martins
vile, or to stop here, and tomorrow,
with heroic determination, rise and
overthrow the whole Kellogg Govern
ment. "ActiOR! Action! is what we
want, not words" f..-
Mr.. Ellis retiring, was followed by
GENERAL HUGH ]. CAMPBELL.
General Campbell alluded to the sad
failure of the people of the city and the
State to stand by the promises which
they made last January. Instead of
supporting the McEnery government,
the majority of the people have quietly
acquiesced in the Kellogg usurpation.
Referring to the fact that st. Martin par
| ish had proved the only one in which
the people had remained true to their
bond, he .intimated that the people of
New Orleans lacked the pluck and nerve
to carry out their principles of resist
anee. .~=
At this juncture, several voices cried
out: 'That's so.7 -.. .E
In res oonse to the speakers assertion,
that if tne people of the city had been
possessed of nerve, they would not have
permitted Kellogg,s police to raid into
the parishes, several persons returned
"We had no one to lead us. -
General Campbell instanced the
fact that when in January he took his
stand as a supporter of the McEnery
government, he was told by Messrs.
Adams, Oglesby and numerous wealthy
merchants, that they too would stand
THAT they would never yield, even in
semblance, to the support of Kellogg.
"And yet" said the speaker, ga good
many of those very men have paid
their taxes to the Kellogg governments
But we want you to go in now for
action-bold and determined; we want
you to get ready to go to St. Martins
vile tomorrow, and send KellOggis DO
lice about their business 4., 1s.:-..=s
After suggesting that the s.Ituggle
was not meant to be against the negro,
but for a peaceful possession of the pe0-
lle's rights, the speaker dWelt upon the
Iact that if the people would continue
the fight against the Kellogg usurpa-
ton until the next session of Congress,
there would be strong hope for relief
If they gave up now, all would be lost
forever.
AN EPISODE.
Mr.. Frank McGloin made. short
sneech, .whereafter the gathering was
about dis 1ersing when a tUmult arose
on The Oanquette just before Capt.
Washes, and loud cries Of "It's Long
streetm "D8Wn with himn Kill him ~
were plentifully expressed, attended by
q grand rush to the spot. As it appear
ed, Col. c.. r. Railley, who bears aslight
resemblance to Gen. Longstreet, was
mistaken by several wild enthusiast
for the latter, and, in heated impulse,
they laid violent hands on the. gentle