New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-04-23
TEE C0LORED MEN IN COUNCIL
ADDRESS TO TEE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Speeches by Governor z. 3. $. Pinch.
back, Hon. c. e. Antoine and
T. Morris Chester, Esq.

CT the proposed meeting, the church was
erammed to its uttermOst resources, large
portion OF the audience being ladies. The
recent terrible massacre Of large number
Of cOlOred men in the parish of Grant, who
died while defending the courthouse and
aiding the legally constituted officers of the
parish in maintaining The public property
against an armed ID, b Of outlaws, was the
occasion that called these people together
The meeting was called to order by Hon
James II. ingraham, WHO called General
Antoine. Esq, and Captain Henry l.. Rey
were elected secretaries of the meeting.
The Rev. Mr.. Harper was called upon %
open with prayer the exercises Of the
evening.
I. Morris Chester, E-q., was then intro
luced, and spoke as follows:
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen
We have assembled to night, not TO prais o
our murdered dead, but to do justice to
their memories. By searching and ac-
curate invest CATION into the circumstances
attending the Grant massacre, we propose
20 reveal this hideous spectacle in all OF its
ghastliness, and, with the light Of facts, TO
enable you to contemplate the assasslns IN
the very attitude OF their intamy. AS
guardians of the public peace and the
majesty Of the State, our brethren have
been savagely slaughtered. after they had
surrendered under promise OF protection
gnG safety. by men who are daily plight
inc their fidelity to our interests and So
ligitinS us to entrust them with the
administration Of public affairs. On Easter
Sunday. when the Christian world was
chanting anthems IN cOmmemoratiOH
Gt the resurrection Of the worlds
Tedeemer. when from every sanctuary
the Gospel of love and peace was pro
claimed, IL vas then that angels vailed
their faces, and devils howled at the bloody
and revolving scenes that were enacted on
She banks Of Red river. When i reflect
over this and other unDrOVoked bUtCheries
must cNclaim, like jeremiah. IN the agony
of my soul: "Oh, that my head were as
waters and mine eyes a fountain Of tears,
that ! might weep day and nigh; for the
slain of my people.
The blood of our brethren Is crying from
the earth for vengeance, but into the keep
ing of Him who has said vengeance Is
mine; | wilt repay it, commit the tate of
our murder. When we think over the
bloody Me ssacre in this city-hJw d cOl0rtd
convention was attacked and tie Gna1med
delegates deliberately shot down without
cause or pruvUcatiOu-W We reflect how
cur blood has ciimsoned nearly every par
ish in the STATE, and with the full facts Of
this Grant massacre before us. we solenIlE
ask how long. oh Lord, holy and true,
tost Thou not Judge and aveug" orr blood
au them that dwell on :he EARN
As il Is not my Intention 10 make
speech others being present for that pur-
pose. shall proceed I" read the following
statement of facts. III the form OF an aa-
C"rss to the American people:
Friends and countFymeu-Tragio events
recently occurring in this State, IN the par
ieh OF Grant, sending q thrill OF horror
throughout the land, demand comprehen
sive and impartia. statement. Cur people
have again been barbarOusly TnassacIed by
the spirit OF slavery, which is still cher
iAued and fOstered in the interest of Dem0c-
racv. under the assumed designation OF
Fusion. TArOugh its prevalence aud popL-
Iarity we are denied our constitutional
rights all over the commonwealth. by
means Of it's powerful sentiment we are
wrsnged and insulted in person, without
redress, and are frequently beaten and
bruised without provOcation or alteration.
Since the rebellion over five thousand per
sons of color have been barbarOusly assas-
sinated by the Democracy. in the gratlhca-
tioD of its vndictiveness, in the parishes OF
~. Landry, Bossier. ST. Mary, st. Tammany
Washington, T3ngipahoa, jackson, RIch-
land, Franklin, Claiborne, East Baton
Rouge, Caddo, De Soto, Vernon, Jefferson,
ST. Martin, MorehOusc. Sabine, Ouachlta,
~. Bernard, Rapides. Livingston, st. Helc-
ua. Natchitnches, Orleans and Grant. Oar
history before and since reconstruction has
been that of a patient, laborirg and hope |
Gul people, silently aud seciusively mourn. |
ing over 0ur fearful adVersIlies and becom
inglT rejoicing over the tIium Ghs Of hui !
Enanity and Justice. In the exemplI!;cdtIon |
al our patriotism. which embraces the !
whole iand-~oUr love Ot liberty, untdlnted /
by lcenHe-~our IideSitV 10 the material IN !
Teresa ot thUse who have so grleYlously |
Nr0nged Us--Gur continued and uninter. |
rrptcG cultivation at the sOi.o which mer- |
camille and commercial sta'l-tscs will at |
1est--in the midst az our reflections |
for ObiiSion and charity o. unparalleled |
iuiguities. and during the very dehbera.
Ti0ns og cur councils fOr & poilucaL union |
g! all cOlprs, upon an impartial haslS IN the |
interest of our beloved commonwealth 0ur !
reoplP, in Grant parish, have been treaCh.
rrously allured 20 a shocking slaughter by |
the Democracy, uuickened by the spirit II |
CDDrrSsiun, @hich ia stimulated and RAM. |
eed by Mr.. John RcEners and his sedi- |
GiOus adherGnts In vlndlcatIon OF truth, |
and in Justice r% The memory OF those who
have been se U*Tti$liuuslv afsassinated ana |
slandered, Ne present the following state,
tpen, Of facts f,Um uuimpsachabie and !
occulas Witnesses fog s!e imp@rt'a! Judg-
nent OF mankind;
It is well Known 2iaG IN = fair election
tie parish ct Grant is Republican by 3o0
majority. After the last general election |
the loyal returning board iuadc Ao returns
of election ?uY officers in the parish "i !
Grant, The Fusion officers. claiming 20 |
have been elected, took possession ut the |
Otfices under authority al the Auslo; return |
in, board. in January Governor heiloES, |
nv aud with the advice and consent OF the |
S@nate or,noiptcd a stat OF parish officers, |
among Them ID. ", Shaw, white kepun- !
Ncar. sheriff of the parish. The parish .
;rdge appoiutcd at the same 'lnle ialLlng 10 /,
.uaIiry. Goverucr Kellogg, III tebruary. |
apD0inted X. c Register, also white he !
publican, a. parish Judge Ahese oihcS!s
repaired to the parish seat, the town OF So'-
fax, and during the absence OF ao"nuoA-
ment Of the offices by the Fusion claimants
.uietly possessed themselves OF them' h"- |
,nors of an iree1tion on the part 81 the pre-
tended officers ta capture the ofhcts soon |
yeeched the Tewly installed authorizes, |
anI Sheriff Shaw summoned "a posse |
,or the protection OF his once. |
That the principal portion OF thls posse |
should have been OF colored men Is
understood by the tact that tneTe we're
Easily more colored than white Republl- j.!
cans residing in Coliax and its vIclnlty: |
The usurping officers openly threatened
,ha, thev Intended to take possession OF
che offices if they had to Kill every Negro III
che parish in doing SO.
Evidencss of the determined purpose 20 |
sapture the courthouse. with the parish |
records, and get possession OF the onees AZ |
sny and all hazards becoming more aLo
Aore apparent, the guard al ana arouho Lno
Courthouse was strengthened and intrench- |
et onder the directions of the legal sheriff. |