Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-12-06
Cuban Outrage Meeting.


The spontaneous assemblage which fille,l
seats and aisles and OverfOwed one of the
largest halls in orr city on Friday night
was In many respects extraordinary. A
simple call had been published. No efforts
i had been made to secure an attendance.
There was no machinery of party or of is
sociations. There wBs neither banners, nor
bands of music, nor badges. transparencies,
notices or watchwords. There were no
officers selected. no resolutions prepared,
no speakers notified. The people made the
meeting. The people made the meeting.
The people made the programme. When
we looked around for the politicians of
this or that party usually 40 prominent in
public affairs. aud whose presence and SEN
by their respective adherents, and witness
ed this avalanche Of the people," We re-
membered a dramatic anecdote. When
Kean. after great professional trials, made
his first great hit in Hamlet or Othello, he
! rushed home to communicate to his wife
| the glory Of his success. That excellent
| lady thinking only of some titled patron
who had interested himself in the fortunes
of this young actor, asked in much excite
ment. "What! what did the duke sayr
"Damn the duke" replied the triumphant
genius, the pit rose at me" He rightly
appreciated the value of those voices upon
whose acclamations depend the permanent
snccess of either man or cause. This inn
mems and orderly assemblage was com
posed Of Americans of every national de-
nomination. Both the white and the Afri-
can races were intermixed i'm the audience
and represented on the platform and in the
addresses. There was the entire unifica-
tion If sentiment and of purpose which no
political combination or compromise could
have effected. And whyf The American
/ flag had been insulted. American citizens
| had been murdered for the motive that
brouuht LAFAYETTE and KOsciusko 10 the
| side of Washington. II was on this srnti-
ment that those who had maintained the
Union rallied tn the flag, whilr the gallant
and outspoken Confetlrrates In the vUice of
| Nee aleb and Zacharie, said that their
| fight was for the more strict construction
of the common constitution and the higher
destinies 0f the American name, but that
never had they ceased to he American citi-
zens--never he'd they violated their renew
ed allegiance tn the constitution, as inter-
preted even against their opinions. In the
exact language Of Confederate s,ldier--
This meeting means that we of Lonisia-
ma have sunk past differences and intend
to all join AS Americans and freemen. 1t
means, lastly, that we of this State and
the country mean to wipe the stain Of sla-
very from the American continent. 1t
means that we and us all, brothers in the
lost cause, intend to show the United
States government, if necessary, by our
blood, that when we took our oath IF allie
glance, after our arms were laid down, that
we intended to keep it. Now, as we be-
lieve we are ON the eve of q war, let MS all
unite and join heartily in the struggle.
(Cheers.
The colored people, in the addresses of
Colonel James Lewis and Mr.. Kennedy,
were present to protest against the contin-
uance of African bondage ON this continent
and to express that sympathy for wrong
aud cruelty toward white ar colored peo-
pie 10 which their own history has given
perhaps peculiar Significance. When the
spectacle is Witnessed OF intelligent and
able colored men advocating the employ
ment Of national power in universal eniau-
cipation, the wisdom and probable intent
Of Providence is conspicuous. These men
were prepared by compulsory bondage for
this great and especial agency. From bar
harous ancestors they have been elevated
to civilization, aud through this means and
medium may the whole system of human
bondage he obliteratel. Thus. then, we
have seen the friends of freedom for white
and black barmonize and cooperate. 1t
will I've exactly in proportion to the COM
munity of sentiment and interest that the
lrarinonies and unitication of the two ra- !
ces will I've permanently effected.
But President Grant will see in this |
meeting that Louisiana, torn by party dis |
sensons, is a unit ON the national honor. |
He will see that superior civilization Of the |
American people, which never shot, hung. |
drew or quartcred human being for po- !
litical offense, has borne most precious |
fruit. That even those who tonight against !
the federal government never lost the ma |
tional name, and even when protesting |
against what they deemed political injns-
tice, 'sink past differences" and support the |
national honor as Americans aud free |
men," To the apologists of Spain-tc !
those who hint that any part of the Amer !
lear people will hesitate OF hang back in |
support of the government, and to those
who intimate that war may bring loss Of
trade, this meeting, will prove that Amer |
lean freenlen, without regard to color, past |
condition or opinions ON other questions, |
are determined to avenge the honor of the |
American flag. Even when enhanced by |
Spanish apologies, a war which shall bring |
about the uniication of the American peo- |
pie and the Oblivion Of past differences |
would be cheap at any computable num- |
Der of millions. The government may |
then advance firmly on her path Of nation
al vindication. assured that no opposition,
or even neutrality, need be unprecedented. |
That the nation is unit in demanding re-
dress, and that the whole Southern people |
will only contend who can carry the Amer |
lean flag furthest aud plant it most firmly |
on the high ground of universal Freedom |
and universal equality. Il ". o. Republican.
HHRxSTH.4S PRESENTS |
~ at tER(,l,SON A. S(,HNA(,K,S