New Orleans Republican., 1873-06-19
The New Party Movement.

I AVE-" ohIL1 NJ, uuc ~. lCt ,.
| thompson W. Bird. Esq, West Baton Horrs
! Louis ana:
| DEAR S R-Yor- communication of the
twelfth jpstant was duly received, aud, in
! response to yor- inquiries concerning DO.
l.Tical affairs, have the pleasr~e OF INFORM
| ing you as to the progress Of events in this
| city.
For myself, am at present occupied on
the committee Of colored citizens. which
| was elected by the mass meeting held in
| Mechar'cs lnsli, It3 on the .wenty eighth
ul' mo. which has for its object the prepaY-
ing and pr sentat'on OF the claims and sit.
ua,iOn OF the colored people in this State
before the next Congress.
| Last evening meeting was held at No
y Carondelet street, at which lea ling poll.
| tlcians on either side were prominent. The
| representatives of the best class OF our
| white ieilow-citizens advanced a number
| OF propositions, which are embodied in a
series of resolutions, absolutely conceding
| to the colored race those civil rights for
which the Republican parry has been SO
long "Ontending. Those far-seeing South
ern gentlemen who had control OF this
very important meeting well know that the
acknowledgement of the rights of the col
ored race in Louisiana is SIMPLY matter
Of time, and, therefore, they wisely deter
mined to anticipate the future and indue
by at once Acknowledge the giievors
wrongs under wb'ch the cUiored race have
so long suffered, and by cOnced'ng their en-
tire right to civil equality with the whites.
The resolutions then passed are too yolu-
minous to be here quoted.
No one who truly understands the in r.
ests OF the Staf,, and is impregnated with
the iluth that the positive anu actual cir
cumstances OF the case require such action,
viii object 10 this declaration. Yesterday
on the street we heard that nhammatory
element that cOngregates on the sidewalks
denOunclng the propositions and resolutions
adopted by that meeu ng as preposterous.
Tomorrow we shall find the same indi-
viduals. who SO b'ctantly denounced the
proposition as preposterors. prepared to
give it their thorough support. So it is. as
all history proves, that every grand move
ment must have beginning, and perhaps
this is one Of them.
But what do | say! The action taken by
these gentlemen is but a recognition of
those rights to which we are entitled, both
by nature aud by legislation. We ask
nothing but what our fair t,iends are, or
will be, compelled to grant. They, prob
ably, believe that they are displaying vast
amount OF magnanimity in conceding the
rights as exempljfed in their resolutions,
but l, tor one, do not see where they are en-
titled to any praise.
If we were to ask for extraordinary
license; if we were to ask for unheard of
privileges. then we might sound jubilate |
songs to the grautors. But 1t mus. be re-
membered that We demand nothing but |
what belongs to Us. We ask no privilege. |
We have fought, and yet fight, for what |
belongs to ps; and if our ancient opponents |
Will now bury the tomahawk of their own |
voliton they do no more than simple JUS |
ice 10 that rPce which has ever been the !
source OF their wealth and the foundation |
of their prosperity. If the resolutions above |
quoted are to be regarded as the honest |
conviction Of the signers land there is no |
reason to doubt it,. then there can be no !
doubt that tue country parishes will eagerly |
accept the measure OF compromise, and |
will unitedly endeavOr to make Louisiana |
what it ought to be, the garden spot and |
the cbiet jewel in the corona OF the federal |
constellation. !
Ever since l took an interest IN political |
affairs, my voice has been raised for an
amicable understanding bel ween the own |
ers and the tillers of the SOIL Their inter- |
ests were identical. 1t was l who first in |
augurated the measure of compromise be- |
tween the two races and the two parties, |
which has achieved such succassiul results |
in east Baton Rouge, Natchttoches and |
other parishes. For doug so, was de- |
nounced by all my Republican friends, yet !
the result has proved that l was right. only !
being few months in advance Of them |
selves.
The very men who charged me, at the |
last election, with being a traitor to the |
cause of Republicapism, on that occasion,
now come forward to the front, and loudly
advocate by their voice and name, the |
same measures that brought forward. As
z Republican and colored man. shall al
wa-s be fond IN the vanguard OF progress.
ana therefore l now maiutain that the
aciIon OF iIese Southern gentlemen has ro
ohe. object than what have been SO long
Struggling to attain.
ut l do not see the necessity of con.
strucrlng new party. nor do l see any
advantage to be gained by new elec.
non. l think, on the contrary, that the
present working executive is doing more
for the true interests Of Louisiana than has
Governor Kellogg has ever practiced sound
discretion in making bis appointments. and
in that regard has been more successful
than any OF his predecessors. The prin.
ciples OF the Republican patty are enough
for me, and their provisions allow plenty of
room to- receive allies who advocate that
platform. Those gentlemen who are en-.
deavOrlng to cement union Of the people,
can enter our ranks and take their chances,
for they are now only advocating the recog.
milton Of those rights to which We are ie.
gally and morally entitled.
My course in the General Assembly has
been to represent all classes alike. whether
white or colored, and as long as l am hon.
ered with that function shal! continue to
do so. and my voice will always be heard
whenever class legislation il introduced, to
which / am diametrically opposed.
7. T. ALLAN.
Representative of West Baton Rouge.