New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-26

From the Indianapolis JOURNAL Octoeer ILl
b. The announcement that G0verno
Pinchback, of Louisiana, would address hi
colored fellow-citizens, served to draw on
large attendance of them at The African
Methodist Episcopal Church last evening
There were in attendance also a humber o
white citizens, among them being Hon. J
B. Glover, Treasurer of State; Captain J
j. Halves. Colonel w. N. Wiles, Major II
j. Craft, DR.. r. T. Brown, Colonels A. II
MARYLAND and White. experimenting ran
way postal service; Colonel w. K. HollO
way, Colonel w. M. French, Hon. Johl
! COburn, Hon. James Fl. Ruddell, Hon. h
c. Newcomb, Hon. W. c. Thompson anc
others with whom our reporter is unac
quainted. The meeting was presided Ovel
by DR.. s. 4. Ebert, and with him on the
! stand were Elder Nathan Mitchem, pastor
! of the church; Rev. Moses Broyles, J. Hin
/ ton, and other prominent colored citizens
The meeting was opened with prayer by
Mr.. Broyles.
1 Pinchback to the audience, who received
l him with manifestations Of applause TEN.
| pered by the influence Of the place.
The Governor said: When / was invited
! to visit your city and deliver an address, ]
I accepted the invitation promptly. for de.
/ sired to visit Indianapolis, as there were
many dear friends here whom I highly e.
/ TEEN, and wished to SEQ and to ascertain
how they were getting on. But above these
reasons. which would have been quite euf-
! ficient, was anxious to come here because
! it is the home Of man big in everything
that constitutes greatness, quick in percep-
ton, bold in execution, just in his cOnclu-
sions, and the peer of any man this country
has ever produced, a cOnservatOr OF the
right, friend Of the poor and oppressed,
advocate of Law and order, and the war
horse of the Republican party. ! refer,
OF course, 10 Senator Morton. But
must not at this time attempt to
eulOgize any man, as ] am to deliver an
address on the cOlored people Of Louisi-
ana. The object being to disprove the
impression sought to be made upon the
people of the North, that the col0red people
of the Soxth have made no progress since
the war, and that they are improvident,
idle and thievish. At the close Of the war,
a great majority Of the colored people OF
Louisiana found themselves suddenly Zee,
and dependent On their own resources,
which the large amount OF ignorance and
poverty existing among the whites, who
have had every opportunity, attest ia no
small tack. That these people should, for
time, appear incident. and indulge in much
extravaganza, was quite natural. What
people similarly situated would not have
done go They had just passed from under
the terrible exactions Of slavery, which
compelled them in many cases to rise before
day and return late at night, forced them
to exist on insufficient food, and covered
the dearest ties of nature. Could there DO
anything more natural than that they
should seek to enjoy, to the fullest extent,
their new found liberty! " f.
But time and necessity have convinced
the colored people of Louisiana that liberty
has brought its duties, no less exactipg
than their former condition: and they have
gone nobly TO work to acquire homes for
themselves, and to educate their children.
To show what they have done in this direc.
ton, it is necessary for me to tell you that
in 1863, when the Republican party came in
possession Of the State government Of
Louisiana, there were no public schools for
cOlored children and only about 100 schools
in the entire State for white children. The
educable youth of Louisiana is about
$4,000, white and eolored. We have to.
day over 1000 schools, with about 100, 900
scholars, half OF whom are colored;
besides these there are many private paw
schools and institutions of learning for the
colored people, all Of which ale we'll at
tended. The eagerness our people
manifest and the rapldity with which
they acquire knowledge, astonishes all
who visit him. / pass now to what rhev
have done in the way of acquiring wealth,
sud wish it to be distinctly borne in mind
that l am speaking Of the freedmen Of Lou
isiana. Without dollar at the close of the
war, and many without decent clothing.
they represent not less than $50 200. 900 Of |
the assessed taxable property of the State, |
which, added to the amount represented by |
those originally free, say $40, 600, foots |
up the handsome sum of $50 600, 900. But |
this Is not their greatest source of wealth. |
In addition to this they constitute four |
he nf$ tr1,x Al
produces annually about $4,000 hogsheads |
Of sugar. 100000 gallons of molasses and |
2Oo UOo bales OF cotton, besides consid- |
cradle Ice and tobacco, amounting in |
the aggregate to over $50 100000. OF this |
enormous amount they actually own not |
less than Sl4,O00,O 900; how this happened is |
easily understood when it is remembered
that many plant on their own lands, bought
elnce emancipation, and the rest. as a rule,
worf ny on shares, giving third for the
rent OF the lands. Another evidence of |
their wealth can be found in the monthly
statements OF the Freedmens Savings and
ii asst Company. Their statement for july.
lo73. shows balance due the depositors at /
heir branch in New OrieaEs, the handsome
'1m OF s.2!9l .2S9 80. Total amount deposited
u all the branches. 81 1886 q, and grand
otal deposited since organization $50 800.
c5 l6. After this exhibet of facts and |
~. I
repeat the challenge l made in an address
u Chicago to the enemies Of tie colored
'eople TO find in the history Of the human
ace such brilliant ten years record.
The colored people of Louisiana have
eyeral representatives in Office of whom
hey may well feel proud. There is the
Governor, who was with me on |
visit to this city about four years ago, and
'nom some OF you may remember. He is
man OF whom the Democratic press is
moved to speak in terms of praise; and
ven goes so far as TO say that if Kellogg
only superseded by him they don't care
ow long he may DO Governor. There is
lr: Brown, who was delegate 70 an edu-
atlonal convention in New York and has
cen repeatedly called to positions of honor
nd trust There is also Colonel Lewis, of
HON the opposition press speaks favor
bly,. which certainly ought to be good testi-
1ony OF bis fitness for the position he holds, I
might 60 On and enumerate others like !
hese, for we have many ia Office down !
here, but it would serve no good purpose.
speak OF these only 10 refute the state. I
1ents that the colored people of Louisiana
ave made 10 progress since the war.
! learn that IN this city you are amassing
roperry rapidly, and that whole squares !
early are IN the hands OF the cOlored citi-
ems. believe the very square in which I
III now stopping, with q man whom I have
nown since his boyhood who, BY the ac-
We discharge Of the duties of the profes.
on he had. by fairly dealing with his fel 6
w man, has amassed fair store of this {
'oTld's goods, and has lately been elected | G
position which ! consider the most &