New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-04-23

Ioquv sought to be heaped upon them.
In the performance Of this melanchol
task, might exclalm in the Iaug1aee ,
the immortal bard OF Avon:
give me TO help in larnentation.
am Lot barren TO bring forth complaints
All springs reduce their currents to mine ewes,
| That J. being 20 ,erned by the cry moon
May send forth PlenteOus tears 10 drown The woIlt
We have spared 10 labor in collectin
| from the most authentic sources the state
mcnt which has Just been read of the or
| gin, progress and e1d OF this appalln
| ira sedy.
From j. two ;mpcr ar. i@c:s are es.at
!ished:
First-That tue men slaughtered in Gran
parish were ia The discharge Of duties .
which they had been summoned as pOsS
! cO1.itGt4s bv the legal sheriff Of the parish
! and were acting as they supposed unde
! The sanction Of law aid the protection 0
| government.
Second-That the charge made shat rh,
| conflict was war 0t races is thorough
refuteG by the fact that the officers ful
whose defense the murdered men rallied
| are white kepu oli.ans
!: is important to SET forth these facts
that the country may understand The
| nature Ot this trouble and the attitude OF
the Colored people; that the country NAV
know that it was conflict between author
lied Republican officers on the one hand,
and pretended Fusion officers on the other
Our enemies, the ap0oglsts for and de
Tenders OF these outrages, N order TO pal
Late the enormty Of the crimes committed
by the Fusionists, charge conflict of race,
and the violation OF the rules of civilized
warfare on the part of the cOlOred people,
III the Grant parish troubles.
From ali the facts in the case il is estab-
lisEed beyond question that the beleag-
uered party did not at any time violate the
rules OF civilized warfare, and ] am salts
fed that this charge has been made with
full knowledge of the fact that it is untrue.
and for the sole purpose OF prejudcing the
minds Of the people ot the country against
the colOred people.
would not for moment be found at
tempting to sustain my people in the com
mission vi a crime, and my knowledge of
their temperament and disposition teaches
ne that they would not ue guilty of the
wrong alleged, for the obvious reason that
they know too well what would be the in
evitable result, Owing to the immense dis
parity between the numbers of white and
cO!Ured people IN this country, and when /
remem her what Christian fOI bearance they
have displayed under all the sufferings
through which they have passed, and their
magndnimOus conduct during the late war
toward their former masters, thus practi-
cally exempifying the teachings of Christ
that when we are smitttn by our
enemies on the one cheek we should
offer to them the other, and when
our cloak Is taken away that we should not
forbid them 20 take the coat alsO," | an
driven TO the conclusion that thew would
not have committed the Otfense charged to
them.
That Ills unfortunate difficulty should
have occurred is 10 be deeply lamented,
for. in IIy judg gment, it will seriously retard
the cousummatiUu of that mutual conf
d"nca and respect for each other which
should exist among the white and cOlored
people. and is so essential to the future
welfare and prosperity Of our State, and
that genuine reconciliation necessary to
peace and good order and the establish
Inenf Of good government.
That ii large number of the good white
people of this State disapprOve and con
demn the extreme and inhuman conduct of
the FusioukJs, sincerely believe, and earn
estly hope that the volume of Louisiana S his
tory viii not be blackened by another such
page, as ali mus: see its damaging effects
upon every interest of oar beloved State,
in confidence destroyed, bad blood en-,
gendeIed, labor demOralized, capital driven
away, Immigration estOpped, and, in short,
every avenue 20 the material advancement
of the commonwealth endangered.
Confident that the colored people will so
demean themselves as to commend them to
the peaceful and law abiding citizens Of the
State and country. | ask in the name of
humanity and common justice, that the
Gu Ity parties in this bloody business be
brought to speedy Justice. ] appeal to the
white people of Louisiana to dispassion-
ately consider the awful consequences
which are likely to result from their coun-
teuanGing, even in the slightest degree, this
spirit of violence, as FROM it one Ut two re
suits must follow: 4 frighttul exodus of
colored people to other localities, in which
they would feel secure of their lives and
property, or a military government, either
of which must be conceded by all would be
detrimental to the interests of the State. |
appeal to the State government to assert
Its power and vindicate the ma a;esty Of law.
appeal 10 the American people, press,
Congress and the President of the United
States TO say whether our people shall he
murdered in this Wholesale manner for
their allegiance to the Republican party.
| have endAavOred to be calm ana dis
passionate in the preparation of these re-
marks, well knowing the awful RESPONSE
bility that would attach to ne if 10y any
word should SIR up strife IL this fever
ished community. ] speak mere n sorrow
than anger. and am desirous of making an
appeal to both races in the name of that
christianity which should marx
the day III which we live, in comm work
10 prevent the .ec.rrerce II such sad
sUtDes.
had intended to make the few remarks
cn this subject that have reduced to man
uscript and then stop. But l feel that l
cannot. You all know that whatever re
marks | am able &c make are better II DO
NOT write them first. But we are now at
such :! crisis that | thought IL would ue
better if l put what ! had to say
on paper, for We caluot afford to
be nIisrepresented by any Of the
press that have shown themselves will
ing to do 50. But one or two remarks may
not be inappropriate. We owe our hearty
thanks to the Republican party, which has
raised us to the position we occupy. We
owe our thanks to the government which
has sustained us: We tTe our thanks to the
people who have stood by It's; we owe some
thug to the administration. an ex-
preston of our confidence, which 1t
has rot yet received from Us
have heard complaints coming along
the street tonight. heard expires
81, rs from Republicans of dissatisfaction
Reports have gone forth that we are dlVlu-
ed. We hea. 1t said by or enemies that
they have Oh y - take advantage OF our
dlsstnsiOns TO triumph over us. Now, TINS
terrible business in Grant parish has gwen
you taste Of what we are to expect II tIe
ul posing party get into power. We owe ~
to ourselves to have 1t 90 forth 70 the whole
country that ali the people Of the North
may understand that We support The ~os-
ernment of this State "a one man,
We want it TO 20 forth that rs srpport
Governor kellogg. We wan. the whole
people os the North to understand aud
ka"~ that the colorcd people OF Louisiana
Cept under Republican rule When 1t goes
forth that We stand III solid phalanx
around this government, ana that We APP
peal TO the people, 70 the press, to Congress